People have often wondered why SS had so thoroughly dominated fellow greats like Lopez and Gomez, yet struggled with much less regarded opposition? The main theory is that he casually boxed down to match his opponents style, but was it more? While that may be true, I think he had no previous info on some of these guys and just adapted as a fight wore on. Plus that he just may have had trouble with movers?
I think it was styles sometimes. Ford used movement and Sanchez had to adjust the way he normally fights to win it. In the case of Azumah you had the unknown factor which gers glossed over. In reality Sanchez wasn't fighting down in that fight. Nelson was a special fighter as we found out later.
This pretty much sums it up, Ford was tall for a Featherweight with a long reach, so it's not too surprising he gave Sanchez problems. Cowdell had a herky jerky troublesome style. Again for me the impressive thing is with Sanchez, yes sometimes he did have issues with what you could deem "lesser opponents" but he always found a way to overcome a certain style. And for me at such a young age is very impressive, and that should be a positive not a negative in my opinion. Also lastly Sanchez was more effective at fighters coming towards him Lopez, Gomez, etc. Fighters like Castillo and Ford who he had to chase, didn't quite suit his natural style kinda like JMM, which is why sometimes Sanchez might struggle. But again that's not a negative because Sanchez found a way to overcome styles no matter what.
A lot of people will disagree, but I actually think that version of Nelson would have always given Sal a better fight than a later one. If he had lived and he fight had taken place around 84/85, Sanchez would have known what to expect and Studied accordingly. In 82, he was fighting a future great who was fighting like his Life depended on it.
I’m not dismissing those guys, it’s just that Sal gets great credit for his quality of opposition, but if you were to put those guys in against later feathers, like say Naz who gets criticised for his opponents, how would they do?
Well I don't criticize Naz for his opponents, he beat plenty of good fighters and former world champions. It's just he never beat a "great fighter". I think that's the only issue with Naz, and people just have memory of him losing quite badly to Barrera, the only great fighter he fought. It's not like Naz never struggled either, he was down 3 times vs Kelley, and had tough fights vs Paul Ingle, Manuel Medina, Augie Sanchez, etc.
I think Little Red knocks Hamed out in a war. Both hit the mat, Hamed stays. I think Gomez would take Hamed apart as would Nelson. Hamed against LaPorte and Castillo? I’m not so sure. I see those as tough matches. Maybe Hamed gets on his bike and LaPorte doesn’t throw enough and Hamed edges it but I think Castillo can outpoint Hamed.
I think it’s a styles thing. Sanchez was an incredibly dedicated athlete, always training, supremely focused. As others have said here, it comes down to him knowing more about Lopez & Gomez, in addition to those being lead fighters. Sanchez struggled somewhat when he had to force the action.
