JOSHUA v RUSSIA

EDDIE HEARN believes Vladimir Putin will be desperate for Russia’s Alexander Povetkin to beat Anthony Joshua – and score a big propaganda victory for his country.

Povetkin challenges WBA Super, IBF and WBO heavyweight champion Joshua at Wembley on Saturday and promoter Hearn claims Putin and the Kremlin are firmly behind him.

At a time when relations between the countries are at their most tense since the Cold War, Hearn says Russia feel a Povetkin win over the pride of British boxing would boost their prestige.

Evoking echoes of Rocky IV, where Russian Ivan Drago was backed by the Kremlin to beat Rocky Balboa and restore his country’s sporting pride, the Matchroom MD said: “He’s and confident that’s been dealt with. Every fight we do with Joshua, of course he is on UKAD, but we also sign up to additional VADA testing, which comes 12 weeks before the fight.

“Off the top of my head there have been five or six tests from VADA, not from the Russian one.

“They will go into his camp and that’s been done from 12 weeks out. Every time there is a VADA test, one week later we get an email to both camps saying the test was done and it was negative.

“Once Povetkin gets into the country this week, UKAD will start as well.”

Enzo Calzaghe – who steered son Joe to an unbeaten 46-fight career crowned with world titles at two different weights – has died at the age of 69.