Julio Cesar Chavez Jr speaks about failed drug test, WBC, rehab, Freddie Roach

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr has been in the news a lot more than he'd prefer lately, for a loss to Sergio Martinez on September 15, then a failed drug test, and all the fallout from that. He's finally spoken for himself about all the drama, and it's some pretty interesting stuff.

Regarding the drug test, Chavez Jr says he's never smoked marijuana, but that his insomnia led him to a prescription drug that contained cannabis. He's also quite displeased with the WBC "ordering" him to enter rehab.

From Miguel Rivera at BoxingScene.com:

"For years I have had insomnia, so I went to the doctor and he prescribed some drops for me that contained cannabis. I stopped taking them before the fight with 'Maravilla' Martinez, and I didn't think I was going to test positive. ... I hope [the Nevada commission] hear me, that I never acted in bad faith, and I hope the punishment won't be a heavy one. Let there be a rematch, and we will work with renewed vigor, and I'll take whatever test they want."

... "I do not condone what the World Boxing Council said, about their desire to send me to rehab. That's for drug addicts, and I'm not. The Council has not even seen me. How can they say that?"

WBC President -- and Chavez Jr's godfather -- Jose Sulaiman said yesterday that Chavez Jr also has a gambling problem, and that he's "lost his head." Chavez hasn't responded to that.

Co-promoter Fernando Beltran of Zanfer Promotions had already started with this "insomnia tea" excuse for the positive drug test shortly after it was made public, and the hope was that the press release made on behalf of Chavez, where he said he'd take full responsibility, would mean that excuses wouldn't be flying as they often have for Chavez Jr's shortcomings and past drug test failures, and even the plain avoidance of drug tests otherwise.

Keith Kizer of the Nevada commission has already said that Chavez Jr disclosed nothing before the fight, and that they'll be meeting with him later this month.

Instead, Chavez Jr, speaking for himself, is making an excuse. He's not taking full responsibility. And I'm sure few are surprised.

Chavez Jr also says that he'll be staying with Freddie Roach, and has some complaints about his father's role in his last camp:

"Roach told me one thing, and my father said another, and that I created confusion. This time the presence of my father was complicated. ... Of course I want to continue with Freddie Roach, he is the best in the world."

It's the same old story. It's someone else's fault. A doctor. His father. Confusion. Insomnia. Nerves. If the commission is "too harsh" and doesn't let Junior back in the ring quickly enough, it will be their fault. It's the WBC's fault now, too, somehow. How dare they treat him like they might treat anyone else, with a weak non-punishment?

None of this is Chavez taking any responsibility, really, so if you really thought he authored that press statement from before, I'd say this is a pretty telling argument against that idea. And if you were expecting him to mature, I don't think we're seeing that, either. He still expects excuses and his fame to get him out of a jam, and if it means tossing his greatest supporters -- the WBC and his father -- under the bus a little bit to do it, then so be it.