The Nevada State Athletic Commission has officially suspended Canelo Alvarez for six months due to a pair of failed drug tests.
According to reports, Alvarez’s six-month ban, the lightest punishment he could've received, will be backdated to February 17, the date he tested positive for clenbuterol, which means he could fight Gennady Golovkin in the middle of September. Alvarez has blamed contaminated Mexican meat for the traces of clenbuterol in his system.
ESPN's Dan Rafael reports that the NSAC decided Alvarez's suspension in a 5-0 vote on Wednesday. The typical punishment for a first offense is one year, but the rules allow for any suspension to cut by 50% if the athlete cooperates with the investigation, according to Rafael.
"Canelo looks forward to returning to the ring in September for Mexican Independence Day weekend to represent Mexico and boxing in what will be the sport's biggest event of the year," Golden Boy Promotions said in a statement. "He is ready to continue his remarkable record of fighting at the highest level."
The first match between Alvarez and GGG, which took place last September, ended in a controversial draw after one judge scored it 118-110 for Canelo, a second judge had it 115-113 for Golovkin and the third had it even.
The Alvarez vs Golovkin rematch was originally scheduled for May 5, but now GGG will take on Vanes Martirosyan at the StubHub Center in Carson, California instead. Golovkin will reportedly defend his WBA and WBC titles in the fight, but he could be stripped by the IBF because they've deemed Martirosyan unworthy of challenging for the title and have declined to sanction the fight, according to Rafael.
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