By Dan Ambrose: In an interview with ESPN, former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (46-1-1, 32 KO’s) came clean about his testing positive for marijuana for his last fight against Sergio Martinez last September. Chavez Jr. was subsequently fined $900,000 by the Nevada State Athletic Commission [NSAC], a fine that his promoter Bob Arum is looking to appeal and have it reduced considerably.
Chavez Jr. said to ESPN “It was only a mistake I made. I did nothing to hurt anyone. No, seriously, nothing.”
The NSAC wasn’t pleased with Chavez Jr. testing positive given that it was the second time he had tested positive for a banned drug. It wasn’t a performance enhancing drug that he tested positive for, but the Commission seems to see it as being a serious thing because it being the second time that he’s tested positive for a drug.
The appeal may not be effective in decreasing the fine. I can’t imagine the NSAC being persuaded to decrease the fine once they’ve already made their decision. The fine is huge, but so is Chavez Jr’s paycheck for that fight. I imagine that if a fighter received $5000 for the fight, the NSAC would have likely taken one-third of that amount as well.
If Chavez Jr. wants a second fight against Sergio Martinez, then he’s going to have to agree to random blood testing because Martinez has already said that’s what he wants before he’ll agree to fight Chavez Jr. again.
He wants to make sure that the Chavez Jr. he fights in the ring is a clean fighter and not using anything that is against the rules of the state commission for whatever state they’ll be competing in. It’s still too early to tell whether Chavez Jr. will agree to the extra testing that Martinez wants for the fight.
Chavez also received a nine month suspension by the NSAC, and that suspension ends on June 15th. Arum wants to match Chavez Jr. up soon after that fight. The name that is being floated around for that fight is Brian Vera.
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