Alexis Arguello vs Salvador Sanchez

Sanchez would find holes with his counterpunches in Arguello....with his power, timing and accuracy, I can see Sanchez by late TKO or decision....in a close fight...

 

I think Arguello edges it more often than not.

 

Sanchez would outbox Arguello with his movement, speed, counter punching and workrate too

 

Sanchez, too fast, hard for Alexis to lead or counter against, and enough power to deter Arguello from unloading for a last minute KO.

Decision.

 

Arguello would time some big bombs that would stun Sanchez at times but just not enough of them

 

He'd get his fair share of whacks in for sure based upon size and his superb timing, just not enough of them. And he'd land some good counters I reckon. Olivares had some success despite being past his best by moving in and out with conservative head movement very well. I think Sanchez from say, the Lopez fight would do something similar. I have seen Sanchez wing left hooks, swing them a little wide or fail to protect his chin a bit because of a speed and ability edge, that is suicide against Alexis and if he saw the opening he'd get blasted with a laser right.

 

Most of the boxing press expressed the belief prior to Sal's death that his hand speed and movement might win him a few early rounds, but little more. Gomez was able to buckle Sanchez in a momentary rally, and Arguello was considerably more powerful. When Sal did face a featherweight of comparable stature to Alexis in a title match, Patrick Ford gave him some logistical problems.

While Sanchez did have the superb conditioning to move as necessary for 15 rounds, and possibly the chin to get him through rough patches, I think the reach and body punching of Arguello slows him down as necessary to stop him. Many opponents attempted to beat Alexis with movement, but only Vilomar Fernandez succeeded that one time in a ten rounder. Sal wasn't short enough to get under and away when Arguello cornered him like Fernandez did, and El Flaco Explosivo's skillful use of his 74 inch reach would deny Sanchez the opportunity to win the contest from long range. Bubba Busceme very obviously tried to run away with a hometown decision, but was eventually caught. (Afterward, Busceme was asked if there were any surprises from Alexis, and he said Arguello was pretty much what he expected with the exception that Alexis was a little quicker than predicted. A detail like this might have caught Sal off-guard.) Arguello decked the elusive and rock chinned Fernandez in the fourth round of a lopsided rematch.

Chacon was ahead on all cards after five, but I never had the sense Alexis wasn't in control of the eventual outcome. Watt did well to survive, but he was decked at one point, and the decision was virtually a foregone conclusion. (I was actually glad for Jim that this one was in Wembley instead of Glasgow, as he said he'd rather die a thousand deaths than lose that title at home. In Glasgow, he might indeed have gotten himself killed.)

Arguello had monstrous one punch knockout power in both hands in all weight divisions he competed in. (His match with Costello was actually a welterweight bout.) I don't believe Sal had the power to trouble him. Even the lethal Ganigan only had fleeting success, and that war showed how deadly Alexis could be if Sanchez did somehow manage to hurt him. Arguello-Sanchez would have taken place after Fernandez-Arguello I, and there was no way Alexis would have allowed himself to get defeated with those same tactics again. Just a bridge too far for Sal.

 

Arguello, by late tko. As a featherweight ,he was to me, a mini-version of Joe Louis.
Methodical,with deadly leverage in each hand. Both Alexis and Louis had loads of class outside the ring. Two of my very favorite fighters...

 

Alexis probably by a late round stoppage, or in the worst scenario, a lopsided decision.Salvador would be in over his head in this one.

 

Is this fight at Feather, Jr LW, or LW ?

Arquello was in some really brutal fights at the higher weights and came out on top.

At feather, Sanchez has his best chance.

 

at 126, this is an all-time great matchup. it would be a draw

 

Guys I love Sanchez but there is multiple class jumps between Danny Lopez and Alexis Arguello ... it's almost forgotten how Sanchez had multiple struggles as champion against lesser opponents and a real brawl with a novice Azumah Nelson ... a prime Arguello puts a hurting on a brave Salvador ...

 

Sanchez may have eventually been ready to do this job. He was virtually a pup, after all. Definitely some unrealized potential.

That said, though, the Sanchez we saw on film, before the tragedy, just isn't gonna do it.

Arguello was too adept on the counter, too poised, and Sanchez' defense had not yet evolved to the level that wouldn't get him clipped consistently by a fighter with Arguello's timing. Factor in his power, and this is just a bit too much for the young Sanchez.

Arguello, TKO in the 12th, 13th, or 14th.

 

Agree on all points save the outcome -- Arguello UD over 15, as Sal's whiskers were sturdy and his heart was ever strong. He weathers and competes, but isn't quite good enough to get over in the end.