Povetkin’s final shot at redemption poses potent danger to Joshua

Experienced Russian has survived doping charges to challenge for Briton’s WBA title, writes Gareth A Davies

Alexander “Sasha” Povetkin grew up in Kursk in western Russia. The Soviet Union was soon to undergo dramatic change. It was an area steeped in history, the site of the biggest tank battle ever, and a turning point in the Second World War.

Povetkin is built a little like a tank himself, but it will be a lonely enough walk at Wembley Stadium next Saturday to face Anthony Joshua as the mandated challenger for the World Boxing Association title, one of three heavyweight belts the Briton holds.

Povetkin was a physical child: a little “White Lion”, as his ring sobriquet suggests. Sports dominated his life.

“My father took me to a boxing gym when I was 12. Apart from boxing, I took part in kick-boxing, hand-to-hand fighting and karate tournaments,” the 39-year-old recalls. “I had the support of my family, especially of my father. My childhood was perfect.”

Like Wladimir Klitschko, who dominated the heavyweight division for a decade and is the only fighter to have beaten him in 40 fights, he had a Soviet sports scholarship. It enabled him to travel the world garnering vast amateur experience, winning 125 of 132 bouts. Joshua had just over 30.

But Povetkin has underachieved in 13 years as a professional, and this could be his moment of glory. And he knows it. Standing 6ft 2in, with a 75in reach, weighing just over 16st, Povetkin does not have the stature of some rivals. He is stocky, compact and technically efficient in the manner of, say, Mike Tyson.

He has a defence instilled in him from his stellar amateur days – European and world amateur champion, and Olympic superheavyweight champion in 2004 – and a well of experience over Joshua.

Povetkin has power and the ability to finish, knocking out 70 per cent of his opponents. He sets traps, moves well and targets the body in close range to make opponents drop their hands so that he can duck inside and throw a dangerous overhand right. That sequence may be perfect for dethroning Joshua.

But the pall over Povetkin is the “drugs cheat” label. He insists he is no miscreant, despite failing two doping tests in an eight-month period in 2016. He cites sabotage in one of those.

In 2016, Povetkin tested positive for meldonium, which helps the body with conversion of testosterone, and can take months to leave the system.

He admits he did take it until it was put on the banned list by the World Anti-Doping Agency two years ago. A number of athletes admitted to using it, and tennis player Maria Sharapova was banned for taking it.

Also in 2016, traces of Ostarine, a muscle-builder banned since 2008, showed up. The World Boxing Council banned him indefinitely, then reinstated him on appeal.

Povetkin says: “I have been justified, and the court case finished in our favour. First, I was caught on meldonium and it was a nanogram

quantity. And it happened right before the fight. I was clean a couple of tests before it, and I was clean when tested after that. For me, it was very, very suspicious.

“I don’t even know what Ostarine is. A couple of tests before I was caught were clean. The tests after were clean. And the time they found it before the fight, it was very, very minor in quantity. In my opinion, there was something suspicious going on.”

Joshua, he admits, is arguably his toughest test, and potentially his last shot at redemption: “Joshua is a tougher challenge than Klitschko. But since the fight with Klitschko in 2013, a lot of time has passed. I’ve become stronger, wiser and smarter.

“I don’t regard Joshua as inexperienced. He’s definitely a great fighter. It could be one of the last chances for me, so I will try my best.”

Joshua had better be prepared.