By Daniel Hughes: On the 12th of August, 1982, Salvador Sanchez (44-1-1, 32 KOs), at just a tender 23 years old a real boxing prodigy and to me, Mexican legend died in a car crash. Sanchez was a featherweight boxer that really had it all.
Sanchez was exciting to watch, had great speed, with a boxing brain ahead of his tender years and the ability to counter-punch opponents into submission.
When you talk about Mexican fighters past or present in particular the fighting style of many of the best fighters that country has produced, would be of come forward pressure fighters, the type of fighter I particularly enjoy watching. Salvador Sanchez, he certainly was no stereotypical fighter be it Mexican or regardless of nationality in many ways. You don’t need to be mistaken Sanchez had power also, but to me what sets the great fighters out, seemed to really be able to work an opponent out quickly and adapt in the heat of battle.
Sanchez was totally old school because at that time the title distance was the real marathon that certainly tested a fighters limit, heart and stamina, fighting over the 15 round championship title distance. The old saying being, it separated the men from the boys. Sanchez had started his professional career at just 16 years old, fighting men and dispatching them inside the distance, the boy certainly able to show that his skills, power and talent defied such tender years. Some fighters are just special from the start of their careers, naturally talented he also adapted so quickly to the professional game. The fact he had limited amateur experience also adds to what he achieved in the paid ranks. He was able to build up a record of 33-1-1, when he secured a WBC title shot against a crowd pleasing champion in Danny Lopez.
On the 21st of June, in1980, Sanchez challenged Danny Lopez for the WBC 126lb crown and stopped Lopez in the 13th round, Sanchez the underdog on the night against a respected champion who was the favorite on the night. He certainly had the world at his feet at 21 years old. The next two years as champion, he defended the belt nine times. The fighters he beat Juan Laporte, Wilfredo Gomez and Azumah Nelson amongst some of his notable wins.
Salvador Sanchez who passed so young, certainly would have only got better for me, the views of fight fans on how good he could have become will be just that. It will be interesting to hear others views on Sanchez because to me he showed himself to be one of the greatest featherweights of all time.
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