Abel Sanchez, head trainer of IBO, IBF, WBA, WBC middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (37-0, 33 KOs), is a very happy man.
This past Saturday night, it was officially announced that Golovkin would finally meet Mexican superstar Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (49-1-1, 34 KOs) on September 16th. HBO Pay-Per-View will carry the fight. The location has yet to be determined.
Golovkin sat ringside as Canelo dominated country rival Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. over twelve rounds. Later in the night, Canelo and Golovkin held a press conference for the media.
There are some critics who believe Canelo and his handlers finally agreed to make the deal with with Golovkin after the unbeaten champion was taken to the limit back in March by Daniel Jacobs.
In that contest, Golovkin went the twelve round distance for the very first time to win a close unanimous decision. Golovkin had stopped 23 opponents in a row before running into Jacobs.
After that fight, Canelo and his handlers stated in several interviews that they felt Jacobs did enough to win. Some members of Canelo's team have questioned Golovkin's skills and wonder if his age [at 35] is finally catching up with him.
"Let them think that," Sanchez told Yahoo Sports. “Everyone has an opinion. I imagine that fight [with Jacobs] gives [Golden Boy] confidence. Have it. I know what I have in the gym. And it’s not what they just faced [Chavez] in the ring. Canelo can crack. He has fast hands. He’s more relaxed in the ring than he was a year ago. He looks better mentally, too."
Sanchez revealed that Golovkin's training camp will begin in July, and the veteran trainer believes the camp will be easier than the weeks they spent preparing for Jacobs.
"With Jacobs, we had to bring bigger guys into the gym,” Sanchez said. “There was more wear and tear. Canelo is smaller. There won’t be as much."