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Home » De La Hoya: Canelo legacy not tainted, once he KO’s Golovkin people in US will forget

De La Hoya: Canelo legacy not tainted, once he KO’s Golovkin people in US will forget

De La Hoya’s biggest star, who holds world titles at two different weights, faces his toughest challenge since Floyd Mayweather for a second time on September 15 following months of controversy.

A failed drugs test leading to the postponement of their May 5 rematch has put question marks next to Canelo’s achievements. When discussing this further, De La Hoya was adamant a victory over Gennady Golovkin next month would put everything in the past.

“I’m not concerned one bit because this is totally different. Sugar Shane Mosley and Fernando Vargas tested positive for steroids performance-enhancing drugs, and this is totally different,” said De La Hoya.

“This was Clenbuterol that was in meat, in tainted meat. So, look, everybody in Mexico knows about the big problem they have with Clenbuterol in their meat, and in Mexico he’s a bigger star than ever.

“So I don’t think his career will be tainted whatsoever. I think once he beats Golovkin in a spectacular fashion, then people will forget about it here in the states.”

On whether he sees the PPV making more buys this time around and Canelo’s chances, De La Hoya added: “Absolutely. This pay-per-view the second time around will be much bigger than the first time around.


“That’s the beauty about boxing, and he (Canelo) knows what he has to do. I believe he fought a great fight. He fought his own fight, and I had him up two points.

“So, obviously, the second time around — and that’s the beauty with a rematch is that you can change up your style.

“You can adjust to your opponent’s style, and that’s the beauty with Canelo is that he knows how to adjust, unlike GGG that only fights one way, and that’s coming forward,” he added.

Canelo was handed a debated draw last September at the T-Mobile Arena and begins a wider underdog in the betting to pull off what will be seen as a shock triumph in Las Vegas.