How much greater could Richie Sandoval have been?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Flo_Raiden, Jul 1, 2025 at 9:24 AM.


  1. Flo_Raiden

    Flo_Raiden Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Sandoval seemed like he had potential to be a great fighter with the talent and skills he had. The way he beat a dominant fighter like Chandler at age 23 was impressive and could have lasted longer in the sport were it not for his trouble with the weight and his career ending beating at the hands of Gaby Canizales that almost cost him his life. A move up from bantamweight to super bantamweight or featherweight would have been better for Sandoval's health although it would have been likely for him to face guys like Victor Callejas, Louie Espinoza, Bernardo Pinango, Eusebio Pedroza, Barry McGuigan, Jeff Fenech, or Azumah Nelson along the way.

    If Sandoval decided not to take the fight with Canizales and instead fought at a higher weight that was more suitable for him would he have been able to do well for himself at those weight classes above bantamweight around 1986 and beyond?
     
    Flo_Raiden, Jul 1, 2025 at 9:24 AM
    Flo_Raiden, Jul 1, 2025 at 9:24 AM
    #1
  2. greynotsoold

    greynotsoold Boxing Addict

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    Just looking at his record, he fought more after the Chandler fight than I remembered; he fought 6 times before he fought Canizales and I only recalled 3. And his weights in the non title fights were lower than I would have thought. What should have been a wake up call for him was weighing 127 for a fight one month before he fought Canizales. That is a crazy amount of weight to try and lose that quickly, coming out of a 10 round fight.
    I wonder if he was thinking about moving up- having 3 fights at or close to the super bantam weight. It also looks like that 5 month break from November to February- over the holiday season cost him dearly. It looks like he lost discipline and thought that having a fight before Canizales would get him back on track. He fought as a junior lightweight so it clearly didn't work. I imagine he was contracted to fight Canizales, sucked it up and tried to make it work. It must have been a horrible feeling the day of the fight knowing he had nothing in his tank to work with.
    He probably should have pulled out of that fight the day he weighed in for his previous fight. When he stepped on the scale and was over 127, having just finished training for a 10 round fight, it should have been clear that his days at 118 were over.
     
    greynotsoold, Jul 1, 2025 at 10:01 AM
    greynotsoold, Jul 1, 2025 at 10:01 AM
    #2
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