Just how good was Salvador Sanchez?

Don't remember the Ford fight all that well, but I remember Ford comfortably leading after about half the fight.

 

I didn't think the Castillo fight was that close Sanchez took time to adjust to handspeed in first 4 rounds, but after that i thought Sanchez was clearly the better man.

As for Ford that indeed was a very close fight but its one of them close fights that Sanchez deserved to win by 1 or 2 points without controversy.


Salvador Sanchez vs Ruben Castillo

1 Castillo
2 Castillo
3 Castillo
4 Sanchez
5 Sanchez
6 Sanchez
7 Sanchez
8 Sanchez
9 Castillo
10 Sanchez
11 Sanchez
12 Sanchez
13 Castillo
14 Sanchez
15 Sanchez

145-140 Sanchez

I remembered Castillo winning alot more rounds in the 1st half of the fight, but watching this fight again Sanchez to me had him pretty measured after the 3rd round. The first few rounds Sanchez looked a bit surprised by Castillo's handspeed, as Castillo was beating Sanchez to the punch and boxing nicely on the outside. But Sanchez after a rough start seemed to work out Castillo's rhythm and time his flurries better.

Sanchez for me was the effective aggressor, and also showed nice defence later on Castillo actually missed alot of punches. And despite Castillo nicking a few rounds here and there, Sanchez pretty much controlled the 2nd part of the fight, and was able to time Castillo's flurries and counter punch.

Overall a very good technical bout with alot of skills on display with some exciting moments, but this is very overrated as a controversial decision. For me it was a competitive fight but a very clear win for Sanchez.

Finally what makes me laugh is in post fight interview after Castillo said "He won he's worthy champion" yet years later he claimed he was robbed and he kicked Sanchez's ass and that he was overrated. That's absolute nonsense and just makes him look like hypocrite

He also claims Arguello would beat Sanchez, but there's a few things i want to say about that, 1 Castillo moved up in weight to fight Arguello at Super Featherweight. Castillo mostly campaigned at Featherweight that was his best weightclass, 2 Castillo actually won alot more of the early rounds vs Arguello. I thought Castillo won atleast 6 or 7 of the first 10 vs Arguello, yes Arguello did finish Castillo off more impressively than Sanchez. But Arguello still had more trouble overall finding Castillo, plus as i said it was at Super Featherweight. I don't think this fight tells us how a mythical match up, between Sanchez vs Arguello would go.


Salvador Sanchez vs Patrick Ford

1 Ford
2 Ford
3 Sanchez
4 Ford
5 Ford
6 Sanchez
7 Ford
8 Sanchez
9 Ford
10 Sanchez
11 Ford
12 Sanchez
13 Sanchez
14 Sanchez
15 Sanchez

143-142 Sanchez

I was looking forward to watching this fight again as i knew it was close fight.

This was a very fascinating contest i noticed a few things with this fight, early on Sanchez tried to bait Ford into over extending with his punches. But Ford was keeping his poise and fighting tall, so Sanchez wasn't able to bait Ford so he could counter punch. The first 5 rounds or so Ford kept Sanchez at bay with that long left jab, and Sanchez wasn't really able to have much success apart from the 3rd round when trapped Ford on the ropes.

I noticed in the 6th there was a change, Sanchez was starting to come forward more. And as the fight went on Sanchez started to time Ford's jab better and he would land the right hand more frequently.

Despite Sanchez doing better after the 6th round, i still felt Ford won some rounds when Sanchez wasn't able to close the distance. And Ford did steal a few rounds with his excellent jabbing. Sanchez's best round was the 10th round when he had Ford badly hurt along the ropes, but to Ford's credit he managed to survive that bad moment. And even comeback to win a close 11th round.

But after that i felt it was all Sanchez, as he was able to be effective aggressor and time his right hand over Ford's low left, and going into the 15th round i had it even but Sanchez clearly won the last round to win a razor thin close decision.

Overall it was a very fun tactical fight to watch, and it was intriguing to see Sanchez go about his work to try and figure out Ford. I don't agree when people say "Ford was average" the man was a freak for a Featherweight for his height and reach, and displayed very good boxing skills and a superb jab. I think alot of Featherweights would of struggled vs that version of Patrick Ford who fought Sanchez, especially with the attributes Ford had. And to me this fight doesn't "expose Sanchez" it furthers his greatness for me, that at such a young age he had boxing brain to overcome a tricky opponent.

 

Great post, D

 

Top notch, had all the qualities needed to be great. Too bad his career was cut short, but he accomplished a lot regardless.
I admired the way he took Gomez apart. Amazing conditioned fighter, and totally relaxed, never lost his head, didn't run his mouth. Just went out there and went to work.

I still think Chavez was the greatest Mexican fighter of all-time though. I also think Pep is still the greatest featherweight and would have beaten Sanchez.

I think Sanchez was terrific against sluggers. Boxers that moved seemed to give him more problems. Him fighting Pedroza, and possibly moving up in weight to fight Arguello would have been interesting.

 

He was great

Sure he probably would have lost at some point as almost all boxers do, even the great ones.

 

All the hype is legit.

He was that good.

 

Stamina off the charts.

 

Sanchez? Believe the hype. He was that good. Anyone dying at twenty-three is tough to take. Secondary of course, but Boxing lost someone very, very special in their chosen field.

 

You could be describing Muhammad Ali.

 

Probably as good as Pedroza.An excellent box fighter ,who never seemed to wear down,not the greatest boxer,not the greatest puncher,but very ,very good all round.
Nelson was green,Gomez had ****ed up in training,Cowdell gave him fits.Lopez was a terrific puncher but with a porous defence.
Sanchez had remarkable maturity and sangfroid in the ring,but he possibly benefits from the, "James Dean ,Marylin Monroe,Heath Ledger syndrome".
A fight with Pedroza would have told us so much.imo

His untimely death means he is perpetually preserved in aspic, forever great,and, as Dylan said, "forever young".

 

Sal Sanchez had some so-so performances.
But what great fighter didn't?
It happened with ALL of them .
Be it lack of focus, meshing of styles
not being at ultimum physical conditioning ,
or simply past prime.
But the most important thing is, they usually found
away to win. That's what all time greats do
That's what Sanchez did.
Sure we can speculate how a match with
George Dixon, Willie Pep, Sandy Saddler,
Sugar Ramos, Ruben Olivaires, Azumah Nelson,(Prime)
Erik Morales and others
would go. That's fun, and educational from a
few posters, who's knowledge and reasoning
is consistent and fair.

While I'm sure through out the long history of
featherweight boxing a few fighters would
have his number, and beat him consistently.
Probably a fighter we wouldn't think should.
But the bottom line is while he was here,
he beat everyone he faced as a pro.
Theirs not much more we could ask from him.