- Deontay Wilder was due to face Alexander Povetkin for heavyweight title
- May 21 clash was called off after the Russian tested positive for meldonium
- The 36-year-old met boxing authorities in Mexico to protest his innocence
Russian heavyweight Alexander Povetkin has met the WBC to protest his innocence over a failed drugs test.
The 36-year-old tested positive for the banned substance meldonium in the build-up to his scheduled challenge of WBC champion Deontay Wilder.
A medical and scientific team joined him to meet their officials in Mexico City.
Alexander Povetkin has met the WBC to protest his innocence after failing a recent drugs test
Povetkin was due to meet Deontay Wilder for the world heavyweight title before testing positive for meldonium
'Mr Povetkin and his medical and scientific team met with the WBC in Mexico City and presented their position as part of the WBC investigative process in this matter,' read a statement from the governing body.
'The WBC has offered champion Wilder and his team an opportunity to present their own medical and scientific information and a meeting has been confirmed to take place by mid-July.
'In the meantime, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has released an updated informational notice concerning meldonium, which the WBC and the WBC Committee will thoroughly review while continuing with the process outlined by the Clean Boxing Program.'
WADA's notice surrounds athletes having a deadline of October 1 to prove there are no traces of meldonium - the substance which led to Maria Sharapova's two-year ban - in their system.
A medical and scientific team joined the 36-year-old Russian fighter to meet WBA officials in Mexico City
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