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SPORTS Monday 7 May 2018

Only 1 fighter to blame in Golovkin-Alvarez mess

By TIM DAHLBERG he and Alvarez would meet
AP Sports Columnist on Sept. 16 as nearly every-
Gennady Golovkin made one else in boxing assumes
sure it was a short night, they will.
which was not surprising There's too much money at
because he was fighting stake, for sure. But there's
for short money. also Golovkin's legacy, one
What was supposed to be that at the age of 36 he
a big night in Las Vegas doesn't have much time
ended up as little more left to craft.
than an exhibition in Car- He believes he was cheat-
son, California. The $20 mil- ed by the judges out of a
lion or so Golovkin was go- win in the first fight, one
ing to make to fight Canelo Golovkin seemed to domi-
Alvarez turned into $1 mil- nate until the late rounds.
lion against a last-minute It ended up a draw, which
replacement in Vanes Mar- is the lone blemish on a re-
tirosyan. cord that now includes a
It wasn't Triple G's fault, far record-tying 20 consecu-
from it. Alvarez was the one tive title defenses.
who tested positive for ste- He wants to return to the
roids in Mexico, upending ring quickly, and he wants
the lucrative middleweight to knock out Alvarez. But
title rematch Golovkin al- he's suspicious that Alva-
ready was training hard for. rez may have been doing
More importantly, it won't something to bulk up to
be Golovkin's fault if he and middleweight for their first
Alvarez don't meet in Sep- fight, and angry that he
tember. was caught doping for the
Fans, of course, want the second.
fight. And there's a good Some of that anger
chance it will happen, no seemed to melt away after
matter the posturing go- he rediscovered his knock-
ing on in the Triple G camp out power against Marti-
after Saturday night's sec- soyan. And he seemed to
ond-round knockout of an indicate that he would be
ill-prepared Martirosyan. good with fighting Alvarez
But excuse Golovkin and Gennady Golovkin poses with his belts after defeating Vanes Martirosyan in a middleweight title in September should the
his handlers if they play a lit- boxing match Saturday, May 5, 2018, in Carson, Calif. conditions be right.
tle hardball getting it done. Associated Press "Absolutely," Golovkin said.
They've earned the right. "I want everyone. I have lots
Contracts will have to be ter how much he and his haven't come. everything he is taking — or of belts. I challenge anyone
renegotiated, and you can camp claim tainted meat Forget the claims by Gold- eating — is above board. to come and take my belts.
bet promoter Tom Loeffler was responsible for his posi- en Boy Promotions that Al- Martirosyan himself made I don't care who it is. Let's
will be asking more this time tive test to the steroid Clen- varez tested negative in a the point after the fight at clean the division out." In
for his fighter. And Alvarez buterol. hair follicle test that isn't ac- the StubHub Center ended the end, the rematch with
will have to somehow try to The second part is more cepted in doping circles. with him being counted Alvarez is probably too big
prove that his protests are problematic. Focus, instead, on Oscar out after a flurry of blows of a fight — and too big of
real and that he's not the The six-month drug suspen- De La Hoya's claim to TMZ from Golovkin early in the an opportunity — for Triple
doper he seems to be. sion by Nevada boxing on April 25 that Alvarez second round. G to refuse. Alvarez and his
The first part is doable. Alva- regulators won't get in the would be tested "every day "Canelo has a lot to prove," handlers know that, which
rez had gotten more favor- way. It expires in August, from now until the fight" to Martirosyan said. "I can see might be why he hasn't
able terms before because leaving Alvarez free to fight make everyone's suspicions why he's eating that kind of rushed back into voluntary
he's got a proven record Golovkin in a rematch of go away. meat. He needs that extra drug testing just yet.
of selling pay-per-view, but their controversial draw So far, that testing has not edge." The guess is that Golovkin-
now he's going to have to from last September. happened. And every day Golovkin certainly seems to Alvarez II will take place on
accept parity, or even less. But what Golovkin and his that goes by without Alva- believe that. He was irate the Las Vegas Strip in Sep-
It's on him that the fight handlers want most is assur- rez signing up for a drug in the days before the fight, tember.
didn't take place Saturday ances that Alvarez is clean. testing program is another saying there was probably But if it doesn't, there will be
night in Las Vegas, no mat- And, at least so far, those day no one knows whether only a 10 percent chance only one fighter to blame.q