Strip’s loss of GGG contest Carson’s gain

This was supposed to be the weekend Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Gennady “GGG” Golovkin settled their controversial split draw in September.

A Cinco de Mayo rematch that both boxers promised wouldn’t require judges to crown the true king of the middleweight division. A drama-free sequel.

It’s never drama free in boxing. It could have been a busy weekend at T-mobile Arena with the Golden Knights hosting the Sharks on Friday in Game 5 and boxing fans invading the Strip venue a day later.

There are so many what-couldhave-beens, but the reality is T-mobile Arena will be empty Saturday, and for the first time in a decade

Las Vegas won’t host a major boxing card on Cinco de Mayo weekend.

Golovkin will face Vanes Martirosyan on Saturday in an Hbo-televised main event at the Stubhub Center in Carson, California. The broadcast starts at 8 p.m. with a women’s bout between Cecilia Braekhus and Kali Reis.

Golovkin, the WBA/WBC/IBF champion, will attempt to tie Bernard Hopkins’ record of 20 consecutive successful middleweight title defenses.

The Alvarez-golovkin rematch was canceled last month, and the Nevada Athletic Commission suspended Alvarez six months for twice testing positive for the banned substance clenbuterol in February. Alvarez said contaminated meat he ate in Mexico triggered the positive drug tests.

That’s how Golovkin ended up in a cramped hotel ballroom in Los Angeles for the weigh-in Friday. Golovkin stepped on the scale at 160 pounds; Martirosyan weighed 159.6.

Many wondered why Golovkin insisted on fighting Saturday when he has a massive payday waiting for him in September in a rematch with Alvarez, who is eligible to return to the ring in August.

If Golovkin (37-0-1, 33 knockouts) loses to Martirosyan (36-3-1, 21 KOS) or gets injured, the likely rematch with Alvarez probably will be delayed again.