The much-anticipated rematch between Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin could be in jeopardy.
According to reports, the Nevada State Athletic Commission has temporarily suspended Alvarez due to his two drug failed tests for traces of clenbuterol back in February. The fight is scheduled to take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on May 5, headlining an HBO pay-per-view.
The reports, which have quoted Bob Bennett, the executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, said Alvarez will be suspended and that he and the commission will meet on April 10. That meeting will determine if the suspension will end at that point or continue, placing the middleweight superfight in serious trouble.
Alvarez tested positive for the banned substance twice on February 17 and 20 in tests conducted by Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA). Bennett did tell Fightful on March 9 that the commission is investigating the matter, but would not comment on if the fight is in danger of being called off at the time. It is worth noting that Alvarez passed all of his tests since the two positive tests in February. Alvarez claimed that the positive tests came as a result of him consuming contaminated meat in Mexico. Clenbuterol is a substance found in meat in Mexico where food regulations are not as strict in the United States where clenbuterol is banned.
Golden Boy Promotions, the company who promotes Alvarez and released the statement announcing Alvarez's initial failed test, sent out the following statement on the suspension.
"We respect the Nevada State Athletic Commission's process and will vigorously present Canelo's case throughout. Over his career Canelo has tested clean more than 90 times and would never intentionally take a banned substance."
The fight between the two superstars is a rematch from their first encounter, which ended in a controversial split draw. The upcoming rematch is for Golovkin's WBA "super," WBC, IBF and IBO middleweight titles as well as Alvarez's Ring Magazine and lineal middleweight titles. Golovkin recently voiced his frustrations on the situation, claiming Alvarez "is cheating" and that he was taking banned substances before their first fight last year.
Fightful has reached out to the Nevada State Athletic Commission for a comment, but has not received a response as of this writing.
