Report: Chavez Jr. tests positive for marijuana

RingTV.com has confirmed a report through sources familiar with the results that middleweight contender Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. has tested positive for marijuana metabolites consistent with the use of the drug in the aftermath of his unanimous decision loss to RING champion Sergio Martinez that dethroned him as WBC titleholder on Saturday in Las Vegas.

Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director Keith Kizer said that he has not received all of the test results, that he will not receive them "until Friday or Monday," and that he can not comment until he does receive them.

"Top Rank is reviewing the situation," a representative of the Las Vegas-based promotional company read to RingTV.com from an official statement, which had yet to be sent to the boxing media. "Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. will have an opportunity to explain about the situation to the Nevada State Athletic Commission."

If he is found to be guilty, Chavez can be penalized or fined for the entire amount of his $3 million purse, suspended for up to a year, or a combination of both.

The infraction is the third known instance in which Chavez (46-1-1, 32 knockouts) has been associated with either a banned substance or alcohol abuse.

Chavez tested positive for a banned substance which was a diuretic following his unanimous decision victory over Troy Rowland in November, of 2009, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

The result of the Rowland fight was later changed to a "no decision," Chavez was fined $10,000, and he was suspended for seven months by the NSAC.

Chavez was also arrested on Jan. 22 for driving drunk, just a week before his fight with Marco Antonio Rubio in Texas. He later struck a plea deal in mid-June, which granted him three years of probation and ordered him to to attend 30 Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, the latter of which he already had completed.

In spite of his legal issue, Chavez successfully defended his belt against Rubio on Feb. 4 in San Antonio on HBO despite being in relatively bad shape and having to lose a large amount of weight the day before the fight.

Chavez was in much better shape for his seventh-round stoppage victory over challenger Andy Lee in June.

He dropped Martinez (50-2-2, 28 KOs) in the 12th round of the HBO PPV-televised fight that he was awarded only four of the 36 rounds scored by judges Dave Moretti, Adalaide Byrd and Stanley Christodoulu, who had Martinez winning, 118-109 (twice) and 117-110.

Lem Satterfield can be reached at lemuel.satterfield@gmail.com