Boxing: Mexican Alvarez withdraws from Golovkin rematch

[April 04, 2018]    (Reuters) - A rematch between Kazakhstan's world middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin and Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez scheduled for May 5 has been canceled following the Mexican's positive test for the banned substance Clenbuterol, fight promoters said on Tuesday.

Middleweight boxer Canelo Alvarez of Mexico and WBC/WBA/IBF middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin of Kazakhstan pose during a news conference at MGM Grand hotel and casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., September 13, 2017. REUTERS/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus/File Photo

Alvarez, who blamed contaminated beef that he consumed in Mexico for the test result, withdrew from the fight after being temporarily suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission less than two weeks ago for failing the test.

The commission will hold a hearing on the case on April 18.

Clenbuterol is sometimes illicitly mixed into livestock feed to make meat leaner.

The boxers fought to a controversial draw in their middleweight world title bout in Las Vegas in September, with each getting the nod from one judge while the third declared it a tie, ramping up anticipation for a rematch.

Golovkin still intends to fight on May 5 in Las Vegas against a yet-to-be determined opponent, Tom Loeffler of GGG Promotions said.

Golovkin, who holds the WBA, WBC, IBF and IBO belts, is unbeaten with a 37-0-1 record, while Alvarez is 49-1-2, with his only loss coming against Floyd Mayweather in 2013.

(Reporting by Rory Carroll; Editing by Ken Ferris)

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