By Miguel Rivera
Hall of Fame retired referee Joe Cortez, who also works as an expert analyst for ESPN Deportes, sees nothing wrong with IBF, IBO, WBA, WBC middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin demanding more money for a rematch with Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez.
The two middleweights fought last September to a controversial twelve round split draw at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Their rematch was initially scheduled for May 5th, back at T-Mobile, but it was called off when Canelo tested positive for the banned substance clenbuterol. Canelo was forced to withdraw as the Nevada State Athletic Commission suspended him for six months.
Now the two sides are bickering over the financial terms.
Because of Canelo's drug testing issues, Golovkin wants a bigger slice of the financial pie.
Canelo is standing firm on a 65-35 split, while Golovkin is demanding an even split of 50-50.
Cortez believes Golovkin is currently in the right and deserves to get more money, because he feels Canelo needs that fight in order to fully remove the black mark on his career.
"I think the fight between Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin is [a contest] that must be done, since there are a lot of fans who were disappointed in the outcome of the first one. The fact that they put the second fight at risk, first with Alvarez's current actions, is something that diminishes Canelo's credibility. Golovkin wants to get an even match on the money and I think it's fair. He's doing this while thinking about the mistakes that Canelo has made," Cortez told El Vocero.
"Instead of [65-35] as things are now, he's asking for 50-50. That has caused the promoter [of Canelo], Oscar de la Hoya, to go after another opponent, which lets us know once again that boxing is a business. Still, it's a fight that Alvarez needs in order to clear his name."