Gennady Golovkin wants Billy Joe Saunders unification fight if Canelo Alvarez handed drugs ban

Golovkin’s fight with Alvarez, scheduled for May 5 in Las Vegas, is now in doubt after the Mexican was revealed to have failed two drug tests

Gennady Golovkin still wants his rematch with Canelo Alvarez to go ahead though (Getty)

Gennady Golovkin has confirmed he will turn to Billy Joe Saunders for a world middleweight title unification fight if his rematch with Canelo Alvarez is called off.

Golovkin’s fight with Alvarez, scheduled for May 5 in Las Vegas, is now in doubt after the Mexican was revealed to have failed two drug tests.

The Nevada State Athletic Commission are currently investigating Alvarez after traces of the steroid clenbuterol were found in samples given by the boxer earlier this month.

With a decision yet to be made on Alvarez’s fate, Golovkin has revealed he would turn to Saunders as his preferred fall-back opponent.

“If that fight can’t happen the next step for me is Saunders, since it is my dream to get all the world championship belts,” he said.

Golovkin currently holds the WBA, WBC, IBF and IBO middleweight titles while Saunders holds the WBO belt.

Although outraged by the Alvarez drugs issue, Golovkin remains keen for the rematch to go ahead.

“I still hope the fight happens,” he said. “It is the biggest fight in boxing right now and I would like to be on that level once again.

Billy Joe Saunders holds the WBO belt (PA)

“But it is for the commission to decide if he was positive or negative. I was surprised this happened. Knowing Canelo and his team I didn’t expect they were using some kind of forbidden substances.

“It is unpleasant to see this go in that direction. I want competition between athletes, not laboratories. A clean fight not a medicine fight.”