By Radio Rahim
In the opinion of veteran promoter Eddie Hearn, the recent suspension of Saul "Canelo" Alvarez is a big blow to the upcoming rematch with IBF, IBO, WBA, WBC middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin.
Canelo is scheduled to face Golovkin for a second time on May 5th, in the main event of an HBO Pay-Per-View from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
But this past Friday, Canelo was temporarily suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission - because the boxer tested positive for the banned substance clenbuterol in two separate drug tests that were conducted in the month of February.
Canelo has now been summoned to a hearing with the Nevada Commission on April 10th in Las Vegas - where the NSAC will make a final determination regarding his suspension and his ability to fight on May 5th. Canelo will have to appear in person or make himself available to talk via phone.
Hearn, as a promoter, views this occurrence as a big blow to the promotion.
"My thoughts are, that it's not very good for the fight. So now you've got a hearing on April the 10th, with just over three weeks before the fight. So what about the people who have paid for their travel? What about the people who paid for their hotels? What about the broadcasters who are building support programming, like HBO, with the 24/7," Hearn explained to BoxingScene.com.
"No one really knows [what will happen], unless you get a head's up from the commission - 'we're wrapping his knuckles but the fight will go ahead' - and that may be the case by the way. It sounds like everything is up in the air and it sounds like Mr. Loeffler and Mr. Golovkin are planning something else or getting ready to. I still hope it happens, I want to see the fight. I don't know if ethically its right [for the fight to happen], but boxing and ethics don't really always mix."
On Tuesday, Golovkin accused Canelo of being a longtime user of performance enhancing drugs - and he also rejected the explanation that Canelo's positive results were a direct result of eating contaminated meat from Mexico.
Where does Hearn stand on the matter?
"I keep saying, that if he was unlucky and he ate something that affected his sample - then yes at 100% [he should fight]. And if he was cheating, then no at 100%. What to believe? If you put a gun to my head and you said 'what was he doing?' - I would say he's cheating.... but I can't tell you that systematically, I cant tell you that 100%. We don't know. There are proven cases of contaminated meat in Mexico. You would hope that with the dough that Canelo's got, he would eat some decent meat," Hearn told BoxingScene.
