By Steve Kim
Even with the positive drug test of Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (49-1-2, 34 KOs), unified middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (37-0-1, 33 KOs) says he still prefers for their highly lucrative rematch to take place on May 5th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
It was revealed on Monday that Canelo had tested positive for traces of clenbuterol, which is a banned performance enhancer.
Canelo and his handlers have blamed food contamination for the positive reads.
But, the drug test controversy has placed a big spotlight on Canelo and his team.
Several of Canelo's countrymen, in boxing and within other professional sports, have tested positive in recent years for clenbuterol and they also blamed food contamination as the root cause.
The situation has become a bit more controversial on the surface, because Canelo's trainers - Chepo and Eddy Reynoso - have ties with the meat industry because they (and other family members) own butcher shops - so they are well aware of the lingering issue with contaminated meat in Mexico.
Meat contaminated with clenbuterol is a realistic problem in Mexico - which why Golovkin believes the Mexican superstar, and his team, should have taken precautions with the meat that was being consumed in camp.
"It wasn't pleasant in the first place [when I found out about his test result], because I know Canelo and he wouldn't need any medicine like that. I don't think it's just a problem with Canelo - it's a problem of the whole team because the fact that this medicine has been found (in his system), it's been found before (in other fighters)," Golovkin told BoxingScene.com.
"Lots of sportsmen were caught, so they should have known already. I don't even want to talk about it much because the test is positive. This is just outrageous."
Speaking through interpreter Valerie Phil at the Summit in Big Bear, Golovkin is still preparing as if he will be facing Canelo in two months.
"Of course I want it because I'm a fighter and I think we have some unfinished business and I think all the parties will work harder and make more efforts in order to have clean boxing and I'm for clean boxing. For me it's not a fight between labs. If he will be clean, I want to know who's going to be better," Golovkin said.
Despite the jarring news, Golovkin was in a very good mood as he dealt with reporters who make the trek up the mountains of Big Bear to visit him.
"Because I don't think about him, I'm here now," Golovkin stated.
"I don't think about his problems and I'm not a lab, I'm not a commission. So I'm not the one to decide - I'm a boxer, I'm a champion and I'm in my boxing gym and I'm happy that I'm in good shape and I'm doing my job."
Steve Kim is the news editor for BoxingScene.com.
