Where Do You Rank Salvador Sanchez?

Currently I rate him number 4 at Feather, number 40 P4P.

 

I don't rank him because it reminds me of how unfair life is.

23 years old and already beaten Gomez, Nelson, Lopez, Laporte...

He could have been one of the best fighters ever.

 

I would rate the late great Salvador Sanchez at no.3 at Featherweight in boxing history. Look at his competition as well as his style, very relaxed counter puncher, very slick, and cool and composed in the ring, he did not have to fight dirty to win, a classy champion. He knew how to behave as a champion, very mature, and was loved in his native country of Mexico. He defeated all time greats in Danny Little Red Lopez, twice, Juan La Porte, Wilfredo Bazooka Gomez, and Azumah Nelson, even stopped him. His untimely death robbed him of potential greatest of all time. A potential fight against Alexis Arguello was on the horizon.

 

Around #5'ish. A victory over Pedroza would have snuck Sanchez up a little or Pedroza up by more if he won. alternatively an epic battle or legendary trilogy may have slipped both higher. I'm not sure he'd slip into the top 50 ATG list. It's rarified air and there are so many utterly great fighters.

 

Truth

 

A great talent who never saw his peak. Tough to say but certainly top 5 at featherweight, p4p not sure but definitely top 40

 

Great post, Catch. Thanks

 

He's a top ten feather,but Im not convinced he would have beaten Pedroza.I think there's a possibility he is slightly overated today because of what I call the James Dean Syndrome ie ,dying so young.
Very good to watch,he had remarkable poise and sangfroid for one so young,he never seemed to get rattled ,ragged,or thrown off his game plan.

 

I was trying to figure out a way to say it,,but the James Dean syndrome fits perfectly. As others have said I rank him fairly high at 126 but he's around maybe 50 all time give or take or a few. I think Alexis Arguello might have handled him if they'd fought around 130

 

Arguello/Sanchez would have been an outstanding fight. If Arguello could have made 130 at that time.
Sanchez would have beat him had they fought @130. Probably a decision. I think he could have kept ETM off balance just enough to pull off what would have been a slight upset.

 

Regardless of what Sanchez did at Featherweight (he did alot) it would be hard for him to unseat Willie Pep and Saddler. Not for nothing. Those guys put in work.
For a kid that died at 22 years old that title reign is crazy good.

 

A huge talent who was already an ATG but had the potential to achieve so much more.

The amount of potential fights he could have had throughout the 80’s is mouth watering. Pedroza, Arguello, Chavez, Camacho, a Nelson rematch etc etc. His death was a genuine tragedy for the sport.

 

A 23-year-old who was already 44-1-1, 10-0 in title fights, 4-0 against Hall of Famers. That's a better record than a lot of fighters retire with. Without a doubt one of the ten best feathers ever.

 

Im by no means sure he would have beaten a more experienced Nelson who wasnt a late suubstitute

 

It would’ve been amazing if we got to find out.