By Igor Lazorin, tass
World of Boxing CEO Andrei Ryabinsky, who promotes Olympic gold medal winner and former WBA heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin, is ready to lawyer up and force the mandatory fight with WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder.
Ryabinsky is annoyed after the recent from Wilder's manager Jay Deas, who said the mandatory fight is cancelled and will not be postponed to a later date.
The fight was scheduled to take place on May 21 in Moscow, Russia - but the World Boxing Council officially put a stop to the contest after Povetkin tested positive for the banned substance meldonium.
While Ryabinsky wants to reschedule the fight to a new date, Deas is very firm in stating that the contest is "off" and not "postponed" as the Russian promoter claims.
"The fight is off. Not postponed. Off. We are gutted. All the hard work we put in with the time, effort and money is gone, through no fault of ours. The ripple effect from this cancellation reaches hundreds of people. We will take some time off and be back soon and continue to campaign and demand a clean sport and level playing field," Deas stated.
Povetkin's promoter claims his fighter took the drug when it was still legal, last September. The drug became a banned substance on January 1st of this year. But three of Povetkin's test in the first half of April came up negative for the drug, with the fourth coming up positive late in the month. Based on that scenario, it is being claimed that he came in contact with the drug at some point in late April.
The WBC is conducting an investigation into Povetkin's story.
Ryabinsky maintains the contest with Wilder is going to take place on another date, with the same conditions, or he will pursue a legal action to make the fight take place.
The Russian promoter won a purse bid early this year to secure the promotional rights to the contest.
"It may end up in court, we are ready for that," said Ryabinsky.