By Victor Salazar
New York - The trainer of Gennady Golovkin (33-0, 30 KO’s), Abel Sanchez, has never been shy to speak his mind. When the fight between his fighter and David Lemieux (34-2, 31 KO’s) was made, Sanchez went on the record and predicting a 4th round knockout for Golovkin.
The fight takes place on October 17th at New York's Madison Square Garden.
Sanchez says it was not meant to disrespect Lemieux but feels the fight can be a Tommy Hearns-Marvin Hagler type fight - quick but all action.
“Reason I said its 4 rounds is because it’s going to be a Hagler-Hearns type of fight,” Sanchez told BoxingScene.com. “They’re both going to bang each other and somebody is going to land and land big. I hope it’s my guy.”
Sanchez feels Lemieux has come a long way since his first two losses and credits those losses to the Canadian being inexperienced.
“He (Lemieux) was young and he was inexperienced,” Sanchez said. “He fought a guy that did the rope a dope on him in Marco Rubio. Rubio landed a couple of shots when Lemieux was tired but he was young. I think he’s better with the losses and now he’s a better fighter.”
Sanchez hopes that there is a pseudo round robin tournament between Golovkin-Lemieux and Miguel Cotto and Canelo Alvarez. Almost as an ode to the past, these 4 fighters can be the new 4 kings.
“I think that both fights are what the middleweight division has been missing,” explained Sanchez. I think these 4 guys will determine the best in the division. They can be the new 4 kings. If we can get a round robin, it’d be great for the sport.”