Sanchez vs Nelson: Salvador's Last Fight

[elmersalsa]

On a Friday night like today, exactly 35 years ago, Mexico's greatest champion and best fighter by many, Salvador Sanchez, defended the WBC World Featherweight Crown to a relative unknown fighter from Ghana named Azumah Nelson.

Who is this Azumah Nelson? Little we knew about him. He only had 12 pro fights. But, he already became National Champion from his own country, African Continent Champion and Commonwealth Champion at the featherweight class. He gotta be good, right?

Well, the champion was defending his title for the ninth time in 2 years. He became a boxing superstar when he outbombeb and outclassed the great champion Wilfredo Gomez of Puerto Rico a year earlier. His legacy was already cemented as one of boxing's all time top 50 greatest boxers. And only 23 years old, he had accomplished a lot. There were more things to accomplish in his career still. He was already planning a challenge for the WBC World Lightweight Championship held by the great Alexis Arguello of Nicaragua. He was considered as the best featherweight in the world even with the great WBA counterpart Eusebio Pedroza of Panama withstanding. He was boxing's biggest superstar since the great American Sugar Ray Leonard was taking a hiatus from boxing.

The venue of the fight night was at the world famous New York City's Madison Square Garden arena. The site of some of the greatest fights in history and the Mecca of boxing's greatest fighters. Almost every great boxer had fought at The Garden. And Sanchez had the honor to defend his crown there. Nelson at 24 years of age came blazing from his corner, giving the champion no respect in the first round. In round 4, Sanchez dropped the African warrior with a left hook. But, that didn't discouraged the challenger. He just kept coming and coming and gave the champion fits. This fight was harder than the champion thought. Nobody in the arena knew that this kid Nelson was going to be a big problem to solve for the champion. They threw leather and leather at each other non stop. The pace was fast and terrific. At one point, in round 12, Nelson had Sanchez in trouble. He rocked the champion but, Sanchez didn't let him to know he was hurt. The inexperienced Nelson never knew it.

After 14 rounds of warfare and great quality fighting from both men, the fight was close. Very close. Sanchez had the second wind and with his experience, defeated the challenger by a brutal and brilliant stoppage in the 15th and final round. He dropped Nelson again. This time, Nelson was spent and bruised. His face was a total mess. His lips were puffed up. Referee Tony Perez of New York saw enough and the winner once more was Sanchez by technical knockout in one of the most thrilling fights if all time.

The Aftermath:
Little we knew that this was going to be Sanchez' last fight. Three weeks later, he died in a car accident in Mexico. The world lost a superstar that still had a lot to give in the sport. He was only 23 and in his full prime. He was thinking about moving to lightweight for a multi million dollar payday against Arguello. We lost another superstar in that year 1982. It gave us a big void because also that was the same year Sugar Ray retired for the first time. Sanchez was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, NY.

Nelson, became an all time great. He won the crown 2 years later and also became a two-time WBC World Jr Lightweight Champion. He retired in 1998, but made a comeback ten years later. It didn't matter. At the time of his retirement, he proved to be a hell of a champion. We never knew before this fight, that he was going to be a great fighter. The Professor, like Sanchez, was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, NY.

[Nile4000]

Great, underrated fight between two great fighters. Don't think that Salvador would have had much sucess beyond 130, but he was one of the greatest fighters of his time, and history, as well as Azumah.

[handsofstone]

Superb fight, I really need to get around to watching Sanchez/Lopez, ive still not seen that one yet