Canelo Alvarez Using PEDs Is 'Obvious,' Julio Cesar Chavez Jr Says

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. believes Canelo Alvarez used performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) for a while but admitted he is still a good fighter even without them.

Canelo was expected to face Gennady Golovkin in a middleweight title rematch May 5 for the latter's World Boxing Association, World Boxing Council, International Boxing Federation (IBF), and International Boxing Organization titles.

However, it soon emerged the 27-year-old failed two drug tests for the banned substance clenbuterol in February. Despite him and his camp pleading it to be a case of contaminated meat, a common occurrence in the past, Canelo eventually withdrew from the fight after a formal complaint was filed against him by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC).

On Wednesday, he was handed a six-month suspension from the NSAC retroactive from the first failed drug test Feb. 17 as Chavez Jr., who Canelo defeated via unanimous decision back in May 2017, refused to take contaminated meat as an excuse.

"I do not think meat is the problem, they can see from his body, his character, the way he reacts when someone says something to him," Chavez Jr. said, as per BoxingScene. "I think Canelo was very obvious in his behavior, his character, how he was so rude to the trainer of Golovkin, Abel Sanchez."

"People who know about steroids, know that Canelo is using something — but I do not think that is the reason why Canelo is a good fighter, he deserves all the credit in the world."

Meanwhile, Golovkin's fight with Vanes Martirosyan was also confirmed Wednesday as he will now look to tie Bernard Hopkins' record for most middleweight title defenses with 20 on May 5.

However, it is not clear whether "GGG" was given an exception from the IBF, who earlier threatened to strip him of his title if he went ahead with the fight instead of fighting their mandatory opponent in the unbeaten Sergiy Derevyanchenko.

Regardless, if he comes away with the victory, it looks like the highly-anticipated rematch with Canelo will happen in September, exactly one year after their first meeting, given the latter's suspension will end in August.

Tom Loeffler, who promotes Golovkin, confirmed they will attempt to make the rematch once again as it is still the biggest fight in boxing as of today.

"Right now, we’re focused on May 5," Loeffler said. "If Triple-G doesn’t win May 5, there’s no talk about a Canelo rematch in the future. If Triple-G is successful May 5, then the biggest fight in the sport of boxing is still Triple-G and Canelo, and that’s the fight we would try to make."

Loeffler, though, preferred for Canelo to receive a fine given the situation he has put Golovkin in.

“The only input from the Triple-G side, because we feel Triple G is the most damaged person in the situation scrambling to save the May 5 date, it would have been nice to see Canelo getting a fine," Loeffler added. "But we respect the commission’s ruling."