Berlin, Germany – The manager of undisputed world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko is threatening to call off his October bout with Russia's Alexander Povetkin over the issue of drugs testing.
Klitschko, 37, has been ordered by the World Boxing Association (WBA) to face Russia's Alexander Povetkin in Moscow with the fight scheduled for October 5.
Povetkin is the 'regular' WBA champion and Klitschko the governing body's 'super' champion – an honour given to him when he relieved Britain's David Haye of the WBA belt on points in July 2011.
Now Klitschko, who also holds the WBO, IBF and IBO belts, and Povetkin are obliged to fight in order to leave just a single WBA belt-holder.
But the Ukrainian's camp are insisting Germany's National Anti-Doping Agency (Nada) handle any drugs testing, while Povetkin's camp want to use the Russian agency.
Should the German agency not be used, “there will be no fight and this is not up for discussion,” Klitschko's manager Bernd Boente confirmed to SID, an AFP subsidiary.
Boente said Povetkin, 33, must also have his samples tested by the Nada-certified institute in Cologne.
The Klitschko camp wants to “rule out any inconsistencies with questionable analysis by Russian anti-doping agencies” before the fight goes ahead.
“Better safe than sorry. I've already seen too much in this business,” added Boente.
The WBA have granted a seven-day extension for the fight's details to be negotiated.
“There are still huge gaps in the contracts, not only in terms of the drugs testing,” admitted Boente.
Russian promoter Vladimir Hryunov won the purse bid to stage the bout with a staggering 18 million euro bid ($23.33m).
Klitschko is entitled to 75 percent, which would give him a career-high 13.3m euros (US$17.3m) purse, while Povetkin should receive 4.4m euros ($5.7m).
The two former Olympic champions were due to clash twice before but Povetkin pulled out in 2008 because of injury and then backed out a second time in 2010. – Sapa-AFP