Sanchez: It Could Be Sergey Kovalev-Sullivan Barrera in The Fall

By Ryan Burton

BoxingScene.com was recently in Big Bear, California where world class trainer Abel Sanchez trains his growing stable of fighters. Sanchez's pupil Sullivan Barrera (17-0) will face former two-time super middleweight champion Andre Ward (28-0) Saturday night in a HBO televised main event.

The fight will be Ward's first as a full fledged light heavyweight.  The Oakland, California native's activity level has been very low the past few years as he has dealt with promotional issues and injuries.

Sanchez feels that these issues along with the move up in weight will be key factors in the fight.

"I think that this fight was meant for Andre, for the fans and the networks, to figure out if he deserves a fight against Kovalev, because (Barrera) is a true 75 pounder. If he can't handle a 75 pounder who only has 17 fights and really is not on the level that Kovalev is then maybe there are issues and questions.

"There are a lot of pluses going into this fight and that is one of them. His inactivity is another. The fact that he had a couple injuries is another one. The quality of opposition is another one and it is up to us to take advantage of the pluses that we have. Obviously there are minuses too because Andre is a great fighter. If Sullivan does what he is supposed to do as a 75 pounder and muscles him and hits him and just touches him, who knows in a long fight what the outcome will be," Sanchez told BoxingScene.com.

If Ward defeats Barrera and Kovalev wins his upcoming fight, the plan is for the two to meet in a pay-per-view showdown in the fall. Sanchez believes that the notion that Ward beating Barrera is a foregone conclusion has given his fighter extra motivation.

"Well of course. Because it could be him and Kovalev in the fall. That is what he is looking for. He is 33-years-old and he doesn't have a lot of time to waste. He is looking for those opportunities. Finally his manager was able to secure this opportunity with a lot of negotiations and now it is up to us. Put up or shut up," said Sanchez.

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