There were not many guys in the early 1990's who came into professional boxing with his kind of dominance.
Here's another reason. He was a Mexican fighter who had the bombs in the fist assault mentality of a Mexican fighter but had the movement and preference for range fighting and quick footwork more common with black american fighters. At least for me I'd like more combinations like that. I love Sanchez for the same reason though he was slicker than DLH. But just like Mosley has a lot of Mexican in his style, DLH had a lot of black. In the sparring video with Chavez where DLH's a teenager, he being slick and has the upperhand, moving great, then he throws a beautiful fast combo to Chavez' body before moving away. You hear someone in the audience yell out something about him fighting like a "mayate". You could tell it gets to Oscar's head and then he goes toe to toe and gets knocked down.
He was hyped. He lived up to it. period. - competent / elite fighter and have an exciting style - good looks - socially charismatic (communication skills decent, business minded) - lives near hollywood, got best of both worlds root-wise: Mexico / US
Don't you dare put de la hoya and Salvador Sanchez in the same sentence, maan Sanchez was something else, on his say to perhaps top 3 of all time thats how highly i rate him.
I think you nailed the appeal of his persona. I was watching the Gatti fight last night, there's all that macho of being a tough power punching fighter and good looking, but after he wins his smile and his mannerisms in general are so boyish and innocent and harmless. I find the softness and delicacy and sweetness of his voice sickening (a little to sugary and too delicate), and I used to think it's affectation, you know, that he's like an actor playing the persona you described but going over the top, doing too much, but then I watched the 24 7 with Pac and saw that his brother talks the same way. What does the Shanna Moakler remark mean? Is that some chick he hit (I mean punched)?