LONDON, MARCH 23 – Richard Schaefer has made the same prediction about the future of Pat McCormack as he did for a young Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez – that the Olympian will become a pound-for-pound great.
Probellum President Schaefer said “nobody really believed” him when he told the boxing world that Alvarez was destined for the very top of the sport, when he began promoting the Mexican over a decade ago.
But Schaefer was proven correct as Canelo has grown into a multi-weight world champion and the biggest fighter on the planet.
McCormack, an Olympic silver medallist, makes his professional debut in Newcastle on Friday night at Probellum Throwdown and Schaefer says the 26-year-old will become a world champion and takeover the sport – just like Canelo.
“I know I am going to be right because I was right in 2009 when I signed young fighter and I said: ‘This guy is going to be the face of the sport, he’s going to be pound-for-pound the best fighter in the world’”Schaefer said.
“Nobody really believed me, they said it was promoter talk but that guy was Canelo Alvarez. I consider myself to be extremely fortunate to work with such a generational talent. I am telling you guys, remember where you heard it first, he will be world champion, he will be a superstar, he will be the face of the sport because he has all the ingredients.
“Pat was the most sought-after talent out there, irrespective of weight, following the Olympic Games and if he stays sharp, stays focused and doesn’t listen to all of these outside influences, then the sky is the limit. It is an honour to be able to work with Pat McCormack.”
McCormack faces Nicaragua’s Danny Mendoza over six rounds at the Utilita Arena and has promised to go looking for the spectacular knockout win if the chance presents itself.
“I’ve not boxed since the Olympics and feel like I was celebrating my silver medal for about five months!” McCormack said with a smile.
“But I’ve been training with Ben Davison since January, working on things and I trust Ben and the team, so I am going to go out there and do my thing on Friday night.
“If I smell blood I am going to take Mendoza out.”
McCormack’s coach Ben Davison added: “I’ve not seen someone make the adjustment that quickly before. When he first walked into the gym, he looked like a top amateur but now he looks a world champion. And to make those adjustments that quickly, to be honest with you, is quite mind-blowing for me and the other coaches in the gym.”
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