By Radio Rahim
Veteran trainer Abel Sanchez is interested and open to the idea of once again training former IBF, WBO, WBA light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev (30-2, 26 KOs).
Sanchez trained Kovalev in the beginning of his career and helped bring him to a record of 7-0-1 with all seven wins by knockout from 2010 to 2012.
Kovalev was very stubborn at that time, wasn't always listening, and that led to a falling out with Sanchez - who asked the Russian puncher to leave the Summit Gym in Big Bear Lake, California.
In 2012, Kovalev begun being trained by former champion John David Jackson.
Their partnership was very successful, until recently, as Kovalev has lost back to back fights to Andre Ward. Last month, Ward stopped Kovalev in the eight round of their rematch.
It's been well documented that there has been tension between Kovalev and Jackson in their last three training camps.
Kovalev, in a recent interview with the media in Russia, revealed that he was looking for a new trainer to lead his corner.
Sanchez, back in 2015, explained why he removed Kovalev from his gym.
"As far as I'm concerned, I want to come to my gym and have a good time," Sanchez said to Grantland. "If somebody's character is not what I think it should be, I have no desire to work with him. I called his manager and asked him to take him somewhere else. But before I did that, I spoke with Sergey and told him that he was going to be a world champion in a couple of fights. I told him that he was going to be a world champion because of what we had developed here. But he had to change his character and had to change his way of being because you can't do this game by yourself."
During an interview with BoxingScene.com, Sanchez explained that Kovalev appeared to have the same "do it yourself" mindset in the recent rematch with Ward.
If Kovalev or his manager, Egis Klimas, decide to reach out - Sanchez is more than willing to hear them out.
"I've always felt that the kids who leave here or that I ask to leave here, are like my children. It's almost like having an 18-year-old son who is now grown, got some cojones and wants to do it by himself and he goes out. That doesn't mean that I don't love him. That doesn't mean that I hate him. That doesn't mean that I don't want to see success for him. If he decides or Egis decides and they reach out to me - of course we'll talk. There is never a closed door, because they are like my children," Sanchez told BoxingScene.com.
2023-10-19 00:15:38
