NEVER Slug With.....

I might have it rear up but I think Sal sat Gomez down with a right and then a left. It was so fast and accurate - hard to pick it up fully in real time. Beautiful.

All credit to Gomez, for all intents and purposes, many fighters would’ve fallen shortly after that nightmare first round.

Gomez stuck it out for as long as he could and he even landed some nice bombs - but Sanchez was a machine that wouldn’t be denied.

I remember they called that one The Battle of the Little Giants - very apt.

And the way Sal held himself and coolly stuck to his surgical, counter punching game against an unknown quantity in Nelson who really did come to SLUG and die if necessary in his attempts to win - well, that fight is among my most favourites.

I don’t believe Nelson’s jaw was broken but by fights end, just on appearances, you might’ve guessed it was the case. A swollen jaw, the degree of which was right up there that of Louis’ (vs Schmeling 1) and Ali’s (vs Frazier 1).

Azumah’s jaw might’ve even been a touch worse. Amazing warrior.

The other recommendation not to slug with Sal was that chin of his - Gomez and Nelson still bounced a few bombs off that mandible - but Sanchez took them like a true Boss.

 

It was a great little fight. I posted years ago my admiration that Gomez not only survived but got himself back into the fight somewhat given his big power and ability. I rewatched some last night and Gomez landed a few flush BOMBS later on and Sanchez didn't react, not even a little. An ATG chin was his and perhaps it is even underrated. Lopez was one of history's big punchers as well.

Sanchez' poise, confidence and calm was simply insane. From the 1st bell it was obvious he was completely and utterly sure he was going to emerge the winner. His stamina was also around the 10-10. You'll rarely ever see him breath heavy and i remember a legend getting around that by the time the rest between rounds was done he'd always be back to his standing heart rate.

Also a tidbit for the weights lovers.......

''His body's metabolism helps him,'' explained Jose Luis Valenzuela, a doctor who forms part of the four-man team that looks after Sanchez. ''In his prime, he has a recovery time of just 47 seconds, which means that his arterial pressure, pulse and respiration return to normal in the one minute's rest between rounds. As a result, he comes out fresh in the later rounds when his opponent is already tiring.''

His fitness also keeps him out of trouble and, although his nose was broken during his first professional fight seven years ago, he has never been knocked down and only once was he slightly cut over one eye. He emphasizes suppleness over strength -''I don't lift weights because it stiffens and slows the arms,'' he says - and his tall slim body has none of the rippling muscles common among American boxers.

 

Sal was decked twice, in the opening round of his September 1977 defeat to Antonio Becerra, and in the fifth round of his draw with Juan Escobar at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Not surprisingly, these two bouts were the only two blemishes on his sterling career record.

Regarding strength training for boxers, I've lifted weights AND chopped, sawed and cut firewood. For tensile strength, muscular endurance, and pulling your arms back quickly after punching, wood cutting is definitely the way to go, the way Ali was able to match strength with Foreman. (Hitting a hanging truck tire with a sledgehammer isn't particularly useful because of the rebound from the rubber. But yanking a blade out of wood can be pivotal in conditioning oneself to return arms home with quickness and speed, especially when striking down on a log then pulling the axe back up and out.)

Muscle building with weights might help cushion the impact of body shots, but for strength training in boxing, I'd hire a competitive lumberjack.

John Madden said Sal was the best cardiovascular trained athlete he ever saw. They'd tell him what pace to box at to hit a specified heart rate, and Sal always nailed it. I wonder if HRV biofeedback was part of his training regimen.

I did not ever see him open his mouth to breathe, even between rounds. This, along with his conditioning and constant paying of attention was a large part of what enabled him to take a punch. He was always in top shape, and always saw them coming. He wasn't afraid either, meaning he didn't flinch like SRL did constantly in Montreal. (Duran not only partied his way into Hearns, but then Tommy's rights came down from where Roberto couldn't see them. Duran-Barkley showed what might well have happened in Duran-Hearns II.)

 

Wow! Another home run, John!

 

Awesome!

 

Except maybe, Jerry Quarry.

 

You beat me to it

 

Provodnikov

Bradley shortened his career. Matthysse, who is a fearsome power puncher wouldn't dare to slug with Provodnikov.

 

I would give it a five. Like on American Bandstand of old, I liked the beat when rating a record. Ha Ha. I would never want to mess with Joe Frazier's turf, it would be suicide. Ha Ha.

 

Never slug with @surfinghb on this forum because if you hit him back he starts crying..

 

Tito Trinidad deserves a mention.

 

Yep. He couldn't box worth a ****, just put his head down and swung away, but I don't know of anyone that could hit harder.

 

Was Quarry in his right mind? I guess, like Davey Boy Green was in his right mind against Ray Leonard.

 

Quarry had Shavers out of there before most had taken their seats.