A super heavyweight title fight between Russian boxer Alexander Povetkin and Bermane Stiverne has been cancelled after Povetkin failed a drug test.
He was to fight Stiverne for the World Boxing Council (WBC), interim world title in the Russian city of Ekaterinburg.
Russian media reported that Povetkin’s team had tried to persuade Stiverne to go ahead with the fight despite the failed test but Stiverne had refused.
WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman, said via twitter that the WBC was officially withdrawing recognition of the Povetkin-Stiverne fight due to Povetkin’s drug test result.
The 37-year-old also missed out on a title bout with Deontay Wilder of the United States after testing positive for Meldonium.
In April, traces of the substance were seen after Povetkin had a doping test, although a repeat test returned a negative result.
