Instead, in Helsinki last weekend, he hammered another nail in its coffin, ESPN Star reported.

The Uzbek’s positive test for hepatitis B on the eve of his WBA heavyweight title rematch against Nikolai Valuev dealt another crushing blow to the legitimacy of his sport and its flagship division.

Forget the inevitable bluster from both sides: Chagaev’s camp protesting the findings of the Finnish medical commission, and those with vested interests manoeuvring to have him stripped to free up a shot at the title.

It was a bad night for boxing, plain and simple. Another bad night in a long line of bad nights for the heavyweight title, which can ill afford anything other than a decisive outcome when Wladimir Klitschko meets David Haye later this month.

Chagaev’s future is currently unclear, with the WBA due to rule on the status of the title next week, but given their patience with the Uzbek’s series of health problems it seems they have little option but to find Valuev a new opponent.

The nightmare is no particular fault of Chagaev, who has been harshly accused in some quarters of engineering a late pull-out: surely inconceivable given his masterful win over the giant Valuev in their first fight in April 2007.

Chagaev looked brilliant that night as he handed his opponent his first professional defeat in 47 fights. He slipped Valuev’s ponderous punches and landed with the best left hand in the heavyweight business to score a majority decision win.

His victory was no surprise to those who had witnessed the Uzbek’s amateur performances, with two world amateur titles to his name, although one of them was later stripped.

And it showed every sign that Chagaev would not only go on to defend his WBA portion of the world title but perhaps also present a realistic bet for unifying the belt against one or both of the Klitschkos.

A subsequent routine defence against outclassed Briton Matt Skelton in January last year preceded a bout of ill health which forced the postponement of a projected rematch with Valuev, before Chagaev finally returned in a low-key bout in February.

In an era which sees a slew of distinctly average champions and challengers recycled for title shots - the slogging John Ruiz is apparently in the running for snorefest number three against Valuev - Chagaev should by rights be given another chance.

However, Chagaev’s problem is, and to an extent always has been, his lack of any semblance of a pay-per-view profile. He is no seven-foot giant like Valuev, nor a big-punching motormouth like David Haye.

Chagaev just happens to be an incredibly good boxer from a country which is hardly top of the HBO shopping list when it comes to projected pay-per-view buys. That and promotional issues could make it an awfully long road back.