Its hard to think of a fighter so flawless in the lower divisions. Did Sal have any weaknesses whatsoever?
He didn't have single shot KO power like a Danny Lopez, apart from that there wasn't really anything he couldn't do in the ring. An absolute sensation of a fighter.
I need to rewatch some of his fights again, but it seemed like he had a tendency at times to fight down to his opposition.
I think it was more stylistic issues rather than fighting down to his opposition. Lopez, Gomez, played to his strengths they were aggressive come forward fighters and Sanchez was a master counter puncher. Someone like Ford had height and reach who fought him on the outside and Sanchez had to lead instead of being in his natural stance of a counter puncher which is why he struggled.
A couple, sure; despite being an excellent technician, he was hardly airtight defensively. He also was stubborn about not leading when the situation sometimes called for it. People sometimes say “ he fought down to the level of his competition sometimes,” but I don’t think it’s that. The fights he had tough times in were more the result of his opponent being cagey or unpredictable in their own style. To suggest it was a lack of focus for a lesser opponent belies everything we know about how he prepared, and what a consummate professional he was.
I think he found it hard to adjust when his rhythm got properly interrupted. He was adaptable but he seemed someone who could be upset and disturbed, not out-thought but tangled up, interfered with. He was a little too reliant upon himself and his deployment. I also think he missed important countering opportunities or to put it another way he was overly conservative about countering early.
I always felt that it was the boxer that gave Sal trouble. He thrived against bangers - counter-punching them silly - but Patrick Ford, Ruben Castillo, Pat Cowdell and Antonio Becerra gave him headaches. He still prevailed against all but Becerra, but that would only be the slightest of weaknesses in an otherwise impressive body of work.
Stubborn opponents not trying to impose themselves,and more on trying to break Sal's usual routine of counterpunching. He can't pressure forward,most of the time.
I think you’re right, I think the missing piece of the puzzle is what you noted he didn’t lead so a guy who wasn’t on his level who elected to “box” could make it look a little “off” I also think Sanchez was naturally quite a bit bigger then most of his opponents.
Which fighter …past or present…reminds you the most of Salvador Sanchez …I’ll give my answer after you give yours
As others have already said his main weakness was his reliance on the other opponent to take the lead. He shined the most against aggressive types because that's where they gave him more counter opportunities. When fighters refuse to engage and disrupt Sanchez's rhythm that forces him lead that's when Sanchez is at his most vulnerable. It wasn't in his nature to be the constant come forward aggressor like so many other Mexican fighters have shown to be. But even despite that weakness his strong mentality, perseverance, and small adjustments help make up for that.
