How Good Do You Think Jeff Chandler Was?

I would question that notion. He had good run of defenses, but his limitations were badly exposed by Sandoval. Personally, I think his co-champion Pintor was better than him.

 

As much as I liked Lupe, I can't help but feel that Chandler would have edged him in a unification match.

 

Massive fan here. No idea what happened against Sandoval but one's things for certain - this wasn't the real Jeff Chandler. There were heavy rumours of drugs.

 

Which is what I've heard also.I remember watching that fight and waiting for Jeff to pick it up and take it to Richie, but it never happened.

 

Nah, the Chandler who lost to Sandoval was a shell of himself due to drugs. That's not the fight to judge Chandler on. Lujan, Solis, Murata (1,2,3), Johnny Carter, Canizales. That's prime Chandler. The only thing keeping Chandler (and likewise Pintor) from that upper tier of Banatamweight champions was a win against Pintor.

 

Sorry JT. Didn't see your post. But yeah, it was definitely drugs.

 

I agree and think Pintor ko's him inside of 10.:rasta

 

Bad fight to use an example, M2S.

He was using drugs quite heavily, plus was suffering vision problems due to the onset of cataracts by the time Richie Sandoval got to him. Plus he was already on the slide a little bit, having dropped a decision to an admittedly capable Oscar Muniz (his last really good performance was in the rematch.)

At his best, he was about as complete a boxer puncher as you were going to find in the lower weights. Didn't hit that hard, but he could certainly grind you down with precision punching, plus he could box extrenely well from long range. I think he actually would have beaten Pintor had they fought when the two of them were in their respective primes. Check out what he does to capable fighters like Solis, Gaby Canizales, Murata, and Carter. Those are indeed his best performances.

 

Bingo, tho i reckon his power is quite good. I'm not sure everyone realises he made 9 successful defenses of his title.

It's a crying shame the two standouts (and possibly both lower tier greats) of the division didn't meet. The exact same thing happened with Sanchez and Pedroza around the same time. Of course Sanchez died, but Pedroza - Sanchez was a long long way from being made at the time. The politics between the WBC and WBA made such unifications very rare. Fortunately and albeit a bit luckily we witnessed SRL - Hearns.

 

Not as good as Lupe Pintor. He should be thankfull he didn't get his wish and face Pintor's hook to the body and ferocious heart.

 

The 2 fights I wanted most back at that time, but never got. Also the Weaver Cobb cancellation put to paid what would have been a GREAT fight in 1982. I saw Chandler and Pedroza live and would have picked Pedroza, Pintor and Weaver in a classic heavy fight. **** Don king for ruining it and forcing Weaver-Dokes after two injuries, one to Cobb and one to Weaver.

 

Who the hell judges fighters on performances at the end of their careers where they were husks of their former selves?

 

I must agree. I know a shot fighter when I see one and although Richies win was one of the best I've seen in the last 50 years (this performance is up there with Foreman Frazier). Jeff looked like a shell

Sometimes I think Jeff took too much punishment which I think shortened his career. I winced as I saw Jeff LET Iriarte pound his sides. And the way Canizles drilled him with body shots, Gaby looked as tho he could sink buildings with his left hook. I'm sure it must have had some effect on him in later fights