Canelo Alvarez fails drug test ahead of Tripe G rematch

Saul "Canelo" Alvarez has failed a drug test ahead of his high-profile rematch against Gennady Golovkin on May 5. According to several reports, traces of clenbuterol were found in Alvarez' most recent drug test.

Despite the stumbling block, the rematch between middleweights is still on schedule. Canelo's camp released a statement on Monday (Tuesday AEDT) noting "(a) meat contamination (that) has impacted dozens of athletes in Mexico over the last years."

Alvarez and his crew will now move from Mexico the U.S.A to complete the rest of their training camp.

Clenbuterol is typically used to treat asthma patients but can also help build muscle mass and burn off fat. "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," Alvarez said in the released statement.

Golovkin v Alvarez: Rematch still on track for May 5

On Sept. 16, 2017, the undefeated Golovkin and Alvarez fought to a controversial draw at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Although Triple G retained his WBC, WBA and IBF titles, the 35-year-old Kazakh came away from the fight with a 37-0-1 record as opposed to a spotless 38-0 record. Several boxing analysts felt Golovkin was robbed of a win despite Alvarez landing the most impactful jabs in the 12-round classic.

When Golovkin v Alvarez Part 2 was made official in January, Los Angeles Times reported that there is no rematch clause for a third fight.

“It’s going to be another great fight, so it’ll likely be a natural to do another rematch, but it’s not in the agreement. We want to concentrate on getting this (second Alvarez-Golovkin fight) done and then we can talk about a third fight later. We've exchanged contracts. We've gone through three revisions. All the major points have been worked out. There's some details that are important, but they're not the major points,” promoter Eric Gomez told the publication.

On May 5, the 35-year-old Kazakh Golovkin will once again put his WBA, WBC and IBF championships on the line against Mexico's Canelo Alvarez in Las Vegas. Stay tuned for the latest news and updates on Triple G vs Canelo Alvarez II.