Kabayel Vs Sanchez - 18th May, Saudi Arabia

[joshj909]

Sanchez has the speed, might be able to keep it at range. Kabayel is still a bit of an unknown because he massively surprised everyone against Makhmudov. His gameplay against Makhmudov was perfect so let's see how he approaches this one...

[Lackeos]

Great match-up. Shame that Boxrec's computerized rating is sleeping on Sanchez (#24) who has already beaten Efe Ajagba (#12), when Sanchez has not caught any losses since that fight and Ajagba has not notched any amazing wins since it. But this fight will launch one of them to super contender status for sure.

There have been a lot of recent and rumored match-ups that have yielded some high tier contender accomplishments such as Joyce - Zhang, Zhang - Parker, Parker - Wilder, Hrgovic - Dubois, Zhang - Wilder, and this. Plus all the fights that helped get us to this point like Kabayel - Makhmudov, Sanchez - Fa, Dubois - Miller, Hrgovic - Zhang. When the dust settles from Usyk - Fury and they likely retire soon after, the next micro-generation (and 40-year-old Zhang) are already moving in to fill the void.

[joshj909]

Great match-up. Shame that Boxrec's computerized rating is sleeping on Sanchez (#24) who has already beaten Efe Ajagba (#12), when Sanchez has not caught any losses since that fight and Ajagba has not notched any amazing wins since it. But this fight will launch one of them to super contender status for sure.

There have been a lot of recent and rumored match-ups that have yielded some high tier contender accomplishments such as Joyce - Zhang, Zhang - Parker, Parker - Wilder, Hrgovic - Dubois, and this. Plus all the fights that helped get us to this point like Kabayel - Makhmudov, Sanchez - Fa, Dubois - Miller, Hrgovic - Zhang. When the dust settles from Usyk - Fury and they likely retire soon after, the next micro-generation (and 40-year-old Zhang) are already moving in to fill the void.

Sanchez has done absolutely nothing since so this is his chance to re-affirm himself as a contender. You could argue it's started to look similar to Kabayel's win over Chisora.

Also, I agree. The winner of this is probably behind AJ, Parker and Hrgovic/Dubois winner as the next top contender (possibly Zhang if he beats Wilder too).

[margaret thatcher]

sanchez's post efe opposition makes shaw, kossobutsky, and goodall look like a murderers row

good fight here though

[gregregegg]

This is a bad good fight. Honestly both there carrers have pissed me off so fvck it let em rumble.

Don’t know what I would want to see out of the winner or loser…

[gregregegg]

Great match-up. Shame that Boxrec's computerized rating is sleeping on Sanchez (#24) who has already beaten Efe Ajagba (#12), when Sanchez has not caught any losses since that fight and Ajagba has not notched any amazing wins since it. But this fight will launch one of them to super contenderstatus for sure.

There have been a lot of recent and rumored match-ups that have yielded some high tier contender accomplishments such as Joyce - Zhang, Zhang - Parker, Parker - Wilder, Hrgovic - Dubois, and this. Plus all the fights that helped get us to this point like Kabayel - Makhmudov, Sanchez - Fa, Dubois - Miller, Hrgovic - Zhang. When the dust settles from Usyk - Fury and they likely retire soon after, the next micro-generation (and 40-year-old Zhang) are already moving in to fill the void.

Winner will be a fringe contender… not even a full blown contender and you’re leaping ahead to super contender….

If Sanchez wins then he has beaten semprospect version of efe 3 years ago,, and a guy that has never ventured past euro levle…. And hammer… oh and FA… oh and martz…

If kab wins he has beaten chisora a lifetime ago, a big scary semi unproven Russian prospect, and a 32 year old Cuban with only one semi significant win prior.

[wrighty]

Could be a fun match up. Kabayel has had some entertaining fights. He was in a shoot out a few fights ago

[funso banjo baby]

A nice addition to a pretty awful bill.
These are two of my fave heavies atm.
Im thinking at some point Sanchez is going land the big right.
Could be a great fight though if Kabayel is up for it.

[Lackeos]

People are downplaying the of a Makhmudov win NOW, but they were saying he was a killer before he caught a loss. I guess every Eastern Euro is automatically a killer as long as there's no proof to the contrary. If Makhmudov was so good, then keep that energy when Kabayel dominates him. And then keep that energy if Sanchez beats Kabayel.

[gregregegg]

People are downplaying the of a Makhmudov win NOW, but they were saying he was a killer before he caught a loss. I guess every Eastern Euro is automatically a killer as long as there's no proof to the contrary. If Makhmudov was so good, then keep that energy when Kabayel dominates him. And then keep that energy if Sanchez beats Kabayel.

Good wins bring people up, bad losses bring people down… this is exaggerated when people have a very thin resume.

Generally big punching prospects are killers until proven otherwise… though personal my stock In mak had gone down a lot when he was semi competitive with a 42 year old takem.

Kab has been hard to call after a good chizzy wim them fornicate all since. Even dropping rounds to kingpin and journeymen. I’ll admit I have thought he was shit for years, probably wrongly.

Maks stock fell dramatically due to the was he just got broken in 4 rounds by a non puncher. Hard to argue with that. Could just be a bad style for him, but when your worst loss is very bad and your best win is very mediocre you can stay scary but your stock falls a lot.

[Sendo Takeshi]

In a recent interview, Kabayel was discussing something significant that was on the horizon. It wasn't the Sanchez fight, but something even more substantial. I'm curious about what that could be.

Regardless, it's still a compelling fight. He'll probably be the underdog again, but I hope he wins and earns a title shot with that.

[joshj909]

In a recent interview, Kabayel was discussing something significant that was on the horizon. It wasn't the Sanchez fight, but something even more substantial. I'm curious about what that could be.

Regardless, it's still a compelling fight. He'll probably be the underdog again, but I hope he wins and earns a title shot with that.

Joshua or Parker maybe.

Kabayel is ranked WBO#8, IBF#7, WBC#3 and WBA#8.

Sanchez is ranked WBO#3, IBF#6, WBC#2 and WBA#5.

Parker is WBO interim champ so could be a "defence".

Joshua is ranked WBC#2 so could be a final eliminator. He's also ranked IBF#3 so could be an eliminator.

Could also just be a high level stay busy fight for Joshua or Parker.

[Sendo Takeshi]

The interview was on the night Parker and AJ fought.
It could've still been the case, maybe the Saudis planned ahead. But it could've also been Hrgovic for the vacant IBF title.

[SportsRatings]

Really want Kabayel to win but I don't see it happening. Also don't see it being an interesting watch unfortunately

[Lackeos]

Really want Kabayel to win but I don't see it happening. Also don't see it being an interesting watch unfortunately

Most people didn't see Kabayel outboxing Makhmudov either. And, at the time, they wouldn't have rated Makhmudov's boxing noticeably worse than Sanchez's. I have no idea how you can't conceive of a boxer outboxing a puncher again.

[margaret thatcher]

sanchez is more of a negative boxer with some power than an outright puncher

competitively it's a very good matchup, but i never have high entertainment expectations with sanchez, esp if it goes his way

[pound per pound]

A great match up!  

Kabayel is  a very solid all around fighter, but I don't view him as a top 5 guy.

Sanchez is quick,  but he hails for the isle of glass jaws.  I just do not think he takes a good shot.   I

So who wins?

This depends on how durable and game Sanchez is.  On skills and speed Sanchez is the better of the two.

It is a hard fight to call that can go either way.  In a fight that has some exchanges I go with Kabayel. In a fight that seldom has exchanges  I go with Sanchez.

[SportsRatings]

Really want Kabayel to win but I don't see it happening. Also don't see it being an interesting watch unfortunately

Most people didn't see Kabayel outboxing Makhmudov either. And, at the time, they wouldn't have rated Makhmudov's boxing noticeably worse than Sanchez's. I have no idea how you can't conceive of a boxer outboxing a puncher again.

Mak's boxing not worse than Sanchez? Are you kidding me? They are exact opposites.

Mak just lunges in swinging. Sanchez is very technical and VERY careful. He treats journeymen as if they are top ten boxers.

I don't think you know Sanchez at all if you think he's comparable to Makhmudov.

[joshj909]

Really want Kabayel to win but I don't see it happening. Also don't see it being an interesting watch unfortunately

Most people didn't see Kabayel outboxing Makhmudov either. And, at the time, they wouldn't have rated Makhmudov's boxing noticeably worse than Sanchez's. I have no idea how you can't conceive of a boxer outboxing a puncher again.

Mak's boxing not worse than Sanchez? Are you kidding me? They are exact opposites.

Mak just lunges in swinging. Sanchez is very technical and VERY careful. He treats journeymen as if they are top ten boxers.

I don't think you know Sanchez at all if you think he's comparable to Makhmudov.

Sanchez being labelled as a puncher for the first time ever here.

[gregregegg]

Most people didn't see Kabayel outboxing Makhmudov either. And, at the time, they wouldn't have rated Makhmudov's boxing noticeably worse than Sanchez's. I have no idea how you can't conceive of a boxer outboxing a puncher again.

Mak's boxing not worse than Sanchez? Are you kidding me? They are exact opposites.

Mak just lunges in swinging. Sanchez is very technical and VERY careful. He treats journeymen as if they are top ten boxers.

I don't think you know Sanchez at all if you think he's comparable to Makhmudov.

Sanchez being labelled as a puncher for the first time ever here.

or is kabayal being labled a puncher?

Either way im confused. neither are punchers.

[joshj909]

This could be a reason why Sanchez's movement was so bad

[SportsRatings]

This could be a reason why Sanchez's movement was so bad

I thought that's what happened right away, but everyone said no, Sanchez just got beat up.

Well yeah he got beat up because he couldn't move at all like he normally does.

Either way I'm glad he lost. He is not fun to watch, and I like Kabayel when he's active (as he is lately)

But Sanchez at least forces a fighter to deal with his awkward style. I hope he stays in the mix of contenders, but doesn't get involved among the very top. Too many bad memories of John Ruiz's long reign as a title contender, that was just hell.

[DrDuke]

This could be a reason why Sanchez's movement was so bad

I thought that's what happened right away, but everyone said no, Sanchez just got beat up.

Well yeah he got beat up because he couldn't move at all like he normally does.

Either way I'm glad he lost. He is not fun to watch, and I like Kabayel when he's active (as he is lately)

But Sanchez at least forces a fighter to deal with his awkward style. I hope he stays in the mix of contenders, but doesn't get involved among the very top. Too many bad memories of John Ruiz's long reign as a title contender, that was just hell.

Yeah, he moved his leg strangely during the fight, it clearly was giving him some discomfort.