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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Alvarez-Triple G fight in jeopardy on drug complaint

In this Sept. 17, 2017 file photo, Canelo Alvarez, right, and Gennady Golovkin celebrate following a middleweight title fight in Las Vegas. The fight was called a draw. (Isaac Brekken / Associated Press)
Associated Press

LAS VEGAS – Nevada boxing regulators have filed a formal complaint against Canelo Alvarez for doping violations, putting his May 5 middleweight title rematch with Gennady Golovkin in jeopardy.

Alvarez could be suspended for a year for testing positive twice for the performance-enhancing drug Clenbuterol in random urine tests conducted in his hometown of Guadalajara, Mexico, in February.

An April 18 hearing was set on the complaint by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, replacing an earlier April 10 hearing that had been set. The hearing is just two weeks before the fight, making it doubtful the fight will proceed on that date.

Nevada boxing regulations call for a one-year ban for first violations, though it can be cut in half at the commission’s discretion. Even if Alvarez gets a six-month suspension, the fight would not take place until August at the earliest.

Promoters and the MGM Grand have already said they will give refunds to anyone who has purchased tickets for the May 5 date. Televised ads for the fight have also stopped running.

Golovkin and Alvarez fought to a controversial draw last September and their rematch has been highly anticipated in boxing circles.

Alvarez claims that the Clenbuterol positive came from eating tainted meat in Mexico, a defense that has been successfully raised in the past by others. But the filing of the complaint and the timeframe make it improbable that it will go forward on the date as planned.

Golovkin claimed last week that Alvarez doped before they met for the first time. Alvarez recently moved up to the middleweight division.