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Five-time Trainer of the Year Freddie Roach predicts the jab of WBA Welterweight Champion Vyacheslav Senchenko will be the difference in his April 29 world title defense against challenger Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi, airing live on pay per viewfrom Donboss Arena in Donetsk, Ukraine.
Undefeated Senchenko (32-0, 21 KOs), has been training at Roach’s famed Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, California. The 2000 Ukraine Olympian captured the WBA title in 2009, winning a 12-round decision from previously undefeated Yuriy Nuzhnenko, and Vyacheslav has successfully defended his world title belt three times: Motoki Sasaki (DEC12), Charlie Jose Navarro (DEC12) and more recently Marco Antonio Avendano (TKO6) last August in his last fight.
“Senchenko is a very, very good boxer with good technique,” Roach recently said from the Wild Card Gym. “He has good height and a good punch. He had a great amateur background.
“Ukraine has the No. 1 program in the world this year. It has a very good program and Senchenko is very well schooled. His jab is his best weapon and I think that will be the difference in this fight. He has a faster jab than Malignaggi and it should control the fight.
“I think Senchenko’s boxing ability will enable him to out-score Paulie to win a decision. Paulie is very game. He’ll bring the fight and make it exciting. Going to Ukraine is not like going into hostile territory. The promoter (Yuri Ruban, Union Boxing) over there is very fair. One time I had a fighter from there – I thought he won – but he lost a decision at home. There will be neutral judges and the winner will be the real winner.”
