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Heavyweight contender Alexander Povetkin and unified titleholder Anthony Joshua have both signed up for VADA’s drug testing program leading into their planned fight according to a Tweet sent out by the organization yesterday.
@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
The fight between Joshua and Povetkin has not been officially announced but it’s expected to happen after the WBA ordered the fight be signed and Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, said that they have no intention of losing a belt.
Povetkin tested positive for banned substances twice in 2016, which scrapped fights against both Deontay Wilder and Bermane Stiverne that year, but has since won a couple fights in his native Russia and scored a win over David Price this past March in Cardiff.
Meanwhile fans had really been hoping to see an undisputed title unification in the heavyweight division between Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder take place this year, but that now looks like it won’t be coming off until at least next spring at the earliest.