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Antony Joshua claims he would have retired from boxing if he had failed doping tests like Alexander Povetkin

Much of the pre-fight discussion will revolve around Povetkin's inauspicious past when it comes to drugs in the sport

Declan Taylor
Wednesday 18 July 2018 19:05 BST
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Anthony Joshua far removed from Tyson Fury's mind ahead of comeback

Anthony Joshua does not believe he would have ever boxed again had he failed two drug tests in the same year like his next opponent, the Russian Alexander Povetkin.

Joshua puts his WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight titles on the line against Povetkin, the mandatory challenger to the first of those belts, at Wembley Stadium on September 22.

And much of the pre-fight discussion will revolve around the visitor's inauspicious past when it comes to drugs in the sport.

Povetkin failed a test for the banned substance meldonium back in May 2016 which forced the cancellation of a scheduled shot at WBC champion Deontay Wilder. The governing body, however, decided against banning Povetkin who had argued he had only taken the substance before it was added to the banned list.

However the once-beaten heavyweight was banned and fined by the WBC in December when he inexplicably failed a second test, this time for ostarine, which put a line through a planned fight with Bermane Stiverne.

Despite those two instances of alleged doping, Povetkin has managed to box on, winning four fights since the first failed test, which has helped him climb to the top of the WBA rankings.

But Joshua does not believe he would have enjoyed such a seemingly smooth return to the sport had he been the one caught by drug testers.

“If I missed a drugs test or am an hour late then people will say 'oh, he must have been doping',” said 21-0 Joshua, 28.

“But I know I would never be able to box again because I would be made an example of. I have been tested twice already for this fight. I would rather take a loss than be done for doping, being done for doping is far worse for your legacy than taking a loss.

“I don't see doping as a way of making yourself better, if a person is better than you then work harder, train harder, you don't need to dope. Weigh it up; doping, being banned, legacy damaged or someone is better than you on the night, give them the respect and bounce back. I would rather stay clean and give it my best every time.

Joshua will defend his heavyweight titles against Povetkin

“When he is fighting it me it will be a straight and clean fight. His past is his and past and they dealt with it however they did.

“If I got done for doping - it would never happen - then they would deal with me.”

Povetkin, meanwhile, insists he was innocent of wrongdoing on both occasions.

The Russian has stressed his innocence

He said: “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 cleaned when tested after that.

“For me it was very, very suspicious. I know that I am clean. I know that I was clean back then.

“The second time, ostarine. First of all, I don't know what it is. I read about it and they said it is for gaining muscle but I only weighed 100kg for that fight.

“Doesn't it all sound a little suspicious? In my opinion there was something going on at that time and I have nothing to do with it.

“I am very well deserving of the fight I am getting. I am here for a reason.”

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