who was greater, salvador sanchez or vincente saldivar?

Saldivar was one of the greatest champions in history. The way he was able to rule over such a strong and deeply talented division was nothing short of extraordinary. While Sanchez may've been the more versatile technician, I'm not entirely sure he was the more proficient against such a wide variety of styles. Saldivar was one of the best 15 round fighters in history, and given that many rounds it's difficult to see many Featherweights holding him off for the duration. The gear he amped it up to in those championship rounds was Armstrong-esque. He was an unstoppable buzz-saw.

That said, I think a fight between the two is virtually a pick'em. Sanchez was very much at home with that general style of fighter, but then it's possible that Saldivar in his wrath could overload even a technician like Sanchez in the latter rounds.

 

Bujia, do you feel Saldivar was shot to **** by the time he faced Jofre?

Or do you feel it's balanced out by Jofre also being at the end of his career?

 

Saldivar was definitly way past it.

Saldivar is one fighter I am a huge admirer of. I would definitly rat ehim higher than sanchez although it is fairly close. I also think Saldivar looks better on film.

 

I'd say this is pretty much it. Saldivar had the greater overall career although I'm a big admirer of both of them. I used to think that a fight between them would be bang on 50/50 but I've become more inclined to lean towards Saldivar. I can't think of any featherweight in history whom I'd pick over him with certainty.

We all know Sanchez was a master technician: cool as **** under fire, not to mention the obviousness of his fitness and durability down the final stretch, all of which are traits that would stand him in good stead against a man of Saldivar's particular fortitudes. That said, I've always thought that he tended to get hit a bit too often at times by shots that shouldn't have had any business landing. Saldivar on the other hand was very good at using his small stature and solid guard to patiently block and slip a considerable degree of the incoming fire (even if he did get hit) before unloading to body and head both. The straight left in particular is the punch I could see Sal having a hard time neutralizing.

It probably depends whether or not Sanchez can take a narrow early lead before matching Saldivar in the championship rounds when the latter's final charge sets itself in.

I know you didn't ask me Russell, but Jofre was still a world class championship fighter at that point, if a little old. Saldivar had already effectively shot his bolt against Shibata.

 

Yeah, Jofre was past it, but was in a rejuvenation period when he took on Saldivar, who was effectively shot, in my opinion. His fight with Shibata proved that.