By Edward Chaykovsky
The promoter for dangerous heavyweight Carlos Takam is now questioning his fighter's knockout defeat to Alexander Povetkin, who on Sunday lost his scheduled shot at WBC champion Deontay Wilder after testing positive for a banned substance.
Wilder-Povetkin was set to take place this coming Saturday in Moscow, Russia. On the same day in Manukau, Takam is facing unbeaten Joseph Parker in an IBF heavyweight eliminator.
Povetkin is the only fighter to knock Takam out in his entire career.
Povetkin's positive test for Meldonium, a prescription drug that has only been banned since January 1 of this year. The drug is known to give an athlete more energy and stamina.
Takam was knocked out by Povetkin in the 10th round in 2014. If Povetkin was taking the drug back then, it was still a legal substance and well before it was placed on the WADA list of banned substances.
Takam's promoter Christian Cherchi wonders if the Olympic gold medal winner used the now banned performance enhancer against his fighter two years ago.
He told the New Zealand Herald - "At the time of the fight, when this medicine was legal, maybe he was taking this medicine," Cherchi said. "It improves the blood, the stamina; in fact if you see the Carlos Takam [v Povetkin] fight, what made the difference were the final rounds.
"My personal opinion, until the seventh round, the fight was very close, maybe one point for Carlos... it's strange because in the last rounds he [Povetkin] was more fresh suddenly, I don't know."
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