Ahead of their heavily-rumoured WBA/IBF/WBO World heavyweight title showdown, Anthony Joshua and Alexander Povetkin have signed up for voluntary drugs testing with Voluntary Anti Doping Agency (VADA), it was revealed last night.
The agency, which is viewed as the “gold standard” for anti-doping in the sport, made the announcement via their official Twitter account on Sunday evening.
@Vada_Testing welcomes @anthonyfjoshua & #alexanderPovetkin to our program as they prepare for their upcoming September 2018 bout. @MatchroomBoxing@worldofbox@VadimKTeam @Frank_1_Smith
— Vada-Testing.org (@Vada_Testing) July 1, 2018
Though the Joshua-Povetkin bout is yet to be formally confirmed, the recent breakdown in negotiations between British star Joshua and WBC World heavyweight champion has seemingly paved the way for a showdown with WBA mandatory Povetkin.
Povetkin – who himself has a history of failed drugs tests, following two separate bans from the sport in 2017 – is widely expected to travel to the United Kingdom to take on ‘AJ’, in a bout that pits two Olympic gold medalists against one another.
After WBA president Gilberto Mendoza issued Joshua and promoter Eddie Hearn with a 24 hour deadline to strike a deal with Russia’s Povetkin, it would appear that an announcement between the two camps is imminent.
The bout represents a stiff challenge for the unbeaten Watford-man, and, with large sections of the sport seemingly with their heart set on an undisputed showdown with Deontay Wilder, Povetkin will be hoping to capitalise on any distractions and upset Joshua’s future plans.