Abel Sanchez: “Manny Pacquiao is just too small to pose any kind of threat to Floyd Mayweather!”

51 Submitted by on Wed, 05 March 2014, 01:02

In part 2 of my interview with boxing trainer Abel Sanchez, I get his views on one of the most talked about match ups to never happen, Mayweather vs. Pacquiao, and get his thoughts on what risk Pacquiao poses to Floyd. I also talk to Abel about the rise of light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev, and how sparring sessions between Kovalev and Golovkin went in the past. Additionally Sanchez talks about the levels of Golovkin’s opposition, and possible Chavez Jr. and Sergio Martinez bouts. Here is what Abel Sanchez had to say.

Jenna J: Do you think Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather would be the most lucrative fight for Floyd?

Abel Sanchez: I think Manny being stopped in his last fight lost a lot of luster for that possible fight. I think Floyd is at the point now where his record is very important but accomplishments are much more important to him. Beating Manny now I don’t think does anything for Floyd, I don’t think it tickles him.

I think that Floyd is much more aware of the perception out there of who he is, then what people give him credit for. I think he wants to beat the best and I think beating Manny now is like he’s taking a step back.

Jenna: In your mind, do you think Pacquiao poses any danger to Floyd at all at this point?

Sanchez: No, even before, I thought it was an easy fight for Floyd. Manny’s speed and Manny’s movement and all that would be a little bit of a problem at the beginning of the fight but once the fight gets rolling, I think that Floyd is just too skilled for Manny, and Manny is too small. I think that the biggest problem is that Manny is just too small to pose any kind of threat to Floyd at this point.

Jenna: Sergey Kovalev has become one of the most feared fighters in the light heavyweight division, what are your thoughts on the fighter he has become?

Sanchez: Look at his style, that’s a style that was developed in my gym as Leo Santa Cruz was also. I had Sergey for 8 fights and 8 knock outs. I think when he left my gym, by my choice of course, I told him that he would be world champion.

I told him that he had the tools to be world champion, it was a matter of being focused and making sure everything that he did was towards that goal. I had no doubts, and if you ask him he’ll tell you the same thing that I told him, that he would be one of the best world champions, just like Gennady.

Jenna: You worked with both Gennady Golovkin and Kovalev at a certain point. Did they ever spar with each other?

Sanchez: Absolutely, that’s one of the reasons why I agreed to start training Sergey, because I thought that he could be sparring for Gennady.

Jenna: How did those sparring sessions go?

Sanchez: Actually Gennady was just a little too much for him. Gennady is too much for a lot of people, but Sergey is a very good fighter in his own right. He’s in a different weight division so I don’t think that’s ever gonna be an issue. I only sparred them 3 or 4 times because it just wasn’t good for Sergey.

Jenna: People say things about the competition that Golovkin is fighting not being the strongest. In 2014 how much are you looking to disprove that? To get him in with a champion or one of the top guys out there, like Quillin, Sturm or Murray?

Sanchez: Fortunately that’s not my job, I am just a coach. Tom Loeffler and the Hermann brothers are the ones that are having to struggle with that. But I think you have to take note that all those names that you mentioned have been offered the fight. They’ve been offered the fight and they have turned it down.

Daniel Geale has turned us down 3 times. Felix Sturm ran from Gennady for two years when he was the WBA regular champion, and vacated his title in order not to fight Gennady. The guy that they installed as an interim champion gave up his belt and moved to the WBO so he could go at Quillin, and avoided Golovkin.

Martin Murray has already turned us down 3 times also, he said he needed a couple tune up fights, even though he’s the interim champion and he’s entitled to the first crack at Gennady, he has turned us down and chose to go in a different way. He said on record that he needed a couple of fights before he could fight Gennady.

Peter Quillin keeps saying that the networks are keeping this fight from happening. Look, if you’re the best, you can find a way to fight and prove that you are the best. All we can do is continue to fight and keep him busy, and whoever steps up or whoever accepts the fight will be the next one in line. It’s not by our choosing that these guys are not in the ring with Gennady. It’s because we’ve been turned down.

Jenna: If you could pick one fight for Gennady Golovkin to be in by the end of the year, what fight would that be and how do you think it would go?

Sanchez: Well I think all the names that you mentioned would be ideal for him, just so that the general public that is asking for those fights can see that it’s not us, it’s them. I said a long time ago that 154 lbs there’s nobody that will go 12 rounds with Gennady, at 160 lbs there’s nobody that will go 12 rounds.

At 168 lbs there’s two possibilities, maybe three that would go 12 rounds with Gennady, and that would be: Andre Ward who’s a great technician, Carl Froch because he’s a long rangy kind of guy, and Julio Cesar Chavez who about the time they fight at 168 lbs, by the time the fight night comes, he will be 190. Those are the only three guys that I think are legitimate 12 round fights for Gennady.

Nobody at 154, nobody at 160 goes 12 rounds, so it’s a knock out. At 168, if we were to fight any of those three guys, I think Gennady beats them at a decision or stops them late. The fight that I would love to see before the end of the year would be a Chavez fight.

I don’t think that’s a possibility, but that’s my dream fight, I think that the styles mesh so good stylistically that fight would be a war and I think it would be really good for the public. Whether that happens and Chavez stays at 168 lbs, who knows, but I would really love to see that fight.

Jenna: Do you think the winner of Sergio Martinez vs. Miguel Cotto could be a possibility for Gennady before the end of the year?

Sanchez: I honestly don’t think so. I think Miguel is at the tail end of his career. I think Sergio wants to cash out with fights that he’s having with Cotto, if he happens to beat Cotto, I can see him fighting Canelo Alvarez. Only because I think that Martinez would rather fight a lower weight guy and make more money than take a chance on Golovkin.

He’s been doing a lot of talking that he’s concentrating on Cotto and then after that he will concentrate on Golovkin. I will be really surprised, but I think that’s the kind of fight that Golovkin would need to solidify the fact that he is the best middleweight in the world, or the linear middleweight champion of the world. Then he can either move up or go down and fight other guys. As a team, as the “GGG” team, what we are looking for is that marquee fight that determines the best middleweight in the world.

Written by

51 Responses to "Abel Sanchez: “Manny Pacquiao is just too small to pose any kind of threat to Floyd Mayweather!”"
  1. RumirNemo says:

    OH YEAH IF THAT IS SO WHY THEN FLOYD DOESN’T GIVE THE PACMAN THE CHANCE TO PROVE HIMSELF/???… THE VERY REASONS ON WHY FLOYD DOESN’T WANT TO FIGHT MANNY PACQUAIO IS BECA– USE FLOYD IS SO AFRAID OF LOSING IT ALL FROM NO LEAST THAN WHAT THEY CALLED AS A SMALL BOY IN BOXING/???… REGARDLESS ON WHAT WILL OTHERS WILL SAY AGAINST THE PACMAN… but he still a fighter???

  2. powerpunch says:

    Really !!! to small ahhh.. So what happend to those big guy who got lost from pacquiao ???
    To small ahhh!!!

  3. mac says:

    looks like stupid sanchez is on drugs! he does not know what he is saying..

  4. Mike says:

    Sanchez. Is disoriented a guy who is envolve in boxing that doesn’t want to see the most demanded fight is killing the sport.

  5. t10 says:

    i can still remember that floydiot ducked margacheato and pacman gave margacheato one helluva beating..so it doesnt make sense.plain and simple floydiot is one helluva scared chicken!

  6. ʬwongway says:

    sounds like what an uneducated person would say. so paq got caught? yet paq remains:

    1) THE ONLY EIGHT (8) DIVISION WORLD CHAMPION EVAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!

    2) FIGHTER OF THE DECADE

    3) THE ONLY FOUR (4) DIVISION LINEAL CHAMPION EVAAAAAAAA (THE MAN WHO BEAT THE MAN – just like the UNDISPUTED CHAMPION IN 4 WEIGHT DIVISIONS, the only difference being paq did not stay long enough to fight the lesser champions in those divisions and moved up to fight bigger and more dangerous champions)

    NOBODY BUT NOBODY COMES CLOSE ! ! !

  7. Glen says:

    Sanchez is trying to sell GGG against Floyd that’s why he said that. Manny has fought guys bigger than Floyd, so basically, it’s not the size. I don’t even think Golovkin is fast enough to beat Manny.

    • ʬwongway says:

      nah, i don’t think so. GGG is P4P numero uno in the making. just be glad they’re not in the same division.

  8. speedy says:

    so then, what’s the problem with it easy fight easy money it’s get it on…………..

  9. berting says:

    you know what guys? this man is just feeding Mayweather’s mind that he doesnt need Pacman to complete his leGAYcy by saying that a pacquiao fight will be easy and he’s trying to build up a fight between Mayweather and Golovkin,well lets give Golovkin a credit his in his prime, has a good chin, a crowd pleasing fighting style, he has a heavy hand and ofcourse he’s unbeaten and have a legitimate title to defend but one will believe in the point of view if this man aside from Mayweather,because we all know Mayweather never failed to find an excuse ducking Pacman..

  10. ʬwongway says:

    NOBODY BUT NOBODY COMES CLOSE ! ! !

    not PLOY MAYWEATHER and he knows it and the whole family knows it.
    he’s seen all the faces of those paq fought and he knows paq is gonna catch him again and again all night. paq’s going to take PLOY’S head off and he can feel it and it’s why he never runs out of excuses.

    btw, i call him PLOY MAYWEATHER cuz he never runs out ploys to avoid the fight, git it. actually i just copied that from another guy.

  11. balagtas says:

    You are under estimating the only eight division world boxer champion. How dare you to tell that he is too small, and if Mayweather takes Manny will be back step for Floyd.
    You can examine yourself and be honest that you are just jealous of what a small fighter from FAR EAST Asia humiliated and beating your own countryboxer.

  12. astig_119 says:

    Well, are you Abel Sanchez, have undergone sanity test lately? Sorry, but that’s more likely, seems you’re out of your mind. Also you Jenna, how much Fraud is paying you, you all look stupid by what you’re saying. How the hell can this be small fight for Fraud Maynever, when the whole world was asking for this fight, and the Fraud just kept on trash talking, ducking and cherrypicking. Please explain…

  13. cargal says:

    The opinion of Sanchez is an absolute insult to the intelligence of level-headed boxing fans.
    Even mayweather doesn’t dare take his words for his own security and comfort ’cause for him a fight
    with Pacquiao is like a suicide not only for his pride but for his health as well.

  14. Lewie says:

    Jenna is a Pro-Gayweather scribe. Who the hell is Sanchez anyway. Its like getting a boxing insight from an ordinary boxing fan….
    If PAC is so small to give the Gay a threat, tell it to Mayweather’s black ass for him to finally fight the PAC

  15. Ronald Miranda says:

    Obviously he wants “D” from Gayweather. LoL!

  16. Anonymous says:

    abel sanchez the fucking idiot brainless trainer!!!!

  17. noel says:

    OHHH really so tell your Gayweather to fight this little man, You stupid asshole you dont know what you are talking!!!

  18. noel says:

    sorry im just wasting my time here….

  19. El_Critika says:

    LOLZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  20. Mario says:

    And who is abel sanchez??? never heard, his comment intends people to dislike him and be known. Why are other boxing expert didn’t see small pacman as that??? Don’t bother him and not waste time

  21. reyocs says:

    ALL I CAN SAY IS I LOVE CHICKEN JOY

  22. Anonymous says:

    do you your boxing? you just want to be in the limelight, MORON!

  23. Anonymous says:

    how much did gayweather pay you? you dont know about boxing! you’re an addict! keep away from drugs!

  24. bigfoot says:

    what’s his name again Annabel Sanchez? this fag doesn’t know what his talking about.

  25. Kabul Bulan says:

    Oh yeah… and they said Mike Tyson & Rocky Marciano were too small in the Heavywt division.
    Andre Ward would kill Golovkin. Ward is a master technician plus he could take a punch.
    GGG is a puncher, not a skilled boxer nor a very sound technical fighter. Ward would destroy GGG and make Abel Sanchez crap in his pants.

  26. Kabul Bulan says:

    Floyd JailWeather Jr. doesn’t have the testicular manhood to face Pacquiao that’s why he’s been inventing all kinds of excuses the last 3 to 5 yrs to avoid fighting Manny.
    Quack Quack Jr. was OK dealing with Top Rank before. Now that Manny agreed to all his never-ending demands, the new excuse is NOT to deal with Arum. What’s next, a paper cut injury on his testicles?
    – BWA HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

  27. AMMEH says:

    Sanchez and Jenna J suck, you don’t know what you’re talking about. Pacquiao beat bigger guys like margarito, de la hoya, etc. Then what so special about mayweather, he is only about 2 inches taller than Pacquiao. Then what about Tyson, he too beat bigger guys too. Why can’t you agree with the rest of the majority that the fight between the two is what the boxing world want to see. Your’re both on Floyd payroll maybe.

  28. jess says:

    Dear jenna. Are you running out of credible guests and you have to invite in somebody whose boxing sense is out of this world? If he thinks DL Hoya, Cotto, Margarito, Clottey, and Rios are not bigger-boxers-than Pacquiao then he should see a professional. Manny beat them all and if we use logic inherent in this fact then Floyd will be the next bigger=boxer-than Pacquiao who will kiss the canvas if he fights the only 8 weight division champion in the world. Does this clown know the 1,001 alibis of Fraud not to fight Pacquiao? These alibis only goes to show he is afraid of him because he knows Pacquiao will whip his ass. Manny has speed, power, boxing IQ, stamina, odd-angles power punch and hard-to-disturb mind set. Thank you and looking forward to your more interesting gusts.

  29. jess says:

    With his achievements in boxing Fraud Jr should be the happiest boxer in the world right now! Sad to say he is not. This is only because millions of boxing fans know that he is scared of Pacquiao. What kind of legacy will he leave behind if the boxing world doubts his greatness only because he turns into a chicken when talks are about facing Pacquiao?

    How about that clown of a trainer of GGG. Does he ever read boxing news like when there was a survey put out by Fraud Jr to see what people will choose between Maidana and Khan as his next opponent? The survey says 95% of the people wanted Fraud jr. to square with Pacquiao next.

  30. TheFlip says:

    LOL. It’s kinda funny (actually, stupid) for this Abel Sanchez to say that Floyd Mayweather “beating Manny now is like he’s (Floyd’s) taking a STEP BACK.”

    You just have to ask yourself: Is Floyd beating Guerrero, Alvarez or Maidana a STEP FORWARD for him? The answer, of course, is pretty obvious.

    And the most obvious question of all: If it’s so easy for Floyd to beat Pacquiao, then why the f**@# does Floyd Mayweather not want to fight Pacquiao??? It looks like there’s something Mayweather sees that these so-called trainers or experts don’t see.

  31. Nazareno San Jose says:

    Why did you not watch how Pacquiao won over the likes of de la Hoya, Margarito and Hatton who are all standing taller than Pacquiao. Why dont you convince Mayweather and let us see who is the best? In the bible, it happened when David toppled Goliath through wits that can happen too in boxing.

  32. bob says:

    this fucking moron is simply jealous because this little man from the far east humiliated much bigger latino,hispanic boxers.

  33. edsab says:

    Sanchez, which planet are you from? You sound like a robot to me whose program has been attacked by severe virus. You need cleaning up, man.

  34. pikkon says:

    Abel is just encouraging Floyd to fight Manny already..It’s the only one that all fans all over the world including boxing writers, trainers coaches, managers and promoters wanted to see..But without a pair of balls Floyd Mayweather still wont fight Manny Pacquaio!..

  35. joey roxas says:

    Sick and tired of these “experts” saying it’s an easy fight for floyd, he’s too small for floyd, blah blah. Then WHY WON’T YOUR GUY FIGHT MANNY??? Only in the ring will we find the answer. You’re just sucking up to fraud so he would fight your boy ggg. Floyd wouldn’t fight him too because ggg will beat him. The fraud only fight hopeless pretenders.

  36. ʬWongWay says:

    GGG should replace his trainer and the sooner he does the quicker he becomes P4P #1,

    it’s probably the reason Cain killed the original abel, he’s stupid and annoying. abels talk stupid shit a lot probably the result of the Curse of Abel. poor Cain he was driven into temporary insanity :)))

    stay away from abels it never ends well. hey i like that.

  37. dheng says:

    Sanchez is a pactard.. He. Just want Floyd fight Manny.

  38. dave says:

    really?? stupid sanchez..it is coming from loud mouth GAYWEATHER he is afraid for his health on fighting MANNY PAC hahahahah search that video idiot sanchez you dont know boxing go to school

  39. mike says:

    but then, manny knocked cotto out, floyd didn’t…manny knocked down mosley, floyd didn’t, manny knocked hatton in 2, floyd didn’t…it’s a 50/50 fight for me.

  40. floydcot says:

    mr abel tell that to margarito,dea hoya,cotto,etc….how u become a trainer with that kind of analyzing…tsk…tsk….

  41. juandcruz says:

    Mayweather spines chills whenever he heard Pacman’s name hohoho! scared of his death. Before people said pacquaio has no way to win against delahoya but look what happened he retired delahoya. Nobody gave pacquaio a chance against hatton look what happened he also retired hatton nearly killed. Mayweather ducked margarito but look what happened pacquaio erased the face of margarito. Pacquaio is small but TERRIBLE that’s why mayweather doesn’t want any of his trouble. hohoho! nuff said Pacquao mayweather will not ever happen coz mayweather will choose to retire than fight pacquiao and lose. He chose maidana because there is no logic to fight khan coming from successive losses so he will justify ducking pacquaio again citing lost to marquez and Bradley. Boxing fans are thinking people not just a bunch of idiots idolizing a fake and con no lost champion who is afraid to face a legit challenge. Boxing fans appreciate great and courageous fighter who will fight anyone that will stand in front of him to prove he is the greatest. Boxing fans doesn’t give a fuck if and when an opponent is good business sense to have a fight on. We just want pure, simple and exciting bouts that will show the best skills and resolve to win a fight. I rest my case and don’t give a damn whoever ends up with Mayweather in the ring. Anyway I never wasted even for once $59.99 off my pocket just to watch a boring fight and caught me asleep in the middle of the bout.

    • Barok says:

      Agree, Let’s all BBBBBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOYYYYYYYYYYYYCCCCCCCCCCCCCCOOOOOOOOOOTTTT ALL FLOYD’S FIGHTS TO MAKE HAPPEN THE PACQUIAO FIGHT.

  42. Barok says:

    Abel, for your info Floyd Sr. admitted that he is afraid for the health of his son fighting that little man. So the fear originated from the father and transferred to the son.

  43. Barok says:

    Abel, Freddie has the blueprint to defeat Floyd. He did it with De La Hoya. Had he not faltered in the 11th and 12th round, De La Hoya would have won. Remember they only lost by split decision and the scores were very closed. It could have gone either way. With his star pupil in Manny, they will execute the same blue print again and this time Manny will execute it up to the 20th round. Floyd knows Freddie has figured him out and that is the reason he is afraid to fight Manny.

  44. REY says:

    Who’s this Abel Sanchez??????
    Is he an amateur coach?????
    Or he is a “Water Boy” of an Amateur Boxer?????
    I think he is a towel man!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Tyson, Dana White, Roy Jones Jr, George St. Piere, Ex. President Clinton, Ex. President Bush, Even Obama is an avid fan of Pacquiao!!!!

    So how about your idol floyd????
    Mr. Water Boy Sanchez!

  45. Anonymous says:

    blah

  46. asdf says:

    ;asldkfjlaskjfd

  47. j.j.doc says:

    Floyd beats nanny all day long…ggg must move up weight to get challenged