By Keith Idec
CARSON, California – If Gennady Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez actually fight again, Golovkin’s trainer expects their rematch to become much more action-packed than their first fight.
Their 12-round middleweight championship match was competitive September 16 in Las Vegas, but not quite the fan-friendly fight fans expected. Their second meeting will unfold differently, according to Abel Sanchez, because there’s so much more animosity between Golovkin (38-0-1, 34 KOs) and Alvarez (49-1-2, 34 KOs) than there was entering their initial battle that resulted in a controversial draw.
Golovkin repeatedly has called Alvarez “a dirty fighter” and “a cheater” since the Mexican superstar twice tested positive for clenbuterol in February. Alvarez claims contaminated meat caused clenbuterol to turn up in his system, an excuse Golovkin doesn’t believe.
The unbeaten IBF/IBO/WBA/WBC middleweight champ also has questioned why Alvarez isn’t enrolled in the WBC’s “Clean Boxing Program” just two weeks after his temporary suspension was extended to six months by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
“Just the fact that he has failed to enroll in any kind of program to be tested, I just think that puts that fight so much farther away [from happening],” Sanchez said after Golovkin knocked out Vanes Martirosyan, Alvarez’s late replacement, in the second round Saturday night at StubHub Center. “I think if it happens, they’re both in a state of mind that they’re both mad at each other for the things that have been said. And I think that they’re gonna go at each other. It’s gonna be a much, much better, more attractive fight for the fans. But I think he needs to do his part, as Gennady’s doing his part. And that is with the testing. At least try to prove to the public and to the journalists that he’s making an effort to show us that he’s clean.”
Tom Loeffler, Golovkin’s promoter, said during the post-fight press conference Saturday night that getting Alvarez enrolled immediately in the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association’s testing program will be an important part of negotiations to reschedule their rematch for September 15. Loeffler and Golden Boy Promotions president Eric Gomez are expected to meet soon to begin discussing a new deal for their second fight.
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.
