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Golovkin Trainer Abel Sanchez Assesses Gennady’s Showing, Rubio’s Effort

Published

10 years ago

October 19, 2014

So, Abel Sanchez, your man did it again. It’s a familiar sight, an almost foregone conclusion: Gennady Golovkin, quick with a grin, and just as quick in his ability to assault a foe to a level where the possibility of fighting on is either impossible, or so distasteful as to insure surrender, having his hand raised.

Last night, it was in front of his largest crowd yet, at Stub Hub Center, in Carson, CA, and on HBO. The designated sacrifice was Marco Antonio Rubio, billed as someone with pop, and a veteran’s wisdom, which could allow him, some smarts said, to have his moments. Not so much, though…

Sanchez told me he was basically pleased with Golovkin’s showing: “It was a good outcome, good atmosphere, very good response from fans,” he said. “Gennady came out a little tight, so between rounds I asked him for a better jab and straight right hand, not so many wide shots. He complied and made Rubio have to open and close his guard.”

Ah, Rubio, yes. The 34-year-old Mexican threw a spitball at us all when he came in overweight,a nd refused to shed the final 1.8 pounds. And the way he went down, and got up at 9.75. SMH…Shake your head, Abel?

“I think the opportunity was important for Rubio,” he said. “And he knew he could not turn it down. He knew the Cotto mandatory for him was a pipe dream. But I understand he came in to camp at 190 pounds.”

Seemed like he tasted the power in the first and a switch flipped in his head, maybe…

“GGG is not the type to go crazy in the first round, but once he zeroes in, it will be difficult to take his power. As for Rubio, he was listening intently to the referee when he got knocked down, and has had too many fights to make that mistake. He got hurt and he knew it.”

Yep, Abel nailed it…We agreed, warriors of a different stripe need need need to beat the count. Their pride is their whole world…

“Or just stay down, without the excuses!” the trainer railed. “We as fans deserve (honest effort), and 9,000 plus knew Gennady would deliver that!”

Golovkin is entering into new territory, that shift from “a guy known by all boxing super fans” to a “guy known by super casual boxing fans” and maybe headed to being “a guy known by people who still think Mike Tyson is the heavyweight champ.” Thus, there is more interest on him round the clock. Yes, he’s kind of a celeb now. So, in that vein, Abel, what did GGG do last night after the win? Whoop it up? Make it rain in a club? Blow some purse money on Cristal and soak up the arse kissing from the adulation crew, the people who like to siphon off the emanating vibes from someone who’s a big shot? You know, get cool by osmosis…

“Nah, he went to bed, and woke up at 11 AM for lunch,” Sanchez told me of the boxer, who will fly back to re-connect with his family in Stuttgart, Germany tomorrow (Monday). “He had fruit salad and yogurt.”

Bo-ring! I mean, from the perspective of the media who likes when the celebs act up, get onto TMZ, act foolish, stir up bad buzz. “He takes care of himself, it makes our job easier,” Sanchez said. “And on Sunday, he will have taken in some of the local sights in Cali,” the trainer said.

No, the sights aren’t the ones, say, Mayweather would maybe avail himself of, in a club where a guy with a stack of a hundred singles can make himself feel like the king of the hill. Golovkin doesn’t need all that “stimulation,” I guess.

“Yeah, sorry, we will just be out there giving people good fights, for their drama,” he said. Golovkin will today have hit the beach, done some shopping…Hmm, sounds like the dude is all about Triple G-rated out of the ring, eh Abel?

“No, he really is square, like me!” Sanchez said.

There will be rest, and his people, led by promoter Tom Loeffler, will be plotting next. Any preferences, or ideas, Abel?

“I believe we will fight in Monte Carlo next, unless Tom and Bob Arum can get Chavez Jr. to agree to a fight,” he said. “I just want to keep him busy. And, we all need to be asking the questions of the so-called “elites,” ask them why they won’t fight Gennady.”

Fair enough…elites, and you know who you are…what’s stopping you from trying to prove that the kid from Kazahkstan IS NOT who some are saying he is: the sport’s next superstar.

Follow Woods on Twitter. https://twitter.com/Woodsy1069

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Michael Woods

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2015 Fight of the Year – Francisco Vargas vs Takashi Miura

Published

9 years ago

January 4, 2016

The Sweet Science

The WBC World Super Featherweight title bout between Francisco Vargas and Takashi Miura came on one of the biggest boxing stages of 2015, as the bout served as the HBO pay-per-view’s co-main event on November 21st, in support of Miguel Cotto vs Saul Alvarez.

Miura entered the fight with a (29-2-2) record and he was making the fifth defense of his world title, while Vargas entered the fight with an undefeated mark of (22-0-1) in what was his first world title fight. Both men had a reputation for all-out fighting, with Miura especially earning high praise for his title defense in Mexico where he defeated Sergio Thompson in a fiercely contested battle.

The fight started out hotly contested, and the intensity never let up. Vargas seemed to win the first two rounds, but by the fourth round, Miura seemed to pull ahead, scoring a knock-down and fighting with a lot of confidence. After brawling the first four rounds, Miura appeared to settle into a more technical approach. Rounds 5 and 6 saw the pendulum swing back towards Vargas, as he withstood Miura’s rush to open the fifth round and the sixth round saw both men exchanging hard punches.

The big swinging continued, and though Vargas likely edged Miura in rounds 5 and 6, Vargas’ face was cut in at least two spots and Miura started to assert himself again in rounds 7 and 8. Miura was beginning to grow in confidence while it appeared that Vargas was beginning to slow down, and Miura appeared to hurt Vargas at the end of the 8th round.

Vargas turned the tide again at the start of the ninth round, scoring a knock down with an uppercut and a straight right hand that took Miura’s legs and sent him to the canvas. Purely on instinct, Miura got back up and continued to fight, but Vargas was landing frequently and with force. Referee Tony Weeks stepped in to stop the fight at the halfway point of round 9 as Miura was sustaining a barrage of punches.

Miura still had a minute and a half to survive if he was going to get out of the round, and it was clear that he was not going to stop fighting.

A back and forth battle of wills between two world championship level fighters, Takashi Miura versus “El Bandido” Vargas wins the 2015 Fight of the Year.

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Jan 9 in Germany – Feigenbutz and De Carolis To Settle Score

Published

9 years ago

January 4, 2016

The Sweet Science

This coming Saturday, January 9th, the stage is set at the Baden Arena in Offenburg, Germany for a re-match between Vincent Feigenbutz and Giovanni De Carolis. The highly anticipated re-match is set to air on SAT.1 in Germany, and Feigenbutz will once again be defending his GBU and interim WBA World titles at Super Middleweight.

The first meeting between the two was less than three months ago, on October 17th and that meeting saw Feigenbutz controversially edge De Carolis on the judge’s cards by scores of (115-113, 114-113 and 115-113). De Carolis scored a flash knock down in the opening round, and he appeared to outbox Feigenbutz in the early going, but the 20 year old German champion came on in the later rounds.

The first bout is described as one of the most crowd-pleasing bouts of the year in Germany, and De Carolis and many observers felt that the Italian had done enough to win.

De Carolis told German language website RAN.DE that he was more prepared for the re-match, and that due to the arrogance Feigenbutz displayed in the aftermath of the first fight, he was confident that he had won over some of the audience. Though De Carolis fell short of predicting victory, he promised a re-vamped strategy tailored to what he has learned about Feigenbutz, whom he termed immature and inexperienced.

The stage is set for Feigenbutz vs De Carolis 2, this Saturday January 9th in Offenburg, Germany. If you can get to the live event do it, if not you have SAT.1 in Germany airing the fights, and The Boxing Channel right back here for full results.

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2015 Knock Out of the Year – Saul Alvarez KO’s James Kirkland

Published

9 years ago

December 29, 2015

The Sweet Science

On May 9th of 2015, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez delivered a resonant knock-out of James Kirkland on HBO that wins the 2015 KO of the Year.

The knock-out itself came in the third round, after slightly more than two minutes of action. The end came when Alvarez delivered a single, big right hand that caught Kirkland on the jaw and left him flat on his back after spinning to the canvas.Alvarez was clearly the big star heading into the fight. The fight was telecast by HBO for free just one week after the controversial and disappointing Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao fight, and Alvarez was under pressure to deliver the type of finish that people were going to talk about. Kirkland was happy to oblige Alvarez, taking it right to Alvarez from the start. Kirkland’s aggression saw him appear to land blows that troubled the young Mexican in the early going. Alvarez played good defense, and he floored Kirkland in the first round, displaying his power and his technique in knocking down an aggressive opponent.

However, Kirkland kept coming at Alvarez and the fight entered the third round with both men working hard and the feeling that the fight would not go the distance. Kirkland continued to move forward, keeping “Canelo” against the ropes and scoring points with a barrage of punches while looking for an opening.

At around the two minute mark, Alvarez landed an uppercut that sent Kirkland to the canvas again. Kirkland got up, but it was clear that he did not have his legs under him. Kirkland was going to try to survive the round, but Alvarez had an opportunity to close out the fight. The question was would he take it?

Alvarez closed in on Kirkland, putting his opponent’s back to the ropes. Kirkland was hurt, but he was still dangerous, pawing with punches and loading up for one big shot.

But it was the big shot “Canelo” threw that ended the night. Kirkland never saw it coming, as he was loading up with a huge right hand of his own. The right Alvarez threw cracked Kirkland in the jaw, and his eyes went blank. His big right hand whizzed harmlessly over the head of a ducking Alvarez, providing the momentum for the spin that left Kirkland prone on the canvas.

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez went on to defeat Miguel Cotto in his second fight of 2015 and he is clearly one of boxing’s biggest stars heading into 2016. On May 9th Alvarez added another reel to his highlight film when he knocked out James Kirkland with the 2015 “Knock Out of the Year”.

Photo by naoki fukuda

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