Former WBA heavyweight champion, currently ranked #2 by the WBA, Alexander Povetkin 33-1 (23 Ko’s) scored a drawn out unanimous 12 round points victory over WBA #3 Christian Hammer 22-5 (12 Ko’s) tonight at the DIVS in Ekaterinburg, Russia. Povetkin was forced to create action in a bout where Hammers main objective was to survive at all costs.. The Romanian was penalised a point in the 7th for excessive holding and did little more than nullify Povetkins best work.. The fight was untidy, and the result predictable.. Povetkin winning all but a single round by scores of 120-107, 120-108, 118-108.
The victory earned Alexander the WBO International and WBA Intercontinental titles and according to promoter Andrey Ryabinskiy, has almost certainly secured a shot at Anthony Joshua for the former Olympic champion..
Povetkin twice failed drug tests prior to important bouts with American imports Deontay Wilder and Bermaine Stiverne in 2015 and 2016 but appears to have been miraculously exonerated of his misdemeanours.. On this showing the Russian appeared sluggish and flat, mostly due to Hammer’s unwillingness to engage.. Povetkin is possibly the smallest of the current heavyweight landscape but has proven in the past that he has the tools to compete with the bigger guys.. Joshua would be a huge ask following this showing.
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