Sergey Kovalev vs. Bektemir Melikuziev - January 30, 2021 (OFF)

[Ruthless-RKO]

Is the bout re-located to the US?

Why?

To avoid all corona stuff. Both of them have their camps in the US. I've read it's planned to re-locate it to the US with the Russia-friendly time.

Yes. It’s gonna be at the Fantasy Springs. In Indio Cali. At least it’ll still be at a Russian-friendly time. This way us UK’s boys can watch it at a friendly time as well.

[Onetimeonly]

Is the bout re-located to the US?

Why?

To avoid all corona stuff. Both of them have their camps in the US. I've read it's planned to re-locate it to the US with the Russia-friendly time.

Is corona worse there than here?

[Ruthless-RKO]

Why?

To avoid all corona stuff. Both of them have their camps in the US. I've read it's planned to re-locate it to the US with the Russia-friendly time.

Is corona worse there than here?

No idea.. maybe it’s all the quarantine stuff and getting tested loads of times etc.

If they’re both in the US, they may aswell just have it there.

[Onetimeonly]

To avoid all corona stuff. Both of them have their camps in the US. I've read it's planned to re-locate it to the US with the Russia-friendly time.

Is corona worse there than here?

No idea.. maybe it’s all the quarantine stuff and getting tested loads of times etc.

If they’re both in the US, they may aswell just have it there.

Sure, didn't know where bek was based, just assumed it was there to have it there to begin with.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Kovalev-Melikuziev Relocates From Moscow To Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California

Bektemir Melikuziev was prepared to hit the road for his biggest pro fight to date.

That opportunity will now take place down the block.

A major location change has come of the upcoming crossroads clash between Melikuziev and former three-time light heavyweight titlist Sergey Kovalev. The Jan. 30 DAZN-televised event will now take place at Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California, two sources with knowledge of the development informed Boxing Scene on Wednesday.

The fight was originally scheduled to headline at Luzhniki Arena in Moscow, Russia, marking Kovalev’s second fight in his home country within his past three starts. The venue switch was made in light of safety and health concerns, allowing both camps to remain stateside where they already regularly train, according to one source.

A second source informed BS.com that the show will proceed at a start time which will accommodate primetime viewing in Kovalev’s native Russia, confirming a breaking news tweet from The Athletic’s Mike Coppinger.

Melikuziev—a 2016 Olympic Silver medalist for his native Uzbekistan—now lives and trains in Indio, California. The venue switch will give the unbeaten rising contender his third fight in his adopted hometown, all coming within his past four ring appearances. Melikuziev (6-0, 5 KOs) is coming off of a 3rd round knockout of Alan Campa at Fantasy Springs last October. His prior appearance on site came in a 10-round decision win over Vaughn Alexander, the Dec. 2019 bout marking the lone time as a pro that the 24-year old Uzbek fighter has been extended the distance.

Both of those fights came at super middleweight, though a concession was made to allow for this bout to take place at a maximum catchweight of 178 pounds. Melikuziev has weighed as heavy as 181 ½ pounds, which came in a stay-busy fight last February in Anaheim, California.

Kovalev (34-4-1, 29 KOs) will fight at Fantasy Springs Casino for just the second time in his career, with the only other occasion coming in 2011. The 37-year old Russian–who lives in Santa Monica, California and divides training between Big Bear, California and Florida—was due to headline a show at this location last April, only for his fight with Sullivan Barrera to get shut down due to the initial wave of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The delay has left Kovalev out of the ring since an 11th round knockout loss to Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in their Nov. 2019 clash at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The defeat ended Kovalev’s third light heavyweight title reign which began earlier that February in a revenge fueled 12-round win over then-unbeaten Eleider Alvarez to avenge a knockout loss from Aug. 2018. Kovalev’s only other career losses came at the hands of Hall-of-Fame elected Andre Ward in Nov. 2016 and June 2017.

[DrDuke]

Why?

To avoid all corona stuff. Both of them have their camps in the US. I've read it's planned to re-locate it to the US with the Russia-friendly time.

Is corona worse there than here?

Not really.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Sergey Kovalev Tests Positive For Synthetic Testosterone, Putting Jan. 30 Bout in Jeopardy

Former three-time light heavyweight world titleholder Sergey Kovalev has tested positive synthetic testosterone, meaning his fight with up-and-comer Bektemir “Bek Bully” Melikuziev likely will be canceled.

The fight, contracted at a catch weight of 178 pounds, was scheduled to take place as the main event of a DAZN card at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California, after having been moved this week from Luzhniki Arena in Moscow due to the worsening COVID-19 situation.

Kovalev gave a sample to the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association on Dec. 30 in Las Vegas, where he has been training, and the positive result was returned on Wednesday, according to the letter VADA sent to Kovalev’s team and others involved in the event outlining the details of the positive test.

“Adverse analytical finding: IRMS (isotope-ratio mass spectrometry) results are consistent with exogenous origin of testosterone and metabolites,” according to the letter, a copy of which was obtained by Boxing Scene.

The letter, sent to the California State Athletic Commission, the Association of Boxing Commissions, Golden Boy Promotions and Main Events, added that “Mr. Kovalev has the right to promptly request analysis of the ‘B’ sample at his expense.”

“We are aware of the adverse finding from VADA,” Main Events CEO Kathy Duva, Kovalev’s longtime promoter, told BS. “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 (34-4-1, 29 KOs), 37, a Russia native fighting out of Santa Monica, California, has not fought since he lost the WBO 175-pound world title to Canelo Alvarez by brutal 11th-round knockout on Nov. 2, 2019 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Alvarez had moved up two weight classes to challenge him for his title.

Kovalev, who is owed a seven-figure comeback fight as part of the deal for the Alvarez fight, was scheduled to take on former light heavyweight world title challenger Sullivan Barrera at 180 pounds in the main event of a DAZN card on April 25 at Fantasy Springs, but that show was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Melikuziev (6-0, 5 KOs), 24, an Uzbekistan native fighting out of Indio, California, was an amateur standout and one of boxing’s top rising prospects.

Melikuziev, a southpaw, was willing to move up in weight to face Kovalev after having had his last bout at 168 pounds.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Another Russian cheat?

Is this gonna be grounds for GBP/DAZN to finish this 2-fight deal contact?

[Enlightened-One]

Another Russian cheat?

Is this gonna be grounds for GBP/DAZN to finish this 2-fight deal contact?

It undermines Krusher’s legacy.

His long-running out-of-ring bad behaviour was something I personally couldn’t tolerate or respect.

However, there’ll always be question marks surrounding the legitimacy of Krusher’s feats.

Did he look so destructive prior to 2016, because he was a drug cheat?

It’s a legitimate question to ask, since this probably isn’t the first time he’s resorted to using PED’s.

I suspect Kovalev will receive a one-year suspension, with him being dropped by his promoter and DAZN.

Unfortunately for Sergey, he’s joined Jarrell Miller, by becoming a member of the “who needs you?” club.

[Jimmy2020]

Another proven drug cheat is set to make close to one hundred million dollars in his next fight, though! Maybe Krusher needs to invest in a Batman suit and singing lessons?

[DrDuke]

I'm sure, if he had no legal issues, there wouldn't be this failed test. All top athletes are roided up. The politics of the sports decides who gonna fail tests.

[Jimmy2020]

I'm sure, if he had no legal issues, there wouldn't be this failed test. All top athletes are roided up. The politics of the sports decides who gonna fail tests.

Some truth in that - wonder if he's paid VADA? When you see how much money fighters like e.g. Joshua pay them, it makes you scratch your head about why VADA would every fail someone like that?

[Thomastearns]

I'm sure, if he had no legal issues, there wouldn't be this failed test. All top athletes are roided up. The politics of the sports decides who gonna fail tests.

Some truth in that - wonder if he's paid VADA? When you see how much money fighters like e.g. Joshua pay them, it makes you scratch your head about why VADA would every fail someone like that?

Ouch! That is a strong claim to make. Do we know for sure AJ is on something? He's certainly looks more natural these days.

As for Kovalev it's all too easy to assume he knows he's shot. Once he barely made it past the novice Anthony 'lions in the house' Yarde, he must have known the writing was on the wall.

Doesn't mean he's guilty but the temptation ($$$$) might have been there.

Of course, testing is never fair. Any eye test can see Canelo is more PED than human nowadays.

[margaret thatcher]

testing positive is the new it thing, just like fury and canelo did lol

[Enlightened-One]

Whenever passive-aggressive arguers feel they’re unable to defend the indefensible or they’re losing a debate, they’ll often subtly, or not so subtly, divert the subject at hand to another one, which will allow them to make a superficially strong but irrelevant point.

The sad fact remains, is that one of their long-time heroes has exposed themselves as being a drug cheat, which only serves to undermine their legacy and also detracts from their achievements, since they may have resorted to using PED’s to appear “impressive”.

And they sadly resort to mentioning the names of other fighters, whilst desperately hoping we’re all horrendously stupid morons that may either forget the fact that Kovalev is a drug cheat, or they’ll instead try to persuade us that consuming PED’s is merely a trivial and easily forgivable misdemeanour.

And anyone that resorts to using such moronic debating tactics, should be considered as being complete fückïng tŵâtś!!!

If anyone questions the legitimacy of the claims conveyed in this post, then all they need to do is read some of the immediately preceding posts.

[Jeff_lacy_ko]

testing positive is the new it thing, just like fury and canelo did lol

Dont forget floyd tue Mayweather....

[margaret thatcher]

lol yep, and roid jones, and evan fields...it's the way of the legends

[brilo33]

testing positive is the new it thing, just like fury and canelo did lol

going to say yea and someone else but felt bad about it , fudge iam getting old , maggs white boi rocky film

[margaret thatcher]

i think rocky was clean, just eggs and steaks, but that drago, i tell you the man was a walking ped

[brilo33]

i think rocky was clean, just eggs and steaks, but that drago, i tell you the man was a walking ped

are you being obtuse, had it on the cobbles with rocky in 5

[margaret thatcher]

ya but drago was by far the baddest white boi rocky faced

[brilo33]

ya but drago was by far the baddest white boi rocky faced

ha your good , soz but no hulk hogan was brother

[margaret thatcher]

thundalips

[DrDuke]

lol yep, and roid jones, and evan fields...it's the way of the legends

Yeah, all of them were juiced. Only cranks in rose-colored glasses will sincerely believe otherwise.

[lazboy]

I was always suspicious he was taking that Sharapova drug meldonium. I think it was big in Russia and was only outlawed in 2016 (i believe?), around the time Kovalev performances started to dip (if memory serves). Guys these are just my thoughts....can't say I have done any research, just a general suspicion....