By: Bryant Romero
Prior to Canelo’s positive drug test for Clenbuterol being made public two weeks ago, there were many in the boxing media wondering just how dull and uninteresting the buildup would be heading into their May 5 rematch. Canelo and Golovkin are no doubt exciting fighters to watch inside the ring, but they’re not the most polarizing personalities outside the ring. This is the spark and controversy the rematch needed and this writer doesn’t see it as a bad thing. Not to say that the handlers of this event purposely released this information in order to build up hype. But no one can argue that the rivalry between Canelo/GGG and the lead up to their May 5 rematch has gotten a lot more interesting.
Golovkin erupted and made some very strong allegations at Canelo and his promoter Oscar De La Hoya during his meet with media members this past Tuesday.
“I told you, it’s not Mexican meat. This is Canelo. This is his team. This is his promotion, Canelo is cheating. They’re using drugs, and everybody is just trying to pretend it’s not happening.
“It’s pretty obvious when (Canelo’s) muscles were enlarged and with traces of injections, which were visible, “ Golovkin said. “ I can talk about Oscar De La Hoya too. He is also not clean, he’s dirty.”
Obviously, Golovkin is not buying the excuse Canelo and his handlers have put forth in saying the reasoning for the two positive drug tests last month was due to consumption of contaminated meat. Golovkin also feels Canelo was dirty in the first fight and believes that he is being protected and coddled by the Nevada state athletic commission.
Golovkin and his team have shown great concern heading into this rematch and that perhaps they’re heading into this fight on an uneven playing field. While GGG can certainly have his suspicions about the reasoning for Canelo testing positive for Clenbuterol and question the investigation that is being put forth by the Nevada commission, the comments he made could have very well earned him a lawsuit in the near future.
Golden Boy Promotions President Eric Gomez told boxingscene “it’s defamation and we’re going to take appropriate action.”
Gomez sees Golovkin statements as a sign of fear, a lack of confidence, and is simply looking for a way out.
“It sounds like he wants out of the fight, he doesn’t sound confident.” Gomez told Boxingscene. “If he wants out of the fight, he should say so.”
Gomez is 100 percent confident that the fight will go ahead on May 5. Canelo has since passed subsequent tests while the Nevada commission is currently investigating and has yet to give a ruling on the matter. All signs point to the fight going ahead on May 5.
Canelo vs GGG 2 has “big drama” heading into their rematch and there is certainly a lot more bad blood between the camps. Expect a more explosive fight on May 5 and the controversy surrounding the rematch is not necessarily a bad thing. Because if it wasn’t for these turn of events, what exactly would anybody in the media be talking about when it comes to this rematch had the positive tests not been made public?