Abel Sanchez, the former longtime trainer of IBF middleweight champion Gennadiy Golovkin, is not surprised that his former student is not exactly showing any new wrinkles in his game.

Earlier this year, Sanchez and Golovkin had a tense parting of ways - after being unable to agree to a new financial agreement. Sanchez claimed that he was offered a significant cut in pay.

After their discussions fell apart, Golovkin hired Johnathon Banks, who was best known for training Wladimir Klitschko and Cecilia Braekhus.

Golovkin's last bout with Sanchez, was the twelve round majority decision loss to Canelo Alvarez in September 2018.

The first bout with Banks took place, when Golovkin stopped overmatched Steve Rolls - but Rolls was still able to land some punches before the stoppage came.

And the earlier this month, Golovkin barely escaped with a close twelve round unanimous decision over Sergiy Derevyanchenko at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Golovkin took a lot of punches in the contest and there were some observers who felt Derevyanchenko had done enough to walk away with the victory.

Some observers pointed the finger at Banks - but Sanchez is not one of them. He believes Golovkin, at 37, is just set in his ways.

"I believe that Golovkin trained for nine years with me in a certain way and now he is doing it differently... it is not Banks' fault, but the adaptation [to his training] is lacking," Sanchez told ESPN Deportes.

"I think that the results of Banks' work with Golovkin is going to be seen in two or three fights. The only problem is that Golovkin is already 37 years old and he doesn't have a lot of time for that adjustment."