RIP Richie Sandoval

RIP. What a warrior.

 

Had a great upset win over Jeff Chandler and then took a frightful beating vs Gaby Canizales that I would never want to watch again and actually ruined his career.

Very good little fighter he didn't have a long career but he was a Lineal champion in a historically great weightclass and gave us some memorable fights so all respect to him.

RIP

 

RIP Richard.

 

Very sad. He was a very prominent fighter in my early years as a fan. Go easy, champ.

 

Damn. RIP

 

Riche was a two-time national amateur champ at flyweight. He made the U.S. Olympic boxing team for the 1980 Summer Games but was robbed of the chance to compete when America boycotted the Moscow Games.

He rose through the ranks and beat Jeff Chandler in a way that I never thought I’d see Jeff get beat to claim the WBA bantamweight title. After a couple of defenses, he was having major difficulty making weight. He fought four super bantam/featherweight fights in 1985/early ‘86, and even had trouble making weight then.

In 1986, the WBA ordered him to defend his title or be stripped. He chose to defend it, reportedly losing 12 pounds in three days to make weight on a liquid diet. He was knocked down four times in a brutal KO loss to Gaby Canizales. Sandoval was on the canvas for several minutes and according to reports did not breathe for 3 minutes. Brain surgery saved his life but ended his career.

The brother of Alberto Sandoval, who challenged unsuccessfully for a world title a couple of times, later became good friends with fellow Pomona, California, product Albert Davila, who had killed a man in the ring (Kiki Bejines, RIP). The two toured the country talking about the tragic side of boxing — what it feels have someone die at your hands in Davilla’s case and what it’s like to nearly die in Richie’s.

He later worked for Top Rank, which promoted the card on which he suffered his career-ending injury. Not sure if he was still with them at the time of his death.

In 2007, Richie was one of more than 400 U.S. athletes who had qualified for the 1980 Olympics who were awarded special congressional medals to recognize the opportunity they were cost.

RIP, Richie. You were a warrior and gave your all for us, more than we could ask in truth. Find peace in the beyond.

 

Sad to hear. He was a very talented fighter who was in some good fights.It was very unfortunate how his career ended. RIP Champ

 

RIP Champ. Sudden hear attack. Too young.

 

Interesting knowing that Richie’s brother Alberto would end up fighting his friend Alberto Davila. I wonder who Richie was rooting for that day. Both Richie Sandoval and Alberto Davila had a great boxing style to watch and it would have been a nice match up had they got in the ring together.

It’s just sad how both of them had to deal with boxing tragedies but in two different ways and then having to tell their stories about it together.

 

It seems to me that Sandoval never got a fair shake from critics - he didn't get credit for beating Chandler b/c the win was attributed to "Chandler being shot," but when he lost to Canizales while being horrifically weight-drained himself, the critics just said, "See, this proves that Sandoval was a B-level fighter all along."

The Olympic boycott also deprived him of the opportunity to turn pro w/ all the prestige & fanfare that normally accompanies an Olympic athlete.

RIP.

 

Richie Sandoval's fight with Cardencio Ulloa was a war. Very worth watching if anyone hasn't seen it yet.

This content is protected

 

Sad thread, but you posters managed to make it into something classy and inspirational. Kudos to you, Lads!

 

RIP Champ.

 

He was a very nice man; well liked by all who met him.