Sanchez Not Worried if Canelo Falls Out, Saunders is Backup

By Ryan Burton

On May 5th, Canelo Alvarez (49-1-2) and Gennady Golovkin (37-0-1) are scheduled to face each other in a rematch of their September, 2017 fight that ended in a controversial draw.

The fight would take place at the same venue, the T-Mobile Arena on the Las Vegas strip.

The promotion was running smoothly until Canelo tested positive for the banned drug clenbuterol in drug tests conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) on February 17 and February 20. He has since tested negative in three tests conducted in March.

Golovkin recently held a media day at his training camp in Big Bear, Calif. and came out firing at Canelo, rejecting his claims that his positive tests were a result of eating contaminated meat which is a big issue in Mexico.

"Again with Mexican meat? Come on," Golovkin said. "I told you, it's not Mexican meat. This is Canelo. This is his team. This is his promotion. Canelo is cheating. They're using these drugs, and everybody is just trying to pretend it's not happening.

"This guy, he knows. This is not his first day in boxing. He proves he gets benefits from everyone and he can get away with it. Check him on a lie detector and then we can find out everything."

Of course Golovkin also stated that he knew Canelo was "not a clean fighter" before their first encounter last September.

Golovkin obtained photographs and videos, which the boxer claims reveal traces of "injections" on Canelo's body and also show him taking an unknown pill.

"It was pretty obvious when [Canelo's] muscles were all [enlarged] ... and with the traces of injections, which were visible," Golovkin said. "Before the first fight, I knew he was not clean. I can talk about Oscar De La Hoya too. He is also not clean. He's dirty."

BoxingScene.com recently contacted Golovkin's trainer Abel Sanchez - who has also been very critical of Alvarez - to get his take on the situation.

Some fans and insiders have stated that if Golovkin and his team keep pushing issue that the fight will be called off - which would cost both camps several million dollars of revenue.

The Nevada State Athletic Commission have called both sides, Eric Gomez of Golden Boy (for Canelo) and Tom Loeffler (for Golovkin), to attend a meeting later today. They may issue a ruling on the rematch.

If the NSAC prevents the fight from going forward, Sanchez indicates that he isn't bothered at all by that possible outcome.

"Not at all. We would go a different way. We are not going to bow down to anybody. There needs to be an even playing field. The commission or the organizations have no jurisdiction over someone's life. Somebody's life is more important than what their agendas are so I think if this fight gets pushed away or doesn't happen we will go in a different direction," said Sanchez who has already thought of a, 'Plan B' option.

"(Billy Joe) Saunders has been chomping at the bit to fight us and not only that, but Saunders has the WBO belt that Gennady wants so there are a lot of things that can be done other than this fight. We want this fight obviously because there are a lot of questions unanswered and there are a lot of things that we want cleared up but it's gotta be on a level playing field and it's got to be in a way where everybody is the same and there is no preferential treatment for anybody."

Saunders was scheduled to face Martin Murray on April 14th but recently pushed the date back to June 23rd after injuring his hand in training.  If the possibility of a fight against Golovkin presented itself, Sanchez is confident that Saunders would pursue it as well.

"Saunders just postponed his fight with Murray because he hurt his hand so he pushed it up. I am sure that if this fight doesn't happen on the 5th that negotiations will start for Saunders. I am sure that they would want it and Gennady wants it because he wants that belt," Sanchez told BoxingScene.com.

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