By Edward Chaykovsky
Abel Sanchez, who trains WBA/WBC/IBO/IBF middleweight champion Gennady 'GGG' Golovkin (36-0, 33KOs), continues to have serious doubts that a fight with Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez (48-1-1, 34KOs) will happen in 2017.
If the fight happens at all, Sanchez could see it taking place at some point in 2018.
At the moment, both sides are discussing the terms but there is obvious early trouble. Golden Boy Promotions, who represent Canelo, has offered Golovkin a flat fee for a September 2017 pay-per-view showdown - and K2 Promotions, who represent Golovkin, want a percentage split.
Sanchez believes Canelo is scared, but not scared of Golovkin. The veteran trainer feels Canelo is scared of losing. Canelo's sole defeat came in 2013 when he was dominated Floyd Mayweather Jr. at a catch-weight of 152-pounds. Sanchez also says Golden Boy CEO Oscar De La Hoya is also scared that Canelo could lose.
Canelo, who earlier this year held the WBC middleweight belt, was ordered by the sanctioning body to make a mandatory defense against Golovkin. Not appreciating the pressure from the WBC, Canelo vacated that title and moved back to junior middleweight. Last Saturday night in Texas, Canelo captured the WBO 154-pound title with a knockout of Liam Smith.
"I think he’s afraid of losing, I don’t think he’s afraid of Golovkin, I just think he has the fear of losing again. I think Oscar has the fear of him losing again. I don’t think that fight will happen, and if it does happen, you’re talking about 2018 not 2017," Sanchez told On The Ropes Boxing Radio.
Sanchez is not buying the recent comments from De La Hoya, who says Canelo needs a fight or two to properly grow into the body of a middleweight. Sanchez still strongly believes that Canelo would already be fighting at 160-pounds - if Golovkin had moved up to 168. He feels Golden Boy, and Canelo's handlers, are waiting for GGG to leave the middleweight division.
"I have no clue when Canelo is going to grow into a middleweight, yet when he fought Cotto or Khan, he was announced as the middleweight champion. They make excuses and I think those questions you’re asking about should be directed at them, why are they saying these things? Just like when Canelo called us into the ring and made such a spectacle in front of 16,000 people at the T-Mobile Arena, it was taken back ten days later. He gave up the belt," Sanchez said.
"All that BS about 'I want to fight Golovkin next, I’ll fight him right now, I’ll put the gloves on right now.' Oscar at the press conference saying 'Tom, make sure you answer your phone because I’m going to be calling you tomorrow.' It was all BS, so you guys as the journalists have to ask why is it BS? Why are they saying these things and not living up to it?"
"I think they are waiting for Golovkin to move out of the way. If Golovkin weren’t a middleweight, Canelo would be a real comfortable middleweight and would be living the life."