Can't find the other threads about this match-up so I'll just make a new one. Who wins and why? 15 rounds.
Along w/ Pintor-Chandler and Weaver-Cobb, THE fight I wished happened so long ago. I always thought Pedroza had the perfect style not only to beat him, but w/ the bodyshots, stop him late. Maybe sanchez felt the same and that is why he wouldn't fight him and made statements like, "Why should I when the WBA is only recognized in a handful of countries". Would have been terrific.
It may be telling that Pedroza wanted Sal badly, while Sanchez was thinking about moving up and testing Arguello (while Alexis was foolishly contemplating SRL). Everybody in the states saw the close call Sal had with Pat Ford. When Cosell broadcast Pedroza-Ford on ABC a few months later, El Alacran really brought out his A game, and took the tall Guyanan upstart to the wood shed before going to his toes and dropping him for the count with a bolo shot. (Garcia may have brought the bolo punch to championship boxing, while Gavilan popularized it, but it was Pedroza who really perfected it into a deadly weapon to both head and body.) Eusebio told Howard after the match that he was ready for Sanchez whenever Sal was willing to sign on for it. Comparing Sanchez-Ford to Pedroza-Ford, it's easy to understand why Pedroza might be chosen as the favorite. But the other common challenger they had, LaPorte, has always expressed the belief that Sal would have prevailed in a unification. (Then again, after going ten rounds with Sanchez, former Gomez knockout victim Nicky Perez predicted a Gomez victory when they squared off.) Sanchez stepped up his performance dramatically in his biggest matches, against Lopez and Gomez, and that's the Sal we would have likely seen against Pedroza, not the Sanchez who was content to win over the distance with Ford, Cowdell, LaPorte and Castillo.
As stated, Pedroza looked better against Ford, but Sanchez looked better against Laporte. Sanchez arguably had 4 opponents tougher than any Pedroza had: Lopez x 2, Gomez, Nelson (green but very tough). This is when he raised his game. I actually think Pedroza's best strategy would be to use movement, jab, keep things on the outside and try to force Sanchez to lead. I think if Pedroza tried to rough Sanchez up, and made some of the mistakes he got away with (dropping the hands for long bolo punches, pulling back from punches with hands down ala Ali), he'd find he wasn't in with Juan Laporte or Bernard Taylor. I think Sanchez could potentially stop him. But I'd take Sanchez by close decision. I think his brilliance in the pocket would startle Pedroza. Pedroza's in my top ten all time favorites, so I'm only slightly biased!!
Sal never had the chance to rematch Gomez and LaPorte, but he did have a return with Lopez when Little Red was still just 27, and stopped him impressively. The argument can be made that Gomez allowed himself to get cocky and out of shape by virtue of believing his own hype and taking Sanchez for granted, while LaPorte simply wasn't ready, but Danny was a great champion who was fully aroused and prepared to try regaining his title. When considering Sanchez-Pedroza, Lopez II might be the performance to study most carefully. A fantastic and satisfying stoppage over a legendary opponent with no excuses.
I just don't think Sanchez was as good when forced to lead, which is why he had more difficulties against fighters like Ford, Cowdell, and Castillo than fighters of an overall higher class like Lopez and Gomez. Pedroza could do a bit of everything, including fight off the backfoot or turn up the rough-housing a la Nelson. Now, Nelson presented a lot of countering opportunities, and was caught with a lot of them, but his pressure-punching style was so intense that he ended up almost overloading the typically at-home counter-puncher Sanchez. Whereas Lopez and Gomez were perfect pickings for him. I don't think Pedroza would fight any one particular style for this fight. I think he'd adapt to what was given him, though I assume he'd start off boxing behind the jab, trying to force Sal to lead, and looking to counter to the body whenever the opportunity opened up. He was a terrific body-puncher, after all. Sal would do like-wise, but I tend to slightly favor Eusebio here. Maybe bias, but that's my pick.
After the nature of that defeat, Sal owned him psychologically. To have any kind of chance, Wilfredo had to be honed to a razor's edge when they did square off, and even then, he couldn't have been prepared for the cheekbone fracturing power Sanchez laid on him. There's no excuse for Gomez having to struggle to make 126 for Sal, and in fact he typically came in at a pound or two under the divisional weight limit for the remainder of his championship career, showing he learned from this mistake. (Too late where Sanchez was concerned.)
I completely disagree. The big matches you refer to both included men who came to Sanchez and led willingly. Pedroza is so much different to these two it ain't funny. In fact if anything he is closer to the likes of Ford, Cowdell and Castillo with a truckload of extra class thrown in. Incidently i agree Sal would win, albeit by narrow decision.
I'm taking Pedroza by a close unanimous decision, I think he had more than enough to hang with Sanchez, though Salvador would have his moments against Eusebio.
This is the fight that should have happened.Sanchez was so superb at dealing with pressure and fighting a controlled,disciplined fight.Sanchez by narrow decision.
