Former middleweight boxing champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. was suspended for the second time in just a few weeks as the Nevada State Athletic Commission took away his boxing license on Oct. 8.
The move was expected since the boxer’s blood test indicated marijuana in his system after losing his title by unanimous decision to Sergio Martinez of Argentina at Las Vegas’ Thomas and Mack Center on Sept. 15. The WBC had already suspended the 26-year-old Mexican boxer and fined him $20,000 for the incident.
The athletic commission handed down the suspension during its monthly meeting. The Nevada attorney general and Chavez will both plead their cases at a later date.
Keith Kizer of the athletic commission said Chavez’s boxing license was suspended, in the state and he didn’t object to it since he didn’t plan on fighting again this year. Kizer said the hearing could take place as soon as next month and he told Chavez’s promoter Bob Arum that the commission is ready to go ahead with the hearing as soon as the boxer and his lawyers are prepared.
It’s believed that Chavez, who has a record of 46-1-1, with 32 KOs, will also be fined by the commission and he could lose as much as $300,000. This would represent a total of 10 per cent of his earnings of $3 million for the fight against Martinez.
However, by law, Chavez could be forced to hand over the whole purse for his indiscretions. That’s an unlikely scenario, but this isn’t the first time Chavez has failed a post-fight drug test. He also tested positive for a banned substance back in 2009.
The boxer also faces a possible year-long suspension and if he’s banned from the sport in Nevada, all of the other states are required to honor it. This could be more likely considering Chavez’s past record when it comes to drug tests.
His other failed test came after a bout with Troy Rowland. Chavez had Furosemide in his system, which is a diuretic that’s often used by people to help reduce weight. However, the substance is also used by athletes to mask steroid use.
Chavez won the fight against Rowland, but it was later overturned and ruled a no-decision. He received a seven-month suspension and was fined $10,000, which was 10 per cent of his purse.
Kizer said he believes Chavez will be suspended for at least six months and it could be a year at the worst. He admitted that it isn’t his call though since the commissioners will be the ones voting on it, but said most second-time offenders receive year-long suspensions.
This means any planned rematch with Martinez will have to be put on hold for the time being and it could possibly never take place. Martinez raised his record to 50-2-2, with 28 KOs against Chavez when he beat him by by scores of 117-110, 118-109, and 118-109.
Martinez was in control all of the way until Chavez decked him in the 12th and final round. However, it was too little too late for the former champion by then.
