Trainer: Mohammedi vs. Kovalev-Pascal Bout by Summer

by David P. Greisman

Nadjib Mohammedi is in mandatory position for one of the three titles held by Sergey Kovalev and on the line Saturday night against Jean Pascal in HBO.

Mohammedi’s trainer, Abel Sanchez — who also works with middleweight wrecking mall Gennady Golovkin — says it doesn’t matter to him who wins and who they face.

“We’ll prepare for whatever style is the winner. But both styles have difficulties in facing each one of them,” Sanchez said. “Kovalev’s a big puncher. Pascal’s a sneaky, very awkward kind of fight. It wouldn’t matter. We just want to get in the ring with one of them.”

Of course, there’s also the possibility that the belt Mohammedi is vying for could be vacated and he would instead fight someone else for that title.

“That’s up to Main Events and Mohammedi’s brain trust,” Sanchez said. “We’re fighting for a title sometime in June or July, whether it’s a vacant title or one of those two guys.”

Kathy Duva, who promotes both Kovalev and Mohammedi, told BoxingScene.com that Kovalev intends to keep all the belts and that Kovalev-Mohammedi would be next if he beats Pascal.

In the interim, Mohammedi is staying busy and Sanchez is keeping him motivated.

The 31-year-old from France acquiring his mandatory challenger status with his seventh-round stoppage of Anatoliy Dudchenko in June 2014. He’s facing subpar opposition for now, making quick work of 7-7-1 Demetrius Walker in November and now going in Saturday against Lee Campbell. Campbell, 37, of Charlotte, North Carolina, is 8-1 with 4 KOs. He suffered a sixth-round knockout loss to Sullivan Barrera in June 2014, then bounced back with a one-round win over 12-43-2 Mike McFail in October.

“You just make sure that you’re in the gym, reminding him of the things to come and the things that are available for him if he stays on the course,” Sanchez said. “Obviously we lose one fight and we’re completely out of the picture.”

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