With this year's big Cinco de Mayo fight exactly two months away, boxing superstar Saul "Canelo" Alvarez raised eyebrows across the sport on Monday (March 5), when it was announced that a test administered on him by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) has come back positive for traces of Clenbuterol.
Canelo was tested on the 17th and the 20th of February, and urine samples taken on both occasions reportedly came out dirty. The news proved to be a downer for the former world title holder, but it apparently wasn't anything they couldn't see themselves getting past. The 27-year-old bruiser's handlers are denying that he knowingly took the banned substance, and instead, they are blaming tainted meat consumption - which hasn't been an uncommon occurrence for athletes competing south of the border in the past.
In a statement released to the press after the news broke, executives at Golden Boy Promotions confirmed that the company has notified opponent Gennady "GGG" Golovkin's camp, and reached out to the Nevada State Athletic Commission to check in on the status of the highly anticipated rematch of their September battle. Golden Boy has also disclosed that they will be moving Canelo's training location to San Diego in order to better comply with regulations.
Unless the ruling is reversed, in what would be a shocking decision by the sanctioning body, the commission's leadership has determined that the fight will go on. "The current plan is to continue to test Mr. Alvarez so that the Nevada State Athletic Commission can make a final determination. Mr. Alvarez has the right to promptly request analysis of the 'B' samples at his expense," NSAC executive director, Bob Bennett, has reportedly said of matters going forward.
Source: boxingscene.com
