By Chris Williamson

Chris Sanigar, the Bristol based manager and trainer, is enjoying a run of success which has taken two of his fighters, Lee Selby (featherweight) and Lee Haskins (bantamweight), to IBF world championships.  Sanigar sat down with Boxingscene.com to discuss plans for both champions and provide his perspective on the upcoming U.K. visit of middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin.

Wonderfully straight talking, Sanigar doesn't take long before broaching the subject of aborted summer negotiations for a mooted domestic clash between Selby and Josh Warrington.  Selby's camp believe empty posturing on the Yorkshireman's side has hampered momentum from the champion's successful mandatory defence against American Eric Hunter back in April.

“For 12 months Warrington and his team said they wanted the fight with Lee at Elland Road and for two years it seems he had a wedding planned (taking up his focus instead), so it's nonsense (suggesting a fight they had no intention of taking),” says Sanigar.

Despite obvious frustration, Sanigar's dry sense of humour bubbles close to the surface.  “Lee gave up his British title for Josh to pick up.  Then he gave up his European title for Josh to sweep up.  Maybe he should give up the IBF title for him too,” he joked, before adding.  “He has no intention of fighting Lee.”

Sanigar has little doubt a reluctance to make the match is permanent and unrelated to planned nuptials.  “We've never had one offer.  We don't have a mandatory due but we've been messed around by the Warrington thing.”

Warrington has instead opted to defend a minor WBC International title in Leeds on 30 July, the very same night Sanigar and Selby expect to settle into their seats five thousand miles away in Brooklyn, New York as Belfast's Carl Frampton moves up in weight to challenge Mexican Leo Santa Cruz for his WBA “Super” featherweight title (whatever that is).

Last year, Selby signed an advisory agreement with Al Haymon, bringing him under the same “advisory” umbrella as both Frampton and Santa Cruz (who even named his son after the creator of Premier Boxing Champions), theoretically making those matches easier to make.

“The winner of Santa Cruz and Frampton is the one we want.  We've been offered the fight verbally and we'll wait and see what happens on the 30th.  Hopefully they both come through with no injuries.  They've both said they fancy it,” revealed Sanigar.  “I'm sure Lee and I will be present for that one.”

Sanigar believes the tone of the Cruz-Frampton fight will be settled early and that the opening rounds will prove decisive either way.  “It's a pick 'em,” he stated.

“Whoever settles down in the first few rounds, I believe will win.  I can't see one being ahead and then the other pulling back.  In that respect I think it will be like Frampton-Quigg.  Whoever gets a good start will hold on.  We're respectful to both of them, as they are to us, so we don't need to mouth off.”

Sanigar's other IBF champion, Lee Haskins, has a date confirmed for his rematch and mandatory defence against Stuart Hall.  Haskins convincingly outpointed Hall to win the vacant European title four years ago and his manager believes the rematch will be even more decisive.

“My man boxes his head off,” says Sanigar.  “I don't think Stuart Hall has improved, whereas my man has come on leaps and bounds.”

Sanigar has meticulously studied the game since retiring as a pro to become a trainer and manager more than 35 years ago and is excited to be part of the bill which features the number one middleweight in the world.

“I'm really looking forward to it being on such a big show.  It's an honour to be involved in the biggest promotion of the year.  This event will be talked about for the next 10 years,” predicted Sanigar, referring to the September 10th bill at London's O2 arena, which is headlined by Golovkin versus IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook

Sanigar doesn't go so far as to predict the upset in the main event, but does believe it's an intriguing fight and much better matched than the experts who focus largely on the weight disparity would have you believe.  He said: “My prediction is a GGG win, but Kell is a great fighter and very dedicated.  The Ingles gym is very professional and he will be well prepared.  If anyone can beat Golovkin then Kell can.”