Report: Sergey Kovalev Tests Positive For Synthetic Testosterone, Melikuziev Fight Likely Off
Sergey Kovalev has tested positive for synthetic testosterone putting his upcoming January 30 fight in jeopardy.
That’s according to Boxing Scene’s Dan Rafael who reported the news of the former light heavyweight champion’s positive test on Thursday.
“BREAKING: Sergey Kovalev has tested positive for synthetic testosterone. I have obtained the VADA letter outlining the details of positive test. Means his Jan. 30 DAZN headliner with Bektemir “Bek Bully” Melikuziev likely will be canceled.”
As per Rafael, Kovalev gave a sample to VADA on December 30 only for a positive result to come back on Wednesday.
“Adverse analytical finding: IRMS (isotope-ratio mass spectrometry) results are consistent with exogenous origin of testosterone and metabolites,” VADA’s letter sent to Kovalev’s team stated.
VADA adds that Kovalev has the right to promptly request a B sample at his own expense and that appears to be the plan according to his longtime promoter as they believe it’s a case of contaminated supplements.
“We are aware of the adverse finding from VADA,” Main Events CEO Kathy Duva told BoxingScene. “Sergey Kovalev has been proven to be a clean fighter throughout the many years that he has been tested by VADA. VADA was contracted for this fight at his insistence, as he has requested for almost all of his fights going back several years.
“He maintains that he did not purposefully ingest any banned substances. We have made arrangements to have his supplements tested for contamination and will request that VADA test his B sample.”
Kovalev was looking to bounce back from his 11th-round knockout to Canelo Alvarez in November 2019 with a win over Melikuziev in a 178-pound catchweight bout on January 30.
For now, that will have to wait as this is the latest in a long list of issues for the Russian who most recently found himself in hot water last month for illegally streaming Alvarez’s fight with Callum Smith on his Instagram.
Do you think this is a case of contaminated supplements? Or has Kovalev been caught?
