Alexander Besputin to end layoff on March 20th Beterbiev-Deines card

Despite the various changes in dates and locations, the co-feature for Artur Beterbiev vs. Adam Deines remains intact. TASS reports that former WBA “world” welterweight champion Alexander Besputin will return to action in Moscow on March 20th, taking on world traveler TBA.

Interestingly, this will be his first time fighting in his native Russia as a professional.

Besputin (13-0, 9 KO), a 29-year-old former amateur standout fighting out of Oxnard, claimed both the WBA belt and his biggest victory to date with a November 2019 decision over Radzhab Butaev. Besputin subsequently tested positive for the SARM ligandrol, however, and his B-sample likewise came back hot after a lengthy COVID delay.

Between the ongoing controversy and his lack of negotiationg leverage, Besputin will likely find it difficult to secure a marquee opponent, but he’s skilled enough to still be a player in this stacked welterweight division. Let’s just hope they manage to scrounge up a more competitive matchup than the main event.