‘I think it’s a ridiculous fight’: Abel Sanchez says Crawford not big enough to beat Canelo

Abel Sanchez admits he’s no fan of the idea of Terence Crawford facing Canelo Alvarez.

Longtime boxing trainer Abel Sanchez talks to Fight Hub TV and shares his perspective on a number of fights in boxing, including some potential ones on the horizon. In particular Sanchez explains why he believes Gervonta Davis would have an easier time beating Shakur Stevenson than he will Lamont Roach, and why he’s thinks Canelo Alvarez is a bridge too far for Terence Crawford.

Sanchez on the Tank vs Roach fight

“I think it’s two guys that knew each other very well. And I think Gervonta had a bad night, I look for a tough fight in the next fight but I still see Gervonta winning. I think Gervonta will win a little easier this time but Roach is a heck of a fighter, he’s going to give anybody he fights a hard time but I do think Davis had an off-night.”

On who he thinks between Tank and Stevenson

“I still think Tank is the elite in the division. It’s a difficult fight also but I don’t think Shakur will be as difficult as Lamont Roach was. But I still see Davis winning. I like Davis, I’ve always been a fan of his so hopefully that fight will come off and if it does I think the fans will be treated to a great fight.

“I think Shakur is very, very talented. He’s extremely talented but I don’t think that you beat Davis by being a boxer, by being technical. I think you beat Davis by being Lamont Roach, by fighting like Lamont did. You’re going to have to press him, you’re going to have to go at him and I don’t think Shakur has that kind of style to go at him.”

On Canelo vs Crawford

“Come on, I think it’s a ridiculous fight myself. I think that Crawford is too small. Canelo is, in my opinion, the face of boxing right now. Look at his resume. I think it’s a good fight for a little while, Crawford’s hand speed — just like when Golovkin fought Kell Brook — the hand speed was evident at the beginning of the fight but as the fight goes on Canelo is going to start pounding on him and I think that the fight ends somewhere between the 9th and 12 round.

“I think anything Canelo hits him with is going to hurt him. He won’t be able to catch him early because like I said, the foot speed and the hand speed, and Crawford’s a heck of a fighter — at his own weight. ‘54 when he fought Madrimov in his last fight showed us the weight makes a difference. I don’t care how much weight he gains or how much he does to try to get up to that level, 168 is going to make a difference.”