Salvador Sanchez KO8 Wilfredo Gomez (1981): any way Gomez could have won?

[bwu]

Gomez didn’t help himself by having to lose weight the morning of the fight. I won’t say it would’ve changed the outcome, but it has to be considered.

[AntonioMartin]

With a baseball bat or a bowling ball...maybe. And Im a Puerto Rican saying this. Sanchez had everything including great psychical advantages.

[AntonioMartin]

With a baseball bat or a bowling ball...maybe. And Im a Puerto Rican saying this. Sanchez had everything including great psychical advantages.

Antonio: Sanchez was an incredibly, kick as# fighter. Something special. I don't mean to deter from the thoroughness and legitimacy of his victory over "Bazooka." IMO, in fact, Sanchez looked a lot like Carlos Monzon (a more mobile version of the Argentine) in that he achieved tactical dominance over Gomez.

But note that I emphasized the word "tactical." That's because Sanchez came off as the smarter, cagier fighter between the two. Just check out Sanchez's left-uppercut - thrown straight up the middle - which kept Gomez off stride and hurt him over the long haul. That's evidence that Sanchez did his homework, and carefully studied (and applied) the precise punches that would make a difference in this fight.

But tactical superiority isn't necessarily the same as athletic or boxing superiority. I believe that Gomez had the latter, and Sanchez had the former. IMO, all things considered, Gomez's advantages should have translated into superiority over the tactically better but athletically inferior guy.

It seems to me - and maybe I'm just a dreamer - that "Bazooka" wasn't the fighter he normally was. Gomez came across as slower, mentally and physically, than he normally is. Gomez's legs were wobbly after round one, too. All of this might have been because - and only because - Gomez made a single, fluky, and critical mistake in round one. Something that got him hurt in a way that he normally wouldn't have been.

In other words, if "Bazooka" had been more careful in round one, he wouldn't have gone down to defeat in that brutal way. Maybe, just maybe - and again this only me speaking - Gomez would have played it safe, calm, and efficiently to break Sanchez down if not for that first round injury.

These are just my thoughts, and maybe foolish at that. But, in studying the fight, I can't help but wonder: just maybe Gomez would have done better on a different day. Just maybe he would have beaten Sanchez.

I would like to think so and in fact I did like most Puerto Ricans, for a very long time. But I just can't see it anymore.

[elmersalsa]

Anything can happen in a rematch. But, the great Wilfredo "Bazooka" Gomez was going up in weight to fight one of the all-time greatest featherweights.

I don't know what could have Bazooka done differently. He had a lot of heart and did not give in. When the great Salvador Sanchez stopped him the way he did, it got my mouth open in disbelief. I have never thought that Gomez was gonna get beaten but win the fight.

Salvador put one of boxing's all-time greatest performances. It was a LEGIT win. Gomez was in his prime, he was 25 at the time, and had much more big fight championship experience.

Sanchez' win is comparable to Joe Frazier win over Muhammad Ali. Roberto Duran over Sugar Ray Leonard. Carlos Monzon over Jose "Mantequilla" Napoles. Marvelous over Tommy Hearns. And Muhammad Ali over George Foreman. That win is up there with those great performances.

Maybe is the cliche that a bigger greater fighter always beats the smaller great man. Remember that Bazooka did that to the great Carlos Zarate.
Now, Sanchez does it to Bazooka. Maybe Alexis Arguello would have done it to Salvador if Sanchez never died on that automobile crash.

Did Wilfredo not come in shape for that fight? I don't know. Maybe he did not. But, he had to handle the weight and then a fighting machine like Salvador Sanchez. Maybe Bazooka was way overconfident?

[bollocks]

Why would you challenge a naturally larger fighter of the calibre of Sanchez, then not take it seriously enough that you have to lose weight on the day of the fight. You're call a pro fighter for a reason....he'd had dozens of pro fights by that stage. I don't understand it

[bollocks]

p s No way Gomez could have beaten Sanchez IMO. Sanchez was simply too good

[Seamus]

And in a close fight till the final round Sanchez made Azumah Nelson's face look like he was being punched by a guy wearing brass knuckles. That's what SS did to guys. He's an alltime great.

[chrisjs1985]

I think Gomez was actually a superior talent. I think he was the more skilled fighter, threw better punches from a technical standpoint, had better speed etc; BUT I think a lot of Sanchez's advantages were intangible. He had a granite jaw, endless stamina, and he had a great brain. These factors, to go with his stylistic advantage of Gomez as a expert counter-puncher vs. master boxer-brawler, in addition to the size, height and reach advantage suggest that he simply had Gomez' number and would always beat him.

What I do believe though, as is the case with Zarate vs. Gomez, is that the one-sided nature of these fights didn't reflect how close these fighters were in quality. I think they (Gomez, Sanchez, Zarate) are all on a very similar/same level.

[elmersalsa]

I think Gomez was actually a superior talent. I think he was the more skilled fighter, threw better punches from a technical standpoint, had better speed etc; BUT I think a lot of Sanchez's advantages were intangible. He had a granite jaw, endless stamina, and he had a great brain. These factors, to go with his stylistic advantage of Gomez as a expert counter-puncher vs. master boxer-brawler, in addition to the size, height and reach advantage suggest that he simply had Gomez' number and would always beat him.

What I do believe though, as is the case with Zarate vs. Gomez, is that the one-sided nature of these fights didn't reflect how close these fighters were in quality. I think they (Gomez, Sanchez, Zarate) are all on a very similar/same level.

You got it on point. They are in the same level. The DIFFERENCE between the 3 would be THE WEIGHT

[goose 5]

I lost big on this fight; but, I made it back and more a month later(Leonard beating Hearns).

[AntonioMartin]

I would like to think so and in fact I did like most Puerto Ricans, for a very long time. But I just can't see it anymore.

May I ask, why? Do you see some kind of indomitable quality in Sanchez? Something that Gomez couldn't have overcome in a rematch?

I am not Puerto Rican, I am so-called "white." But I am a boxing fan, and I look at Sanchez-Gomez in the light of great boxing encounters of the past. For example, Zale vs. Graziano. Or Schmeling vs. Louis. Check these bouts out and notice that the loser goes down hard in the first bout, but comes back to score a decisive stoppage in a rematch. We're talking about the vicissitudes of skill and luck here.

There should have been a Gomez vs Sanchez II.

For one thing, Sanchez's arm length, and also his chin.

Gomez's best bet would be to try to outbox him, as Gomez himself has hinted ("fight him differently" he has said) but even those who tried to outbox him from afar lost.

Sanchez wasn't unbeatable as some think he was, but Gomez would still be at the end of his jab and Gomez's punches would have a hard time connecting with Sanchez at a distance. Sanchez would probably win by decision in the rematch.

[AntonioMartin]

I lost big on this fight; but, I made it back and more a month later(Leonard beating Hearns).

So did my uncle, to the tune of $15,000 dollars.

You can also see my uncle at ringside during the fight...his expression changed as the fight progressed

[AntonioMartin]

Another thing that occurred to me: might Gomez's eye injuries have been caused by head butts? I can't tell, because their infighting moments make it hard to track fists, butts, or elbows on film.

No disrespect to Sanchez, but I saw that he was very quick to lower his head anytime the guys got really close to each other.

Who knows...it could be..

[elmersalsa]

It is hard for me to give the great Wilfredo "Bazooka" Gomez the benefit of a doubt against the great Salvador Sanchez.

I just can't see how could he beat Sanchez when he gave Sanchez his Sunday punch and Sanchez did not even flinched!

Then, I saw Gomez' fights at featherweight and he was not the dominant guy as when he was the king of the 122-pounders for a very long time.

[elmersalsa]

I think that also the great Eusebio Pedroza would have obliterated Bazooka.

So, either way, Gomez would have lost to these two great champions at featherweight. They were in another class by themselves.

Gomez had to beat an unlisted champ Juan LaPorte. That was the only way he could have become champ in my opinion. Not through Pedroza or Sanchez.

[Ambling Alp II]

Pedroza would have obliterated him? Guess there is a first for everything.
Did Pedroza obliterate Juan Laporte?

[elmersalsa]

Pedroza would have obliterated him? Guess there is a first for everything.
Did Pedroza obliterate Juan Laporte?

Pedroza whupped LaPorte. End of story. I just can't see what Wilfredo Gomez would have done to beat a great featherweight like Pedroza.

[Ambling Alp II]

What in the world are you talking about? The Pedroza-LaPorte fights was very close. Many thought La Porte should have got the decision. There was no whipping. No obliteration.

Gomez won a clear cut decision over La Porte. Nobody thought La Porte won that one.

[elmersalsa]

What in the world are you talking about? The Pedroza-LaPorte fights was very close. Many thought La Porte should have got the decision. There was no whipping. No obliteration.

Gomez won a clear cut decision over La Porte. Nobody thought La Porte won that one.

Pedroza whupped LaPorte outright. He beats LaPorte every day of the week and twice on Sunday. LaPorte knew it. That is why he never asked for a rematch.

[fanman]

You say he broke this guy's cheekbone, and he kept fighting, crazy

[Ambling Alp II]

What in the world are you talking about? The Pedroza-LaPorte fights was very close. Many thought La Porte should have got the decision. There was no whipping. No obliteration.

Gomez won a clear cut decision over La Porte. Nobody thought La Porte won that one.

Pedroza whupped LaPorte outright. He beats LaPorte every day of the week and twice on Sunday. LaPorte knew it. That is why he never asked for a rematch.

Whupped him. You have to be the only person in the world who would call that a "whupping".
LaPorte "knew he lost"? Yet he filed an official protest about the decision. Makes total sense.

LaPorte never asked for a rematch? Good to know that you know everything Juan LaPorte ever said in his entire life.

[elmersalsa]

What in the world are you talking about? The Pedroza-LaPorte fights was very close. Many thought La Porte should have got the decision. There was no whipping. No obliteration.

Gomez won a clear cut decision over La Porte. Nobody thought La Porte won that one.

Pedroza whupped LaPorte outright. He beats LaPorte every day of the week and twice on Sunday. LaPorte knew it. That is why he never asked for a rematch.

Whupped him. You have to be the only person in the world who would call that a "whupping".
LaPorte "knew he lost"? Yet he filed an official protest about the decision. Makes total sense.

LaPorte never asked for a rematch? Good to know that you know everything Juan LaPorte ever said in his entire life.

Pedroza whupped LaPorte. End of story. With all that the referee took 2 points off Pedroza for low blows, he still won. How about that?

Pedroza is also one of the great top 100 pound per pound fighters.

[Ambling Alp II]

Yeah, how about that?

[elmersalsa]

Yeah, how about that?

Ye he is. Resume. Speaks for itself. He is one of the greatest all time featherweights, too.

[Ambling Alp II]

I feel sorry for every one of your teachers. I'm sure they tried.