That performance showed why Sanchez is dangerous for Itauma. He is not another aging heavyweight brought in to stand directly in front of the 21-year-old and disappear after absorbing the first clean combination. His movement, counterpunching and durability may keep him in the fight long enough to test Itauma’s chin more than once.
“He’s very clever, and he’s old,” Tony Bellew said.
Officially, Sanchez is 34, the same age as Hrgovic, making the repeated references to him being old strange unless Hearn and Bellew doubt his listed age.
Hearn considers Hrgovic’s upright style a better tactical fit for Itauma. The Croatian is easier to locate and more likely to exchange at close range. Sanchez creates different questions by changing distance, moving laterally and waiting for an opponent to overcommit.
Queensberry has spent years presenting Itauma as 24-karat gold while matching him with aging heavyweights whose styles advertise his best qualities. They have generally lacked the foot speed and defensive movement to escape his combinations. Hrgovic is considerably better than those opponents, but his upright stance and willingness to exchange still give Itauma a stationary target.
A Sanchez upset would begin with surviving the first four rounds, moving laterally and forcing Itauma to reset before launching his left hand. Rather than trying to overpower him, the Cuban can draw out the initial attack, step away and counter while Itauma is recovering his position. Every missed rush would make the younger fighter expend energy without getting the spectacular finish his promoters and the crowd anticipate.
Itauma has never been forced to think under pressure against a puncher with Sanchez’s power, defend against counters or manage his pace deep into a championship fight. If he becomes impatient, Sanchez has the timing and single-shot power to make him pay. Itauma may have the answers, but nothing he has done in the ring has shown them yet.
Under the IBF arrangement, Queensberry has little room to continue the same matchmaking formula. The winner must face Sanchez within six months without an intervening bout unless the organization grants an exception. If Itauma wins Saturday, his team must either accept the most complicated stylistic opponent of his career, seek another delay or surrender the belt.
The repeated effort to label Sanchez “old” is worth challenging. He and Hrgovic are both officially 34, yet Hrgovic is promoted as Itauma’s first legitimate test while Sanchez is discussed as a fading veteran. The difference is not age. Sanchez simply presents a more difficult style for the type of opponents Queensberry has matched Itauma against.
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