Canelo Alvarez blames failed drug test on dodgy beef but insists Gennady Golovkin fight is still on
CANELO ALVAREZ has admitted he tested positive for a banned substance - but his fight with Gennady Golovkin is still on.
The Mexican, 27, blamed contaminated meat in his homeland after trace levels of Clenbuterol were found in his system.
He told fans he will move his training camp from Mexico to the US and undergo any additional testing required.
Alvarez said: "I am an athlete who respects the sport and this surprises me and bothers me because it had never happened to me.
"I will submit to all the tests that require me to clarify this embarrassing situation and I trust that at the end the truth will prevail."
Golden Boy Promotions - who represent Alvarez - claimed contaminated beef has been an issue for Mexico in recent years, with dozens of athletes affected.
Their statement explained: "As part of the voluntary testing program that Canelo Alvarez insisted on ahead of his May 5 fight, one of his results came back positive for trace levels of Clenbuterol, consistent with meat contamination"
Golden Boy added that Daniel Eichner, the director of the WADA-accredited lab that conducted the tests, suggested the values involved "are all within the range of what is expected from meat contamination."
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What is Clenbuterol?
In the UK, Clenbuterol is classified as a Class C drug.
Clenbuterol is used by sufferers of breathing disorders, such as asthma, but is illegal to buy or sell without a prescription.
It has become a popular drug for bodybuilders looking to cut weight quickly - that is because it increases metabolism for those who take it.
Like Salbutemol, Clenbuterol also works by dilating the bronchi and bronchioles, decreasing resistance in the respiratory airway and increasing airflow to the lungs, although its effects are more potent and longer lasting.
In the European Union, Clenbuterol is not allowed to be used by any animals that will be consumed by humans, although those rules do not apply to countries outside of Europe.
It is on the WADA banned list.
Notably, cyclist Alberto Contador tested positive for the drug - he was stripped of his 2010 Tour de France title in the aftermath.
Mexican boxer Erik Morales was banned for two years after testing positive.
Earlier this year, British Olympic sprinter Nigel Levine was provisionally suspended after testing positive for the drug.
Canelo's rematch with Golovkin, 35, is set for May 5 in Las Vegas, with both trying to avenge a controversial draw in their last fight.
In front of thousands of fans in LA, the red-headed puncher declared judges would not be necessary this time around.
He said: “I’m not afraid of nobody, and I’ve shown that. The first time, they were saying he was gonna knock me out and I wouldn’t fight him. And look, here we are again.
“There’s a saying in Mexico – a parrot’s green anywhere he goes. I’m not afraid of him. I’m gonna knock him out.”