Two-time World heavyweight champion Ruslan Chagaev and Fres Oquendo will finally settle their differences on Oct. 17 in a rematch.
The current WBA World heavyweight champion defeated Oquendo by majority decision in July of 2014.
Oquendo fought Chagaev at a time when his wife and newborn son were both in the hospital due to medical complications. Chagaev’s team promised more money and an immediate rematch due to his situation, and the importance of the event to Russia, according to Oquendo, and that coaxed him into fighting the champion when he wasn’t 100 percent.
However, Oquendo didn’t get his rematch. Chagaev went on to defend his title this past July against Francesco Pianeta and knocked the Italian fighter out in the very first round. Square Ring Promotions and Hitz Boxing, which co-promote Oquendo, took action.
In April, they secured a preliminary injunction against Terek Box Event, Chagaev’s promoter, which prevented the company from promoting Chagaev in any future title fights until he gave Oquendo a rematch.
Despite not been 100 percent, Oquendo fought a great fight against the Russian and came within a few points shy of taking home the title.
However, banned substances were probably the cause of that. Oquendo tested positive for banned substances tamoxifen and anastrozole in his post-fight drug examination.
Anastrozole is typically used as part of the steroid cycle of an athlete and is known to increase endogenous testosterone production according to The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
According to Wise Geek Health, Tamoxifen is typically used by athletes to mitigate the effects of anabolic steroids.
From my perspective, that warrants more of a suspension than a rematch, but the fight is still set for Oct. 17.
The winner of this fight will face Lucas Browne at some point in 2016. The undefeated Australian showed the heart of a champion on Aug. 14, breaking his thumb right off the bat, but battled through the pain to score a knockout of Julius Long in the ninth round.
