It seems we have seen the big return fight between middleweight rivals Genandy Golovkin and Saul Canelo Alvarez take one big step closer to getting made – or at least to the negotiations being a step closer to going ahead. As Canelo tweeted yesterday, he has enrolled in year-round, random drug testing to be conducted by VADA.
This move comes hot on the heels of the Mexican star being removed from the WBC middleweight rankings due to his not enrolling in anti-doping testing within a certain amount of time. Canelo has now “done the right thing,” according to Golovkin’s manager, Tom Loeffler.
“I want to let you know that I just signed the contract for (VADA) year-round testing,” Canelo wrote on social media yesterday.
“He did it for his fans,” Eric Gomez of Golden Boy said to RingTV.com. “He has also been tested randomly by the Nevada Commission, results coming shortly.”
So with this move, Canelo – seemingly doing everything he now can in an attempt to prove he is what he and his team have always insisted he is, an innocent fighter who ingested the clenbuterol that was found in his system by accident – may be closer to that big rematch with GGG. Fans everywhere still want to see this sequel, despite all that has gone on – in fact, in an odd way, even more so due to all that has gone on.
Now a genuine grudge-fight, GGG Vs. Canelo II will (if it happens and most feel it simply has to happen) see two fighters who have plenty to prove going at it. Canelo wants to prove he is both a clean fighter as well as proving he is the better fighter than GGG, while Golovkin no doubt wants to make those members of the Golden Boy team who said he was “scared” of fighting Canelo a second time eat their words.
Hopefully, if all Canelo’s forthcoming tests come up negative, both sides will then be able to sit down and begin negotiations for what would almost certainly prove to be this year’s Fight of The Year.