I’ll be the first to admit it, I don’t know much about Salvador Sanchez, was he great? Was he mediocre?Does he get overrated because of his premature death? Please, educate me on this man.
He was great with a capital G Even if he had retired instead of dying, he would be a first ballot hall of famer. Sanchez probably had a couple of strong years left in him. Because he was an early bloomer (like Benitez, Tyson, etc.), its unlikely he could have maintained his intensity for more than a couple of more years. However, i believe we didn't see his very best. IMO had he not died, he would have had a few more exceptional performances before beginning to fade. A top 3 ATG featherweight, and a top 30 all time P4P boxer IMO. Please look at the video below to see how he combined great movement with power. One of the most well rounded fighters i have ever seen. This content is protected
Greatest Mexican fighter ever, but yes, you saw him at his best. If, after LaPorte he fought Arguello,, he would have been knocked out. I think he was on the way out and having troubles all yr with obscure fighters.
Truly a great fighter. Special, even. I do believe he gets overrated because of his early death and at his peak but he’s almost certainly a top 5 featherweight ever and top 5 Mexican ever (probably top 3). I think he understood boxing and fighting on a level that most others couldn’t. A pure winner.
Oh, he was great alright. The question of overrated depends on just how much greater he would / wouldn't have gone on to be if it hadn't been for his death, or who you see him beating / losing to once he'd ventured north of 126 lb, which he surely would have done within a couple of years. Those who label him overrated tend to do so based on the fact that some people have boldly claimed he'd have cut through the likes of Chavez and Camacho just as easily at Super-Feather as he'd done to some guys at Featherweight, and perhaps even Arguello if he'd taken a chance before Alexis moved up to face Pryor. But for every superfan who claims that, I think there are just as many who point to him losing to at least one of those guys had any / all of those fights happened between 1982 and 1985, so I don't think he's particuarly overrated really. My only slight reservation and reason to think that the 'overrated' tag (which I don't like applying in this case) might have some credence is Sanchez's propensity to struggle a little or look less spectacular against rangy fighters who kept it back-foot and made him go looking for them, namely Ford and Cowdell. There's no shame in that, and he did win both those fights by hook or crook, let's not forget. But my slight issue is that those more workmanlike showings are often put down to Sanchez simply underestimating those guys and fighting to the level of his opponent. Hey, that could be true - but I think you need to also consider the possibility that he maybe just had a slight stylistic problem (not insurmountable) against those cagey guys. A fight against Camacho at Super-Feather in 1983 / 1984 would have told us quite a bit in that respect. But that aside, no doubting his pedigree and he was one of a select few, even among the great fighters, who could actually stop you in your tracks and make you think to yourself how special he was. His performances against Danny Lopez (first fight) and Gomez are, without exaggeration, as good and complete as anything you'll see, ever. His talent, especially when faced with the right kind of opponent, was frightening. Tremendous timing, good power, limitless stamina, tough as old boots, put shots together beautifully, physically very strong - and what always impresses me most about him, unbelievable powers of concentration and the ability to stay cool under pressure. The way he's slip shots by centimetres without so much as blinking and never taking his eyes off his opponent, and then systematically go about punishing those mistakes in such a precise manner....Wow. Scary dude when he got himself locked in. Even with his premature death, I'll not have it that any decent Featherweight list could leave him out of a top five - and that alone is proof of his greatness.
Everyone who dies early gets overrated in their career(s). I give Sanchez TONS of credit for always finding a way to win though.
He's as interesting for his inscrutable cool as his ring accolades, which are plenty. I read years ago that he honed his training to such an extent that his heart rate returned to normal resting levels in even the late rounds of very taxing championship efforts. Superhuman stamina, part of that is an insane work ethic and part genetics I'm sure. To prove that point, here's a fun exercise.....try to find a picture of him from a fight with his mouth open. Bet you can't do it. That speaks to his conditioning and his cool demeanor.
He’s by no means an unquestionable top 5 all time Feather the way he’s being made out in this thread. He’s an unquestionable ATG, though.
