Without specifically mentioning his positive drug test, former middleweight titlist Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. said he takes "full responsibility for my actions" in a statement he issued Saturday through his Twitter account.
In his statement, originally posted in Spanish, Chavez began: "To all the people," and went on to write, "Any attempt to explain or justify the recent developments will be of little or no convincing, so I want to let everybody know that I take full responsibility for my actions and the consequences thereof."
Although Chavez nearly knocked out lineal champion Sergio Martinez in the 12th round of their much-anticipated championship fight on Sept. 15 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, he lost a lopsided unanimous decision.
Martinez dominated the fight until Chavez dropped him in the final 90 seconds of the fight. However, Chavez was not nearly as active as many expected him to be during the rest of the bout. On Tuesday, the Nevada State Athletic Commission notified Chavez and promoter Top Rank that he had tested positive for marijuana.
The positive test is Chavez's second for a banned substance in Nevada since 2009, and he faces a lengthy suspension and a fine from the commission.
"I apologize to all those who are disappointed or aggrieved by my behavior," Chavez said. "I alone know the causes (for the failed drug test) and it is for me alone to confront them. In contrast, I can say that I will emerge stronger from these events and I shall endeavor to vindicate my personal image.
"Everything that happened makes this a perfect time to stop and think about the future. Now it is time for a new Julio Cesar Chavez to be born and I will begin a period in my career that will prepare me physically and mentally to achieve new goals, including, in the short term, a rematch with Sergio 'Maravilla' Martinez. I take this opportunity to thank everybody for all of the support that I have received and I also recognize all of those who have sent me messages of any kind."
In November 2009, Chavez tested positive for Furosemide -- a diuretic typically used to help cut weight or used as a masking agent for steroids -- in conjunction with his fight against Troy Rowland, which took place on the Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto undercard at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
The commission suspended Chavez for seven months and fined him $10,000 (10 percent of his $100,000 purse). Also, the result of the fight, originally a lopsided decision win for Chavez, was changed to a no-decision.
The Nevada commission will file a complaint against Chavez and could fine him up to 100 percent of his $3 million purse (although that is unlikely) and suspend him for up to a year. It could also revoke his license. If Nevada suspends Chavez, other states are required to honor the suspension under federal law.
Because this is Chavez's second failed drug test, the Nevada commission, based on its past behavior, is likely to take that into consideration when it punishes him. That means Chavez likely is facing a one-year suspension.
In January, Chavez (46-1-1, 32 KOs) found himself in trouble for alcohol use. He was arrested on a DUI charge in Los Angeles, where he was training, just two weeks before he defeated Marco Antonio Rubio in San Antonio to retain his version of the 160-pound title. Chavez reached a plea deal in the case in June, which included three years of probation.