Commission confirms Chavez's positive test for marijuana

Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director Keith Kizer has officially confirmed a RingTV.com report that middleweight contender Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. 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 Sept. 15 in Las Vegas.

Kizer was awaiting receipt of the pre-fight tests, which screen for steroids and masking agents, before responding to earlier reports about Chavez's post-fight infraction.

"We have received all of the test results, both the pre- and the post-fight tests. Everybody past their pre-fight tests, which are for steroids, diuretics and masking agents," said Kizer, reached by RingTV.com on Friday.

"So there are no additional charges. We will just have the one complaint against Julio for marijuana metabolites, which came back positive."

Top Rank CEO Bob Arum said Chavez planned to address the issue in a hearing with the Nevada Commission.

But if Chavez is found guilty, he 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.

"Today or Monday, we will get the complaint out to him," said Kizer. "We will ask for some sort of fine and some sort of suspension, and then it will be up to the commission to decide that after a hearing."

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