Abel Sanchez, trainer of IBF, IBO, WBA, WBC middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (37-0, 33 KOs) is not impressed with the punching power of Mexican superstar Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (49-1-1, 34 KOs).
In fact, Sanchez laughs at the idea that some have given Canelo the distinction of being a "big puncher."
Golovkin will defend his titles against Canelo on September 16th, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. HBO Pay-Per-View will carry the contest.
Three of Canelo's recent knockouts have been accomplished in brutal fashion - like Amir Khan, James Kirkland and Liam Smith.
Sanchez explains that none of those knockouts are anything to brag about. Khan, who for years has been criticized over his chin, was moving up from the welterweight limit 147 to a catch-weight of 155, and he had previously been knocked out at lightweight and junior welterweight. Kirkland, who also had a questionable chin, was coming off a very long layoff, and Smith was in way over his head in terms of experience.
Sancheez believes Canelo is not a true puncher. He views him as being more of a slapper, a fighter who throw slapping combinations to score points during fights. Canelo was never able to seriously hurt opponents like Erislandy Lara or Miguel Cotto in close contests.
“Amir Khan was a lightweight and he got knocked out by [Breidis] Prescott,” Sanchez said to Yahoo Sports. “And you’re going to make it look like a huge deal that he hurt Kirkland? Kirkland hadn’t fought for two years and he gets hurt by everybody. Ishida knocked him out. Who has [Alvarez] knocked out that you could say, ‘Yeah, that was a great KO of a guy who is tough to KO?’
“He’s a slapper. He’s a slapper who throws very good, fast combinations. He’s going to have to do more than slap to keep Golovkin off of him.”
