We at ImaSportsphile have grown to love Mexican boxers from Jose Luiz Ramirez to Rafael “Bozooka” Limon….to Lupe Pintor….to Pepino Cuevas….to Juan LaPorte….to Julio Cesar Chavez et al….but the one we have grown to appreciate most was Salvador Sanchez….who was killed in an automobile accident at the tremendously young age of 22 years old.
Salvador Sanchez won the WBC World Featherweight Title from Danny “Little Red” Lopez in 1980 at age 20….and by the time he was tragically killed just a year and a half later….he had defended his title 9 times against the likes of Danny Lopez (42 – 3), Juan LaPorte (15 – 1), Ruben Castillo (47 -1), Pat Ford (15 – 0), Wilfredo Gomez (32 – 0 – 1), Pat Cordell (19 – 2), Ricky Garcia (23 – 2), Nicky Perez (51 – 3) and Azumah Nelson (13 – 0)….for this Mexican boxer was extremely talented….and boxing pundits knew he was going to get better and better….but still, in his 1st 2 years of being a champion….he fought ever quality featherweight around….except Julio Cesar Chavez….who gave lip-service to facing off against Sanchez….but never seemed to sign the contract to fight until it was too late….which in our observation, we feel Chavez did quite often throughout his career.
We at ImaSportsphile believe that had Salvador Sanchez lived to fight the same number of fights that Chavez fought (115)….he would have had a better record and have fought every outstanding fighter in and around his weight class….cuz by the time Sanchez was 21 years old….he had posted a career record of 44 – 1 – 1 in 7 years as a professional….whereas Chavez posted a 107 – 6 – 2 record in 25 years as a professional.
