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Russian heavyweight boxer Povetkin returns to WBC rankings

The Russian Vityaz currently holds the fourth place in the rankings
Alexander Povetkin Valery Sharifulin/TASS
Alexander Povetkin
© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

MOSCOW, February 13. /TASS/. Russian heavyweight boxer Alexander Povetkin has returned to the rankings of the World Boxing Council (WBC) and is currently in 4th place, according to the rating list published by the WBC on Tuesday.

Last November, the WBC dropped the indefinite suspension against Povetkin, imposed over violations of anti-doping regulations, and the Russian boxer was again eligible for WBC-sponsored bouts starting December 6. However, Povetkin was also ordered to pay the WBC a fine of $250,000.

In line with the WBC regulations, Povetkin should have been returned to the organization’s rankings in January, but his name was not on the rating list last month. WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman explained to TASS that Povetkin’s name was not in the January edition of the rankings due to a technical error.

Traces of prohibited substance ostarine were discovered in Povetkin’s doping sample in December 2016 before his bout with Canada’s Bermane Stiverne for the title of the interim WBC world champion.

The WBC ruled to suspend the Russian boxer indefinitely and slapped a financial penalty on him as well. Povetkin appealed the WBC’s decision in April 2017.

Known to the fans as "Russian Vityaz", Povetkin (W-33; L-1; 23 KOs) was reinstated last summer in the ratings of the World Boxing Association (WBA), the World Boxing Organization (WBO) and the International Boxing Federation (IBF).