Boxing: Canelo Alvarez enrolls in year round drug testing

Banned boxer Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez has announced he has enrolled in year-round drug testing with the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association. The Mexican is currently serving a six-month suspension for testing positive for a banned substance in February. Alvarez’s previously revered reputation has taken a severe hit in recent months after it emerged the 27-year-old had tested positive for clenbuterol on two separate occasions.

Criticism about the punishment handed down to Alvarez has been intense, but the fighter has now moved to re-establish his position in the sport.

Canelo Alvarez heard the deafening criticism and on Tuesday announced that he has enrolled in a drug testing program with the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association.

Para informarles que acabo de firmar el contrato con @Vada_Testing para pruebas durante todo el año.
I want to let you know that I just signed the contract with @Vada_Testing for year round testing.
— Canelo Alvarez (@Canelo) May 15, 2018

his is a step in the right direction after all the criticism surrounding Alvarez due to his failed drug tests that caused the cancellation of his rematch with Gennady Golovkin. The failed test also lead to a six-month suspension for Alvarez from the state of Jalisco.

Saul Canelo Alvarez’s drug testing resumed last Monday with the Nevada State Athletic Commission traveling to his home in Guadalajara, Mexico, to test him, according to ESPN.

De La Hoya told AFP at the Sportel Summit in Miami: “Canelo has announced that he will be tested by VADA but what a lot of people don’t know is that he’s been actually tested several times with the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Canelo just signed contract to year round VADA testing.
— Oscar De La Hoya (@OscarDeLaHoya) May 15, 2018

“They tested him just two days ago. I think they’re testing them today as well, but he wanted to eenrollin the year-round testing for his fans .

“He wants to keep proving that he’s innocent to keep proving that it was an innocent mistake, what took place.

“And it’s funny because I’ve travelled to Mexico quite a few times now and they ask people, what do you think about this news with Canelo? And they’re like, what news?

“With all this animosity now, guess what? The fight is going to be even bigger.” Alvarez’s stature in the United States has undoubtedly taken a hit with Golovokin publicly calling Alvarez a cheat.

De La Hoya isn’t worried.

Alvarez remains one of the biggest names in boxing and is guaranteed to generate lucrative pay-per-view numbers.

He added: “I think it’s (Canelo’s stature) been affected here a bit in the US. But guess what, I’ve always said you’re as good as your last fight.

“Canelo is fine though. He wants to fight.

“I’m 75 percent sure, confident that, that we can get this done because it (the talk from GGG camp)had been quite disparaging towards him. But of course everybody uses their own negotiating tactics.

“But I can say that I think I’m about 75 percent confident right now and happy with the process that has happened the last couple of days in terms of the broader stuff.

“There’s no cut off date but there will be one shortly because we need to get to work.”