Alvarezpulls out of fight withGolovkin
ALWAYSBEENCLEANFIGHTER, HE SAYSAFTERPOSITIVEDRUGTEST
Canelo Alvarez, confronting a suspension from the Nevada Athletic Commission later this month for submitting two positive drug tests, withdrew on Tuesday from his scheduled May 5 rematch with middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin.
“I am truly shocked by what has happened and I lament this has led people to have doubts aboutmy athletic integrity. I have always been a clean fighter,” Alvarez said in a statement he read at Golden Boy Promotions’ office in Los Angeles. “I apologise for all the inconvenience this has caused to everyone involved in this event.”
April 18 hearing
The move comes before a scheduled April 18 Nevada commission hearing for Mexico’s former two- division champion. While Nevada regulations call for a one- year suspension, leniency can be afforded to trimthe penalty to six months, allowing Alvarez to fight again in late summer, one year after his Mexican Independence Day weekend draw with Golovkin.
That bout generated more than $ 27 million ( Dh99 million) in live- gate earnings at T- Mobile Arena with 1.3 million pay- per- view buys on HBO.
Golovkin, who has remained
in training, wants to fight on May 5, and it’s expected his promoter, Tom Loeffler, will select a replacement opponent for Alvarez within the coming days. Golden Boy’s Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan and former 154- pound champion Demetrius Andrade are the leading contenders for the pay- per- view opening.
“I am looking forward to returning to Las Vegas for my 20th title [ fight] and headlining my first Cinco de Mayo event on May 5,” unbeaten, three- belt champion Golovkin said in a statement emailed by his publicist. “It is time for less drama andmore fighting.”
Nevada commissioners can reduce the suspension if they are convinced Alvarez ( 49- 12, 34 knockouts) is taking full accountability for ingesting the banned, performanceenhancing substance clenbuterol.