Mexican middleweight Saúl ‘Canelo’ Álvarez was suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for testing positive for a doping test that forced him to cancel his rematch with Kazakh Gennady Golovkin.
At a hearing in Las Vegas, the commission unanimously approved the decision that Alvarez will be suspended for six months from the date of the exam, on February 17.
The decision means that Alvarez, who did not attend the hearing, will be able to fight again in August, increasing the possibility of a rescheduled fight against Golovkin in September.
The & # 39; Canelo & # 39; tested positive for Clenbuterol on two occasions, on February 17 and 20, by voluntarily submitting to tests while preparing his rematch with Golovkin for next May 5.
The Aztec later blamed a contamination of ingested meat in his country after several Mexican athletes also tested positive in recent years for the same reason.
The 27-year-old fighter was facing a one-year suspension but was cut in half by Nevada authorities for his cooperation with authorities.
At a press conference earlier this month in Los Angeles, Álvarez insisted on being the victim of a mistake, thus responding to criticism from Golovkin, who had directly accused him of doping.
– ‘Clean fighter’ –
“I am really shocked by what has happened and for those who have doubts or suspicions about my integrity, I have always been and always will be a clean fighter,” said the “Canelo” then.
“I respect this sport,” he added.
Golovkin and Alvarez met last September, with a controversial draw as a result that did not satisfy either of them.
Scores were 118-110 for ‘Canelo’, 115-113 for Golovkin and 114-114.
«’Canelo’ is cheating. They’re using those drugs and everyone pretends like it’s not happening. And you keep asking about the meat? It has nothing to do with meat, “the 35-year-old Kazakh man told AFP at his Big Bear camp, east of Los Angeles, last March, when he was preparing his revenge with the Mexican.
Look at those photos that came up of him taking pills. Explain what pills are. It was obvious when his muscles were so visible, with injection marks, “he added about some images in which a member of his team is seen giving him a pill after the weigh-in before his fight, in September.
Following the suspension of «Canelo», Golovkin, the WBC, WBA and IBF middleweight champion, with an immaculate scorecard of 37 wins, no losses and a draw, will face Armenian-American Vanes Martirosyan on 5 May at the StubHub Center in Los Angeles. AFP