By Keith Idec

Gennady Golovkin rarely says anything negative about his opponents.

Now that Canelo Alvarez has tested positive for Clenbuterol, though, Golovkin’s gloves are off. A disgusted Golovkin referred to Alvarez as “stupid” and “shameful” during an interview Wednesday with the Los Angeles Times at his training camp in Big Bear Lake, California.

The middleweight champion from Kazakhstan also indicated that the Nevada State Athletic Commission and boxing’s sanctioning bodies must hold Alvarez accountable for failing two tests last month for the banned anabolic substance. Alvarez and his handlers, including promoter Oscar De La Hoya, have blamed contaminated meat – a common problem in Alvarez’s native Mexico – for trace levels of Clenbuterol being present in his system.

Tom Loeffler, Golovkin’s promoter, told the Los Angeles Times that Alvarez and/or his handlers should provide evidence of when and where he purchased the contaminated meat. Golovkin (37-0-1, 33 KOs), who settled for a dubious draw with Alvarez on September 16, just wants to ensure that he and Alvarez will compete on fair terms in their middleweight championship rematch, scheduled for May 5 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

“We are elite athletes and I want to keep boxing on this elite level,” Golovkin said. “There are laws and a commission and [anti-doping scrutiny], and we have to fulfill them. They have to take action in that case – either disqualify him or [deliver] penalties. But if it’s neglected, why do we need a commission? And why talk about tests?

“When you get to this level, people should be watching the skills you muster from yourself, not wonder which laboratory you have.”

Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director Bob Bennett has said his agency won’t allow the Golovkin-Alvarez rematch to take place unless the NSAC determines Alvarez’s positive tests were triggered by contaminated meat. Alvarez’s handlers have said that his violations indicated that the levels of Clenbuterol in Alvarez’s system were consistent with contaminated meat.

Former champions Erik Morales and Francisco Vargas are among the Mexican athletes who’ve previously blamed contaminated meat for causing Clenbuterol to turn up in their systems.

“My first impression is athletes at this level cannot fail or show any positive,” Golovkin said, “because it’s bad for sport, bad for everything … failing a test at this level either means he doesn’t want to fight, has problems or has problems with his team. This is showing your true face. They know what [Clenbuterol] is. It’s not something new. There’s lots of precedents.”

Alvarez admitted this situation is “embarrassing” in a statement released Monday. The Voluntary Anti-Doping Association is expected to randomly test Alvarez’s blood and urine even more now that he has tested positive for Clenbuterol.

Mexico’s Alvarez (49-1-2, 34 KOs) called this predicament “embarrassing” in a statement released Monday.

Abel Sanchez, Golovkin’s trainer, hopes Dr. Margaret Goodman, VADA’s president, can clarify what caused Alvarez’s two positive tests.

“I want a thorough investigation,” Sanchez told the Los Angeles Times. “And if she deems it too high and there should be no fight, then we’ll go along with that. But if she says it’s in line with meat contamination, we’ll abide by it.

“But you have to be ignorant and live under a rock to not know that [has] been a problem in Mexico before. And his coach and managers [Chepo and Eddy Reynoso] are butchers. They own meat markets.”

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