Saul “Canelo” Alvarez has withdrawn from hi anticipated May 5th rematch versus Gennady Golovkin. Golden Boy Promotions president Eric Gomez made the announcement during a conference call at Golden Boy headquarters in Los Angeles.
Gomez revealed that the team was advised that the Nevada State Athletic Commission would not clear Canelo at the scheduled April 18th hearing in time for him to face Golovkin. The commission places Mexico’s Alvarez under suspension after he twice tested positive for Clenbuterol, a banned substance. Rather than wait for the official decision, Golden Boy opted to preemptively withdraw from the fight.
“I am sad and feel powerless that this fight can not happen now,” said lineal middleweight champion Alvarez. “I have nothing to hide. I want to be transparent.”
Alvarez must still meet with the commission April 18 to face possible punishment. A suspension could keep him out of the ring from six months to one year, possibly two. Gomez believes that the Golovkin rematch could be rescheduled for as early as August or September.
The controversy began on March 5th, when Golden Boy announced that Alvarez had tested positive for a banned substance on February 17 and February 20. Alvarez agreed to submit to as much random testing as the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association required following those two positive tests in hopes of keeping their rematch scheduled for May 5.
Kazakhstan’s Golovkin (37-0-1, 33 KOs) still wanted to fight Alvarez again May 5, but he was extremely critical of his rival during an impromptu media day two weeks ago at his training camp in Big Bear Lake, California. The IBF/IBO/WBC/WBA middleweight champion doesn’t believe Alvarez’s excuse of contaminated meat causing clenbuterol to turn up in his system.
The NSAC initially temporarily suspended Canelo and scheduled a hearing for April 10. When that meeting was moved to April 18, it became increasingly obvious that the scheduled May 5th bout wouldn’t take place. Stay tuned for more details.
