Which of these two ATG featherweight's hit harder? Sandy Saddler or Terry McGovern. Personally, I'd say Saddler.
Saddler was a nasty puncher, and a nasty fighter. McGovern was a force of nature and a destroyer of men. McGovern for me.
McGovern knocked out the bantamweight champ, then the featherweight one, then the lightweight one. That's crazy power.
Sandy Saddler who I saw ringside several times was a very tall wiry FW who was a very hurtful puncher ,not necessarily a one punch ko artist, whilst Terry McGovern was reputed to be a concussive knockout artist that peaked early and was about shot by the tender age of 21....
McGovern was Fleisher's all time #1 bantam and as Burt said was thought of as a big time knockout artist. Did that include enough power to make his ko over Gan's legit? Probably not and as Nat said; "Terry was good but he wasn't that good." Still I'm not 100 sure from the film and it comes down to did the first right hand that landed put Joe out on his feet, if it did then you could put his power in the legendary status. Either way Terry's punch rates higher then Saddlers with me.
I who followed Sandy Saddler's rampaging career when he was fighting have never heard a hint of Saddler in "fixed"fights. His ability was enough to beat most every featherweight of the 1940s...He might have gone "easy" on some opponents to get bouts, but what great fighter hasn't...
Cheater? Zivic would have laughed at that one. Pep is thought to have tossed one bout though he never gave a hint to admitting it but there never were accusations of Sandy doing the same, as Burt said he hadn't the need too.
