By: Hans Themistode
After wrapping up his best year as a professional, Frank Sanchez is keen to start 2022 on the right foot.
The highly ranked heavyweight could not have asked for a better start as he had an easy night at the office against late replacement Christian Hammer. The two clashed during the co-main event last night at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
A determined Sanchez eased past his man, beating him in the last few seconds before winning every round on all three judges’ scorecards. Although the Cuban-born player appreciates every opportunity he gets, at 29, he is interested in facing the best players in the heavyweight division.
At the present time, the WBC title Tyson Fury is considered by many to be the one to beat. With Fury cementing his footing with a back-to-back win over tough-hit Deontay Wilder, the English-born player received plenty of praise from promoter Bob Arum. The 90-year-old Hall of Famer has gone so far as to declare Fury a more all-around boxer than iconic figures like Muhammad Ali and George Foreman.
Still, even as Fury seemed to be on his own, Sanchez scoffed at the idea of Fury being a superior fighter to himself. And, given the chance, Sanchez believes he will shamefully dethrone him.
“I took him down easily,” Sanchez said in an interview with ESNEWS. “He has no boxing skills.”
While Fury is often considered the world’s number one heavyweight contender, newly crowned unified champion Oleksandr Usyk is said to also be in the mix.
After winning the cruiser class, leading to an undisputed championship, Usyk has continued to prove that his skills can be compared to the land of the big boys. On September 25, 2021, Usyk thoroughly defeated Anthony Joshua to strip him of his WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight titles.
But while Usyk is currently just one belt away from being the undisputed champion of the two tournaments, Sanchez views their potential future showdown as a walk in the park.
“It’s even easier,” Sanchez said when asked if Usyk is harder to deal with than Fury. “Usyk has movement but he’s not as technical as I am.”
