Gennady Golovkin thinks Canelo, De La Hoya are doping cheats

BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif. — Gennady Golovkin plans to go ahead with his rematch against Canelo Alvarez on May 5, even after Alvarez failed a doping test last month.

But Golovkin also believes Alvarez is a cheater whose attempt to blame the test on bad meat is a joke and a symptom of more extensive corruption in boxing.

“Again with Mexican meat? Come on,” Golovkin said on Tuesday, referencing Alvarez’s attribution of his failed test to his consumption of tainted meat in his native country.

“I told you, it’s not Mexican meat,” Golovkin added. “This is Canelo. This is his team. This is his promotion. … Canelo is cheating. They’re using these drugs, and everybody is just trying to pretend it’s not happening.”

Golovkin (37-0-1, 33 KOs) spoke pointedly about Alvarez (49-1-2, 34 KOs) before a workout at his high-altitude training camp in Southern California. For the first time, the unbeaten Kazakh middleweight champion repeatedly said he believes Alvarez has used banned substances for previous fights, including their first bout last September.

“It was pretty obvious when (Alvarez’s) muscles were all (enlarged) … and with the traces of injections, which were visible,” Golovkin said through a translator. “I can talk about Oscar De La Hoya, too. He is also not clean. He’s dirty.”

De La Hoya is Alvarez’s longtime promoter and a former six-division champion. He retired from boxing in 2008.

Alvarez tested positive for clenbuterol in mid-February in the fighters’ voluntary anti-doping program, and the results were revealed two weeks ago.

Eric Gomez, the president of De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions, responded sharply to Golovkin’s comments.

“He doesn’t sound like a confident fighter,” Gomez told The Associated Press in an email. “GGG is trying to find a way out. If he doesn’t want the fight, he should just say so. Just last week he said the exact opposite. His remarks about needle marks, Oscar and every other lie are outrageous, false and defamatory, and we will deal with them appropriately.

“As for Canelo, he is focused on his training,” Gomez added. “He didn’t need any more motivation, but now he has it.”

The Nevada Athletic Commission still hasn’t announced whether it will level any disciplinary action against Alvarez, or even when it might hold a public hearing about its decision. The fight is just over six weeks away at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Golovkin expects to be in the ring on Cinco de Mayo until he hears otherwise from Nevada or Alvarez, who has scarcely commented on the positive test since Golden Boy issued a statement blaming the mistake on meat contamination that is common in some parts of Mexico. Canelo also moved his camp to the U.S. after his failed test, but is training behind closed doors.

Golovkin also is still upset about the verdict in his first bout with Alvarez. Golovkin and his camp felt they comfortably won the bout, which was ruled a draw.

“He’s always been the favorite, always had benefits,” Golovkin said. “I don’t think I would have the same amount of benefits as he has. That’s why I never use any drugs, because I know there won’t be any preferences to me.”

If the Nevada commission postpones the rematch, promoter Tom Loeffler echoed Golovkin’s interest in booking a middleweight title unification bout with Britain’s Billy Joe Saunders, who holds one of the four major belts.

But Golovkin and Alvarez both realize their biggest paydays will come in bouts against each other. That’s why Golovkin is determined to keep training to face Canelo, even while accusing his opponent of artificial enhancement of his physique.

“You should take a look at the photos and ask a doctor,” Golovkin said. “Ask any doctor. Let him explain what those (muscles) are. It’s better even to use the lie detector. Then there wouldn’t be any silly questions about meat or fruits or chocolate.”