Thursday, March 28, 2024  |

News

Aficianado

Abel Sanchez debunks assertion Golovkin may have overtrained

Fighters Network
16
Mar

Trainer Abel Sanchez debunked assertions Gennady Golovkin may have overtrained for Saturday’s middleweight championship with Danny Jacobs at Madison Square Garden.

The whispers began after Sanchez acknowledged that Golovkin, a smallish middleweight with big power, was basically on weight Tuesday, a remarkable feat since most fighters struggle to make weight. The chatter was enhanced by Golovkin’s recent comments that he trained for Jacobs (32-1, 29 knockouts) with more of an “edge” because of the caliber of the opponent. Sanchez laughed off the idea that Golovkin (36-0, 33 KOs) may have left his best work at the gym in Big Bear.

“Yesterday before breakfast he weighed ’60,” Sanchez told RingTV.com on Wednesday at the undercard press conference for Saturday’s bout, which will take place on HBO PPV. “Every coach, we all have our own methods in preparing our fighters. We know our fighters. This is the sixth fight or seventh fight where he only sparred like 70 to 75 rounds. We had some great sparring. We had a nine-week training camp like before. If you look back, the weights have been the same as he’s been for the last six or seven fights. That’s been recorded. So, no, I think we did everything the way we’ve been doing it. Nothing was different. I believe in preparing him the best that I can prepare him and not so much to fight Jacobs. So, we’ll see Saturday night.”

At the same time, Sanchez jabbed a bit at Jacobs and the idea he may be the much heavier fighter. The six-foot Jacobs is regarded as a big middleweight, though when he and IBF/WBC/WBA champion Golovkin stood toe-to-toe at the final press conference, there didn’t appear to be a dramatic difference in size. “I hope that Jacobs is light enough on his feet that he can stay away from this guy,” Sanchez chided. “Because if he can, then it’s going to present a challenge and be a difficult fight. But if he can’t and he’s too heavy, then I think it will go against him. But like I said, we all have opinions.”



SIGN UP TO GET RING NEWS ALERTS