Abel Sanchez, the trainer for WBC, WBA, IBF, IBO middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin, is not convinced with the reason's being provided by Canelo Alvarez and his handlers, to explain why the Mexican superstar tested positive for traces of clenbuterol in his pre-fight drug tests.
It was revealed on Monday that Canelo had tested positive for the banned substance, and his team quickly blamed contaminated meat as the root cause.
Daniel Eichner, director of the World Anti-Doping Agency-accredited laboratory that conducted the test, wrote Monday: "These values are all within the range of what is expected from meat contamination."
Canelo is training for a scheduled rematch with Golovkin, which is scheduled for May 5th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
They fought last September to a controversial twelve round split draw.
But Sanchez is not fully buying the story of contaminated meat.
While he doesn't rule out the possibility of contaminated meat being cause for Canelo's positive tests, he explains why there are questions in his head.
Canelo's handlers have family members who own butcher shops, Canelo's co-trainer Chepo Reynoso is a former butcher, and the issue of contaminated meat is a well documented problem in the country of Mexico - with boxers like Erik Morales and Francisco Vargas testing positive for clenbuterol in recent years.
Because the problem is so well known, Sanchez demands to know when the testing agencies are going to start rejecting the often used 'contaminated meat' defense when a boxer tests positive for the banned agent.
"How many times does this have to happen [before there are consequences]? Canelo is not living under a rock. Canelo lives in Mexico, so he knows [the problem with contaminated meat in the country]. And the family of his handlers are butchers, their families have butcher shops, and they don't know [what he's eating or make sure the meat is safe]? Also, he doesn't insist for anyone [to ensure the meat is safe]?," Sanchez said to ESPN Deportes.
And that's why Sanchez wants a full investigation on the matter.
"And I hope the experts do an investigation and determine if it's meat, I'm not an expert," Sanchez said.
"Because if its determined to be the meat and if the numbers are too low, OK, but all we want is an investigation and for everything to be clear to everyone. I hope the fight goes on and everything goes well."
