By Dan Ambrose: Bob Arum, the promoter for Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., isn’t happy with the news that’s just come out about his fighter Chavez Jr’s positive drug test for Marijuana that was released by the Nevada State Athletic Commission today. According to Dan Rafael, Chavez Jr. is going to have to meet with the Commission and explain why he tested positive for the banned substance.
Arum told Dan Rafael at ESPN “If there was a trace of Marijuana, to me, it’s not the same as using a performance enhancing drug. That is cheating.”
Unfortunately, the Nevada State Athletic Commission has strict rules in place that sees drug use, even recreational drug use, as something that is prohibited and can lead to fines and suspensions. There’s no doubt that Marijuana isn’t a performance enhancing drug and the person using it is hurting himself rather than his opponent by using. But the rules are in place and Chavez Jr. will likely lose a part if not all of his $3 million purse, as well has receive a suspension of likely more than 7 months.
This suspension will be honored by other states in the U.S, so it’s not as if Arum can take Chavez Jr. to Texas to try and circumvent the ruling that comes down by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
Chavez Jr’s pre-fight drug test for performance enhancing drugs still hasn’t been released yet and it’s expected to take another three to four more days before the tests are complete for that. Hopefully there’s no other bombshells to go off for Chavez Jr., like a positive drug test for Diuretics or Steroids.
Arum added this about Chavez Jr: “He needs to grow up.”
This is true. A Chavez Jr-Martinez rematch was in the works for early 2012, and it would have brought in huge numbers at the gate if Arum had put the fight at the Cowboys Stadium like he’s been talking about. Now the rematch will likely have to wait until at least halfway through 2013, if not at the tail end of the year.
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