Wow, my opinion he just got burned out and Jeff is remembered by more than a few fans. Looks like your one of them for good or bad.
Chandler looked pretty flat and lethargic in the Sandoval fight. And he definitely was heavy into coke by then. But at the same time, Sandoval fought like a man possessed. A Chandler at 100% might have won, but that fight clearly indicated that Sandoval would NEVER be an easy fight for him.
I never heard Jeff whine, although it is fine if that is the revisionist narrative that people want to spin. The only fight I recall an excuse from him in was Ortiz I where he didn’t think highly of Ortiz and took the fight as an emergency replacement on a couple of days notice. Yes, he was delving into coke addiction but I never heard him use that as an excuse nor have I tried to spin it that way. The truth is that he should not have been allowed to fight Sandavol at all due to the degenerative eye problems he had. He ended up getting surgery months after the Sandavol fight and retired due to blindness fears and warnings. I am not saying Sandavol would be an easy fight for him, but I do believe it would have a much different result. To say Jeff would struggle with him or others is as irrational as saying Gaby was no good because he lost to Duke McKenzie or Orlando lost to Frankie Toledo.
Revisionist? It is on film during and after the fights. LITERALLY! The only way you didn't see it is if you didn't watch the fights. Ask Mercante and other refs their opinion of Jeff. In each fight his fans turned on him because of it. When Richie stopped him the place was in hysterics with joy.
Prime Chandler of 80-82 probably beats Sandoval. Something was clearly not right with Chandler when he lost to Sandoval. Morlock assumes that just because he was 28, he had to still be prime. But, he wasn't
I assume nothing. I was there in those years. In the gyms at the fights in Philly and AC. All the way back to about 1968. Who did he beat in his prime better than Sandoval and Muniz? Gaby? No way. Solis? Lujan? They were his next best. Lujan probably his best scalp. Then there was Botto's boy Cartter. Irarte. Japan guy 3 times. Not a very formidable record. Not when Pintor is fighting Davila Gomez Owens Zarate. Jeff is at the top of his career, loses badly, then all of a sudden at 27 (undefeated and champ), he sucks. No way man. Competition justgot better because the real bantamweights from West coast bantamweight land arrived to kick that ass.
The man is turning over in his grave. KO Becky & Willy O'Neil loved Saad and would be livid at the filth you have dragged his name through. Please consider a change to one more descriptive of you. Hey, How about Czyz69? Or Ayala547632. ScottFrank57? Bogner-54?You like any of these?
Do you even realize he came back serious and thumped Muniz comfortably after hot dogging and losing a split decision in the non title bout?
COMFORTABLY? He cut him and Oscar being a bleeder the fight was stopped. Now I got you. If he gets credit for easily beating Muniz then how 3 months later is he all washed up vs SANDOVAL? THX JOHNTHOMAS! You have proven my point. Don't backslide now. He was prime when he lost. You just proved it. Thx old buddy!!!!!!!!!
Interesting that, makes you wonder how what difference it would make in how we would remember both of them if they had fought. The winner and the loser.
I can't really see a way Chandler beats Gomez at 122. Athough if he'd had a great win over Pintor I might think differently. It is a shame they never fought.
I mentioned far earlier about the injections in his shoulder pre fight. Many with deep roots in the era would already know about this. I also mentioned cataracts in both eyes.
I am biased, love both fighters, but, at this time, would say Gomez would win like 9-6 decision over Chandler. And I still feel that Jeff had a 40-50 percent chance of winning. Also Leo Randolph may have give Wilfredo a run for his money.
