Australian-based boxing journalist Anthony Cocks has been covering the sport for over 15 years for various print and online publications. He refuses to believe that Roberto Duran ever lost to Tommy Hearns and says that Jeff Fenech would destroy Chuck Norris, Bruce Lee and Muhammad Ali on the same night.
Former WBC cruiserweight champion and occasional heavyweight Tony Bellew 30-2-1 (20) believes heavyweight contender Alexander Povetkin 33-1 (24) is a different fighter when he’s on performance enhancing drugs and that his sparring partners can notice the difference.
The 38-year-old Russian, who is expected to face unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua 21-0 (20) in September, twice turned in positive drug tests in 2016 for meldonium and ostarine.
Bellew says he has spoken to fellow boxers who have been in camp with the WBA and WBO mandatory contender and claims they say it is easy to tell the difference between a juiced-up Povektin and a natural one.
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“Povetkin is a different man when he’s on drugs and I say this because I know sparring partners who have been in his camp,” Bellew wrote in a column for Metro.co.uk.
“They have openly said to me, ‘he’s a ferocious animal when he’s on drugs’ but they see and feel the difference sparring him when he isn’t on them.
“He’s a completely different man when he’s on drugs. I have no problem saying that. I would absolutely annihilate Povetkin if he wasn’t on drugs. But if he’s on drugs I haven’t got a hope. That’s the harsh reality.”
The 35-year-old Liverpudlian lashed out at the prevalence of positive drugs tests in boxing and the light penalties given to offenders.
“It doesn’t matter how many tests Povetkin fails, he’ll always be allowed to continue,” said Bellew. “That’s the sad state of boxing. Not many people will admit to that in boxing, but I will. It’s disgusting, but that’s the way it is.
“I couldn’t say Povetkin was on drugs against David Price because that’s the most vulnerable I’ve ever seen him.”
Bellew is giving Povetkin next to no chance against Joshua and expects an early finish to their bout.
“Joshua has proved he can navigate his way through a 12-round fight without any hiccups,” said Bellew. “Anthony Joshua will resume normal service against Povetkin, return to being the guy who goes in there looking for the knockout. He’s the guy who goes in there and takes the gamble looking for the knockout.
“Like I’ve said before, [he is] 2018’s Mike Tyson. He goes in, gets rid of you and goes home. I think that’s the guy we’ll see against Povetkin in September. He shuts a lot of people up who clamour to say his stamina is off, he can’t stick to a game plan.”
The last word from Bellew is to tune in early and don’t get up to grab a beer or snacks.
“Joshua has done that time and time again, and I believe he’ll deliver that when he faces Povetkin,” said Bellew. “I think he’ll absolutely obliterate him. Smash him in three of four rounds at most. Price was five seconds away from ending Povetkin. It was just that the bell saved him.”