So, Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez has tested positive for a drug that helps weight loss in the early part of a preparation. That’s a conversation starter right there!
Canelo is one of the biggest names in boxing. Adored in Mexico, feted by his promoters and loved by venue owners and TV channels alike, he has become the man most likely to take over from Floyd Mayweather in the ‘superbout’ stakes.
The revelation he has tested positive has been handled with a PR polish that Donald Trump could only dream of. It had it all:
1. Full acknowledgement
His promoters got in front of the story by announcing his A sample was positive, named the drug (Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez) and immediately invoked the credibility of the governing body by pointing out Canelo wanted this testing, and that they will wait for Nevada to make a decision.
2. Reduce culpability
The steak, the steak, my credibility for a steak. By immediately pointing out that he believes it occurred in a manner that he couldn’t control, the focus of investigation now moves to whether this is possible. It is. This does not prove he is innocent but does immediately cloud if he is guilty.
3. Raise the stakes
With no pun intended, by immediately announcing the fight with Gennady Golovkin is still on track, all the heat now lands on the commission. It would be a brave commissioner who said, “Yeah, the first bout was such a great fight everyone is begging for a rematch (take that Floyd!); but the integrity of the sport is so great that we’re going to take the ‘no excuse accepted’ line and rule Canelo out for 12 or 24 months.”
The easier, “Independent tests taken again every week until fight night will prove this was an aberration and it must have been the steak’s fault after all”, pathway will prove too irresistible to turn down.
This is bad for the sport, though good for the business.
Australia’s Lucas Brown was stripped of the heavyweight title for trace levels of the same drug. Why would a heavyweight take a drug that helps you lose weight? A quick glance through his photo archive makes one doubt he is vain enough to want to look good for the camera – but no matter – his title was sacrificed at the altar of a ‘clean sport’.
Simply put, Browne probably wouldn’t sell out in Perth, let alone Vegas (shame that – his right hand should allow him to be sold as the modern day Rocky Marciano), so he is back to fighting eliminations.
Canelo? He will be cleared, the fight will provide a massive gate and PPV, and with GGG another year older, he is likely to win.
The conclusion? The prize part of prizefighting remains the ultimate judge of how problems are treated.
SnowyArum
Roar Rookie
Agree wholeheartedly - there is a lot of sense in Canelo taking it....the response especially by the WBA in response to the two cases was chalk and cheese
BrainsTrust
Guest
Clenbuterol is used to increase the muscle mass of cattle so it increases the price for sale, it acts like a steroid on cattle and its also used to cheat in shows. Its not going to be used at the premium end of the meat market on Wagyu. For humans it helps maintain muscle mass while losing weight, something important to body builders.It doesn;t make sense of Lucas Brown to take it with all his fat. and not having to make a weight. Canelo you could see a reason why. On the other hand in Mexico the chances of them using it on cattle is high as well.