FROM RING MAGAZINE - APRIL 2015

...Cruiserweight Murat Gassiev (21-0, 15 KOs) came highly recommended to me by his trainer, “Honest” Abel Sanchez, who tutors smiling assassin No. 1 Gennady Golovkin, so I watched the Gas Man, ands then asked Abel for his grade after the Russian scored a TKO 9 win over concrete-bearded Felix Cora (25-7-2, 14 KOs).

I thought I saw a future champ. Yes?

“He is a young work in progress. Murat is 21 years odld with about 30 amateur fights. We are going to push him fast. He has the character, along with good IQ, for absorbing teaching,” Sanchez said. “I like to make sure that when he becomes champion his skills are good enough to make defenses until moving him up to heavyweight.”

What grade did you give him?

“For what we were trying to accomplish with this experienced opponent, I would say a B, not that he is at a B level yet, but what and how he followed our plan of attack,” Sanchez said.

Hey, that Cora has a helluva chin! “And a brave corner!” said Sanchez.

How good could he be? And when does he fight next?

“He has great upside because of his age. I can work him hard and fight him often. Hopefully his management team can strike a deal with a major promoter or network, then we will have an idea of his next fight,” Sanchez told me. “We will see how he develops and grows in the next 2-3 years – height and weight of a medium-size heavy with speed, power and the determination to be the best all around complete fighter – he’s fun to watch, has good offense and defense, decent power. He can be an entertaining heavyweight.”