Saddened by Viral Rumors, Boxing World Rallies to Save Russia’s Ex-World Champion’s Reputation

Misidentifications can sometimes lead to funny situations, but not in this case. Former interim WBC heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin recently became the target of a mix-up on social media. An X handle focused on boxing mistakenly identified an individual involved in a brawl in Thailand as Povetkin. And the fans are not having any of it.

The Russian heavyweight last appeared in the ring against London, United Kingdom’s Dillian Whyte. The pair fought twice—once in August 2020, which Povetkin won via 5th-round knockout while the other Whyte swiped via 4th-round knockout in 2021. The ‘Russian Vityaz’ has not been seen in the ring since then, nor has he made any headlines related to the sport.

Misinformation knocks out former boxing champion

Earlier today, ‘Boxing Enthusiast’ shared a clip on X showing a man in his undergarments engaged in a street fight with some security personnel attempting to subdue him and restore order. Despite pleas from the man’s wife and children urging him to calm down, his behavior escalated as security and police struggled to take him down.

The video was accompanied by a caption that wrongly identified the man as former Russian heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin, suggesting he was “causing chaos in retirement while on holiday in Thailand.” However, there was no evidence or clear physical resemblance to confirm this claim. The exact cause of the altercation or its location remains unclear. Meanwhile, the clip has garnered more than 1.5 million views.

‘Boxing Enthusiast’ did not provide any source for their implication, prompting fans to flood the comment section, quickly stepping in to defend Povetkin’s name and clear up the confusion.

Fan highlights bad journalism

For someone who has known Povetkin or seen his fights, it was quickly apparent the man in the clip was not Povetkin. Like this user who quickly criticized the X handle for spreading fake rumors about the former boxer. “Bad journalism that’s not Povetkin at all not even remotely close,” the user wrote. Notably, Alexander Povetkin was appointed as a BRICS Games Ambassador at the ‘BRICS – New Opportunities for Multipolar Sports Development’ event in June this year. Photos from the event show Povetkin sporting a full head of hair, unlike the man in the clip, who was clearly balding.

The next user simply laughed at the misidentification from the X handle. “That is not Povetkin bro 😂😂,” the user wrote. Some social media accounts present a wild and outrageous take to the public to farm engagement on the platform. While Boxing Enthusiast might not have been aiming for that, it was quite obvious the man in the clip wasn’t Povetkin.

Another user had a similar idea but decided to share a picture of Povetkin to prove their point. “It’s not him at all 😂,” the user wrote while sharing a picture of the former champion from one of Povetkin’s fight press conferences. Interestingly, Boxing Enthusiast didn’t back down, as they responded to the comment, writing, “Ever heard of male pattern baldness?”

Meanwhile, this user seems to have fallen for the misinformation, too. “He is going to have an unfun rest of his holiday,” the user wrote. Thailand is known for its strict laws—certain aspects of public behavior, like in this case, can have serious consequences. 

Akin to the last user, even the next user didn’t question the information provided. “That’s sad to see. R those his kids?” the user asked. Povetkin is married to Yevgenia Merkulova, a Russian model, but they don’t have children together, per a 2021 report from The Sun. However, Povetkin does have a daughter from his previous marriage. 

That being said, Alexander Povetkin seems to have unwittingly become the center of debate online because of some misinformation. While it’s clear the man in the clip is not him, it can be disastrous for his image among people who don’t know him. Do you think the man in the clip could be Povetkin?