By Miguel Rivera
The World Boxing Council is asking former middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (46-1-1. 32KOs) to provide evidence that he took medication containing marijuana, to help him counter his battle with insomnia. The sanctioning body wants evidence that Chavez was taking medication and not actually smoking marijuana that was purchased illegally.
The Mexican star tested positive for marijuana following his decision loss to Sergio Martinez on September 15th in Las Vegas.
A few weeks later, the WBC fined Chavez $20,000, suspended him and ordered him to enter a rehab program.
Chavez countered, telling the sanctioning body that he refuses to go to rehab. He told the WBC that he never smoked marijuana, and stated that a doctor gave him medication which contained marijuana to help him deal with a serious insomnia issue.
WBC Executive Secretary Maurico Sulaiman says the organization will withdraw their demand for rehab, and lift the suspension - if Chavez provides proof that a doctor gave him the claimed medication.
"If Julio Jr. provides us with a medical opinion to support those words, that he tested positive because he swallowed a few drops for insomnia - the WBC will lift the suspension. I personally don't believe Julio Jr. is an addict. In fact, he was the one who led his father to rehab. We are always going to be in the boxer's corner, and we are concerned about Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. We offer him our hand of support so he can solve this problem," Sulaiman said.
