Salvador Sanchez: Counterpunch

“I’m convinced that Salvador Sanchez was the best Mexican fighter of all time. Even better than Julio Cesar Chavez.”    — Wilfredo Gomez

In his final fight, Sanchez turns back the challenge of Azumah Nelson.

“He consistently showed the understanding and awareness of a veteran in his early twenties, a testimony perhaps to the number of fights and defenses he crammed into his short career. As a veteran, he might have attained the rare heights of strategic genius reserved for the likes of Archie Moore and Bernard Hopkins.”    — Matt McGrain

“The greatest Mexican fighter of all-time is Salvador Sanchez, period. Hands down.”
— James Toney

Sanchez dominating Danny Lopez.

Salvador Sanchez’s championship reign was relatively short, but just long enough for the revered Mexican warrior to establish himself as one of the greatest featherweight boxers of all-time. In 1982 he died in a car accident at the age of 23, but, amazingly, he had already won 11 straight championship bouts, including historic wins over fellow Hall of Famers Danny Lopez, Wilfredo Gomez and Azumah Nelson.

The great Salvador Sanchez. Painting by Damien Burton.

Here analyst Lee Wylie breaks down Sanchez’s unique and highly sophisticated counterpunching style. When many boxing fans hear the term “counterpuncher,” they automatically think of a defensive-minded pugilist such as Floyd Mayweather or Guillermo Rigondeaux. But Sanchez was something altogether different, an aggressive counter-puncher, ruthless and calculating, patient and precise. As Wylie notes, there were different facets to Salvador’s technique, but he was most dangerous as a counterpuncher.

Watch and appreciate again the ring brilliance of the fistic legend that is “Chava.” And wonder once more as to what might have been.