By Keith Idec

Bob Arum didn’t hold back when asked Wednesday night for his prediction of who will win the Canelo Alvarez-Gennady Golovkin rematch.

The Hall-of-Fame promoter picked Golovkin to win by knockout because he believes Alvarez will no longer benefit from using performance-enhancing drugs. Arum made those provocative comments to ESPN while he was being interviewed on the red carpet prior to the network’s 26th annual ESPYs awards show at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

“I’ll take Triple-G to win the fight,” Arum told ESPN. “I think that Canelo is gonna pay the price for being off the juice. And I think that Triple-G will knock him out.”

Alvarez has shown a tremendous chin since he turned pro in October 2005 and has never been knocked out.

The 86-year-old Arum attended the ESPYs because his company, Top Rank Inc., has an exclusive content agreement with ESPN. One of the fighters Arum promotes, unbeaten WBO welterweight champ Terence Crawford, won the ESPY for “Fighter of the Year.”

Mexico’s Alvarez (49-1-2, 34 KOs) and Kazakhstan’s Golovkin (38-0-1, 34 KOs) will fight again September 15 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Their HBO Pay-Per-View rematch was scheduled for May 5 at T-Mobile Arena, but it was canceled April 3 because Alvarez twice tested positive for clenbuterol in February.

Alvarez has maintained since failing those two tests that contaminated meat consumed in his native Mexico was responsible for that banned substance entering his system.

The Nevada State Athletic Commission still suspended Alvarez for six months on April 18, retroactive to the date of his first failed test (February 17). His suspension is due to end after August 17.

The suspension doesn’t prohibit the 28-year-old Alvarez from training for their 12-round, 160-pound championship rematch.

Their first fight resulted in a controversial draw 10 months ago at T-Mobile Arena. Alvarez hasn’t fought since battling Golovkin last September 16. 

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.