Gennady Golovkin is fighting on May 5th, regardless of what happens to Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez. The rematch between the two top boxers has been in jeopardy since Canelo tested positive for clenbuterol and blamed the situation on tainted Mexican meat. After a few weeks of confusion, the Nevada State Athletic Commission finally decided to suspend Canelo’s fight license pending a meeting on April 10th, leaving the match in limbo. But as far as Golovkin’s promoter is concerned, the show must go on.
Promoter @TomLoeffler1 to me the other day: "Whatever the commission does, Gennady would still fight May 5 if Canelo is out. If for some reason it's not against Canelo, we'll figure out the best course of action at that time, but he is training to fight May 5." #boxing
— Dan Rafael (@DanRafael1) March 25, 2018
Many expect the NSAC to clear Alvarez after a show hearing, given the fact that they weren’t even going to bother with a hearing until Golovkin complained. But a lot of the businesses surrounding the fight are understandably nervous about the situation and shutting down promotional efforts until the suspension is resolved.
Anyone who doubts #CaneloGGG2 isn't in legitimate serious jeopardy of being canceled due to Canelo's 2 failed PED tests I offer just one exhibit: HBO didn't use its Saturday fight telecast to promote the PPV & left it off it's upcoming calendar of events. This is serious, folks.
— Dan Rafael (@DanRafael1) March 25, 2018
I asked HBO spokesman @raysports on Sunday about the lack of #CaneloGGG2 promotion/calendar listing on Saturday's @HBOboxing telecast. "When a fighter is temporarily suspended it's best to pause on programming promotion and resume when all is settled," he said. #boxing
— Dan Rafael (@DanRafael1) March 25, 2018
In the event that things go sideways and Canelo gets a suspension that takes him out past Cinco de Mayo, Golovkin could end up facing 26-0 WBO middleweight champ Billy Joe Saunders, who absolutely clowned David Lemieux in his last fight. Of course it wouldn’t be boxing if there wasn’t some question as to the ability of the two parties to come to terms. Saunders has made it clear that he won’t just take any deal to come in and save Golovkin’s fight.
“I’m no back-up plan or plan B to anyone, I’m a world champion and I believe that I’m the best in the division,” he told Boxing News Online. “If anything, Golovkin is my back-up plan.”
