Demetrius Andrade is ready to step in as a replacement for Canelo Alvarez and fight Gennady Golovkin on May 5 should the highly-anticpated rematch get called off.
Golovkin was set to defend his World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Council (WBC), International Boxing Federation (IBF), and International Boxing Organization (IBO) middleweight titles against Canelo on May 5 after their first encounter ended in a split-decision draw.
However, Canelo was temporarily suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) last month after trace levels of clenbuterol, a banned substance, was found in two of his drug tests, putting the rematch in jeopardy.
A hearing was soon scheduled for April 10 in Las Vegas. However, the NSAC proceeded to file a formal complaint against the Mexican last week as his hearing was delayed until April 18. The recent development has all but ended plans for the rematch as Canelo, a first-time offender, will likely be suspended from six months to a year.
Golovkin, however, still insists on fighting on May 5 as his promoter Tom Loeffler revealed that there are plans in motion to find a new opponent.
"GGG wants to fight on May 5 in Las Vegas, so in order to do that we have to go through the commission procedure and the official process," Loeffler told ESPN. "Anyone who booked a plane ticket or who was planning to come to Las Vegas for Cinco de Mayo weekend to see GGG fight, don't cancel your ticket, because we're planning a GGG fight on May 5, whether it's against Canelo or somebody else."
"We're weighing all the options right now. Obviously, the biggest fight in boxing is GGG and Canelo in their rematch in May. If we can't do it then, GGG wants to stay active, but no one opponent has been selected yet."
World Boxing Organization (WBO) middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders was the ideal backup plan, but the Briton had his title defense against Martin Murray delayed after recently suffering a hand injury.
Gary "Spike" O'Sullivan, who claimed before news of the failed drug test that he would be facing Canelo next, is now being touted as a potential replacement to face Golovkin.
However, Andrade (25-0), a U.S. Olympian who formerly held the WBO and WBA junior-middleweight titles, believes he should be next in line and that "GGG" would be dodging him if he chose to face the Irishman instead.
"My name does ring bells in the boxing world and I believe I have more talent, and my excitement is better, than anyone else who can fight [Golovkin]," Andrade told the Los Angeles Times. "People don't really want to see [Golovkin] fight anyone else other than someone like me. What other top-level fighter is ready to go?"
"Spike O'Sullivan is a guy I should fight to keep my reputation going [up] to Triple-G [Golovkin] and Canelo. Good record, keep you active, but for Triple-G to pick him would be like, 'What are you scared of?' You say people duck you. People want to see me fight. Here's an opportunity to give the fans and boxing a good fight that's unexpected, and they'll want to see it ⦠. I know, because everyone in tune with the whole Triple-G-Canelo thing was saying Demetrius Andrade as soon as it starting looking like there'd be no fight."
"When you have a guy with a world championship on his resume coming up to 160 pounds, who's willing to get in there and is a clean athlete â I don't do the steroid stuff â why not fight the best? If you think I'm a walk in the park, come walk in this park and see how easy it is."