By Keith Idec
As previously reported on BoxingScene.com, Gennady Golovkin’s promoter is pleased with how the Nevada State Athletic Commission is handling its investigation of Canelo Alvarez testing positive for clenbuterol.
Bob Bennett, the executive director for the NSAC, disclosed Friday that Alvarez has been temporarily suspended while the investigation continues. The Mexican superstar’s status for his May 5 rematch against Golovkin will be addressed at the NSAC’s next monthly meeting, scheduled for April 10 in Las Vegas.
Alvarez’s ordeal has infuriated Golovkin (37-0-1, 33 KOs), who settled for a controversial draw with Alvarez on September 16 at T-Mobile Arena. The unbeaten middleweight champion called out Alvarez for testing positive earlier this week and said he doesn’t believe clenbuterol turned up in Alvarez’s system from contaminated meat.
Alvarez (49-1-2, 34 KOs) has passed multiple performance-enhancing drug exams administered by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association since testing positive for clenbuterol twice late in February.
“They told us Canelo has complied with follow-up testing and everything they’ve asked of him,” Tom Loeffler, Golovkin’s promoter, told the Los Angeles Times regarding a discussion he had with Bennett. “But under their rules, they had to issue a suspension.
“We always said this is under the supervision of Nevada, and this shows they are doing a thorough investigation. And we commend them for that.”
If experts can suitably support Alvarez’s contention that the clenbuterol in his system came from contaminated meat, he’ll likely be licensed for his high-profile, pay-per-view rematch against Golovkin at T-Mobile Arena. Considering other Mexican boxers, most notably Erik Morales and Francisco Vargas, have been absolved in clenbuterol cases due to Mexico’s meat contamination problem, it seems unlikely that this lucrative Alvarez-Golovkin rematch will be postponed due to this issue.
Their rematch figures to be the most profitable fight of 2018. Their first fight reportedly drew 1.3 million pay-per-view buys and its live gate – just over $27 million – was the third-highest in Nevada boxing history.
Loeffler recently told BoxingScene that Golovkin is going to fight on May 5 - with or without Canelo.
Top Rank's CEO Bob Arum, who has over 50 years of experience in the business, is not fully sold on Canelo's claim that his positive tests are the direct result of contaminated meat - but he fully trusts the NSAC to conduct a proper investigation and make the right decision.
"I think the Nevada Commission has to really investigate and if drugs were taken in order to bulk him up, they've gotta suspend him and they gotta suspend him for a long period. If it was inadvertent, from the meat, then give him a pass... but [using the tainted meat defense] - that's like the dog ate my homework. Lets see what happen, I believe the Nevada Commission will have a thorough investigation," Arum told TMZ Sports.
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.