Middleweight contender Martin Murray is not pleased that Canelo Alvarez received what the British boxer feels was a slap on the wrist for a pair of drug tests that came up positive for the banned substance clenbuterol back in February.
Canelo was forced to withdrew from a planned May 5th rematch with IBO, WBA, WBC middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin. And then he received a six month retroactive suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
Canelo is capable of fighting by August 17th - and he already finalized a deal to fight Golovkin in their rematch on September 15th at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Canelo has maintained from the start of the controversy, that his positive tests were a direct result of ingesting contaminated meat while training in Mexico.
Murray, who was knocked out by Golovkin several years ago, is not completely sold on Canelo's explanation.
In the opinion of Murray, Canelo should have received a much stiffer punishment and the rematch should not be going forward.
"All the drugs sh*t that’s gone on, it’s all a load of bollocks. The fight shouldn’t be happening, I don’t think. If you’re a drugs cheat, you should be banned for life. The fact that he got a six month ban and he’s fighting in September, I understand it’s politics, it’s a business, but I don’t think the fight should go ahead,” Murray said to Boxing News.
Murray is picking Golovkin to win the rematch, and strongly feels GGG should have been the winner in September 2017 when the two rivals fought to a twelve round draw - but he admits that the unified champion is no spring chicken and lately he's been showing signs of age.
“[Golovkin] has not looked himself of late. He’s fought in the meantime, he’s had another camp. They’re the camps that do you. It’s not the fight. It’s the camps that do you,” Murray said.
“He’s had another camp, he’s another fight so he’s that bit more battleworn. So I think it would favour Canelo definitely. Not fair at all. But that’s the sport we’re involved in.”
