By Mesuli Zifo
The camp of WBO bantamweight champion Zolani Tete has appealed to organisers of the World Boxing Super Series (WBSS) to intensify random drug testing to all the participants of the series.
Tete who has already started camp preparing to face Russian Mikhail Aloyan in the first round feels some fighters in the series may use illegal methods to gain an unfair advantage.
The other boxers in the series which will see a winner walk away with Mohammad Ali Trophy are Northern Ireland’s Ryan Burnett who will defend his WBA bantamweight super title against Filipino veteran Nonito Donaire.
Japanese star Naoya Inoue will risk his WBA regular title against Dominican Republican Juan Carlos Payano while Peurto Rican Emmanuel Rodriguez will defend his IBF trinket to Australian Jason Moloney.
Tete’s bout against is scheduled for October 13 in Yekaterinburg in Russia
While Aloyan is seen a soft target in the series owing to his four fights, he will come to the fight armed with a rich amateur pedigree having won numerous medals in the unpaid ranks.
His amateur history, though, is tarnished by a doping incident which led to a suspension.
With stakes so high, Tete team feels some boxers may try to gain an upper hand by illegal means.
“This is why we insist on 24 hours random testing to level the playing fields,” Tete’s manager Mla Tengimfene said.
While Tengimfene did not say he suspected foul play, Aloyan’s drug testing history does not make for an impressive read..
Use of banned substance is rampant in Russian sporting scene although Tengimfene insisted that he was not accusing Aloyan of such.
But several boxers from Russia such as heavyweight challenger Alexander Povetkin who will face Anthony Joshua for the world heavyweight titles in September 22 have history of failed drug tests.
“We are not accusing Aloyan of being a drug cheat. We simply want even playing field, that's all,” Tengimfene continued.
However Comoso AG seems to be guarding against drug use as the owners of the series surprised boxers with a drug test demand while attending the WBSS bracket draw in Russia.
Tete said he was surprised when drug testing officials came to his hotel room and demanded that he to subject himself to testing.
“I hope they will be consistent on this testing thing,” Tete said
2023-10-21 14:32:28
