Canelo backs Cuban heavyweight to beat Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk

Matty BriggsMatty Briggs4 January 2022
Frank Sanchez

Frank Sanchez

Cuban heavyweight Frank Sanchez says he could knock out WBC champion Tyson Fury and easily see off IBF, WBA and WBO king Oleksandr Usyk. A claim backed by Canelo Alvarez.

Training in the Eddy Reynoso gym, Sanchez has pound-for-pound king Canelo Alvarez in his camp. And 29-year-old Sanchez has sparred with the four-weight world champion despite the pair's difference in size and weight.
At 6ft 4in Sanchez is not a particularly big heavyweight, but he must have been a handful for 5ft 9in Canelo.
Sanchez (20-0, 13 KOs) is creeping up the rankings. In fact he is ranked five by the WBO and five by the WBC after his recent win over Christian Hammer in Florida.
Hammer was a last-minute stand-in opponent and proved to be a tough and durable opponent. Sanchez though won all 10 rounds and dropped journeyman Hammer late in the 10th before returning a unanimous verdict.
It sets up a potential breakthrough year for Sanchez, who was coming off the back of an impressive win over the previously unbeaten Efe Ajagba in October.

"I knock him out easily. He has no boxing skills," said Sanchez to ESNEWS on his belief that he can beat Fury.

"Even easier. Usyk has movement, but he doesn't have the technique that I do," said Sanchez when asked about his prospects against Usyk.

Canelo: He will be world champion

Canelo was in attendance to watch Sachez put Hammer to the sword on the undercard of Luis Ortiz vs Charles Martin.

Sanchez said: "I was very motivated by seeing Canelo supporting me at ringside.
"This must be a definitive year for my aspirations to become a world champion.
"This was a tough opponent, but my dominance of the ring and my skills were too much for him and they will be for anyone who stands in my way."
And the respect between the pair is mutual, with Canelo insistent that Sanchez has the tools to hit the big time.

"He will be world champion, he will sweep everyone in the heavyweight division, because he is a special talent," said Canelo, as cited by The Sun.

Sanchez turned to the professional ranks in 2017, following an extensive 214-6 record in the amateurs.

Sanchez age doubts

But one major question mark over Sanchez is his age.

Boxing 24/7 has voiced concerns over the Guantanamo-born fighter's years.

"One question that some boxing fans have is related to Sanchez's age. They feel that he looks at least 10 years older than his chronological age of 29.
"Some believe Sanchez has fudged his age, setting the numbers back 10 to 15 years in the same way a used car salesperson might roll back the odometer on an automobile to help sell it," wrote the outlet.
Of course winding back his age would give Sanchez more time to get a shot at the heavyweight titles which are just out of his reach at the current time. Also at 29, a deal from one of the big promoters would be more likely.
Whether Sanchez was born on July 18, 1992 only he and his entourage know, but what we do know is that what he misses in power he does make up for in hand speed and mobility.
He has not shown a great knockout punch in the pro ranks to date. Although his last knockout against Julian Fernandez in December 2020 did leave Mexican wondering what planet he was on.

But a short look back to Usyk's win over Anthony Joshua proves it does not take a huge punch to become a champion in the heavyweight division. And with Reynoso and Canelo behind him, there are exciting times ahead for Sanchez.