Getty
NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 3: MANDATORY CREDIT Bill Tompkins/Getty Images Sergey Kovalev defeats Igor Mikhalkin by TKO in the 7th round during their Light Heavyweight fight at Madison Square Garden on March 3, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Bill Tompkins/Getty Images)
Getty
NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 3: MANDATORY CREDIT Bill Tompkins/Getty Images Sergey Kovalev defeats Igor Mikhalkin by TKO in the 7th round during their Light Heavyweight fight at Madison Square Garden on March 3, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Bill Tompkins/Getty Images)
Getty
NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 3: MANDATORY CREDIT Bill Tompkins/Getty Images Sergey Kovalev defeats Igor Mikhalkin by TKO in the 7th round during their Light Heavyweight fight at Madison Square Garden on March 3, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Bill Tompkins/Getty Images)
Getty
NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 3: MANDATORY CREDIT Bill Tompkins/Getty Images Sergey Kovalev defeats Igor Mikhalkin by TKO in the 7th round during their Light Heavyweight fight at Madison Square Garden on March 3, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Bill Tompkins/Getty Images)
The former light heavyweight king of boxing, Sergey Kovalev, has tested positive for synthetic testosterone. The news broke out on Thursday after the Voluntary Anti Doping Association test results were revealed which have put his January 3o boxing bout against Bektemir Melikuziev on hold.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
Dan Rafael, a boxing journalist, took to his Twitter handle to report this incident to Kovalev’s fans.
BREAKING: Sergey Kovalev has tested positive for synthetic testosterone. I have obtained the VADA letter outlining the details of positive test. Means his Jan. 30 DAZN headliner with Bektemir “Bek Bully” Melikuziev likely will be canceled. #boxing
— Dan Rafael (@DanRafael1) January 14, 2021
Kovalev’s promoter and Main Event CEO, Kathy Duva, expressed his notions on the same by releasing a statement. He said, “VADA was contracted for this fight at his insistence, as he has requested for almost all of his fights going back several years. He maintains that he did not purposefully ingest any banned substances.”
The 37-year-old was on the brink of a comeback after a long layoff of almost 14-months. In his last outing, he got brutalized by the pound for pound king of boxing, Canelo Alvarez, wherein he lost his WBO title.
Read – Fury vs Joshua Location: Bob Arum Says ‘Anthony Joshua Doesn’t Mean Very Much in the United States’
This fight was extremely important for him, as it might have helped ‘Krusher’ trace his way to the top again.
On the flip side, his opponent Melikuziev isn’t interested in letting this fight go off his hands. Instead, he seems ready to take on Kovalev even after his positive test.
Bektemir Melikuziev took to his social handle and wrote: “I don’t like talking, but I said it last night – it makes no difference to me, just put him in the ring, let us fight regardless.”
I don't like talking, but I said it last night – it makes no difference to me, just put him in the ring, let us fight regardless. @DAZNBoxing @Micheladatime @GoldenBoyBoxing @VadimKTeam
— Bektemir Melikuziev (@BMelikuziev) January 14, 2021
How will the positive test impact Sergey Kovalev and his career?
The ‘Krusher’ has hung around the sport for a long time now and he is not quite familiar with testing positive for banned substances. The Russian boxer has a 34-4 boxing record and was looking forward to adding his 35th win on January 30.
Getty
MONTREAL, QC – JANUARY 30: Sergey Kovalev of Russia enters the ring during the WBO, WBA, and IBF light heavyweight world championship match against Jean Pascal of Canada at the Bell Centre on January 30, 2016 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
The committee has not banned or charged the veteran yet, nor have they canceled his upcoming bout. However, this might put a stain on Kovalev’s illustrious career.
The next few days are very important for the ‘Krusher’ as the committee might take a decision on his future.
Do you think the Kovalev vs Melikuziev bout will go ahead?