40th Anniversary of Salvador Sanchez's Last Fight

[elmersalsa]

On a Friday night of July 21, 1982 at the famous Madison Square Garden of New York City, the great WBC World Featherweight Champion, Salvador Sanchez of Mexico defends for the last time his crown against unknown challenger Azumah Nelson of Ghana.

Little was known about Nelson by the American media. But, in only 12 professional fights, Nelson already won Ghana's, African Continent and British Empire Featherweight crowns. That's impressive for a guy with only 12 bouts.

It was a war from start to finish. At the beginning, Nelson had Sanchez confused a little bit. All Sanchez knew was that Nelson was strong and fast.

Nelson won the first couple of rounds, but, Sanchez started dominating from about the 5th round when a left hook dropped Nelson. From there Sanchez took control in the middle rounds.

It was a see-saw battle from round 10 on. In round 11, Nelson hurt Sanchez but, Sanchez didn't show a demeanor that he was hurt.

They traded punches and rounds, and the fans at MSG were getting their money's worth.

Round 15 came and belonged to Sanchez. He dropped Nelson with a combination and Nelson's face was so beat up that his upper lips grew a couple of inches. He was exhausted. Another combination from Sanchez and referee Tony Perez of Puerto Rico stopped the contest.

The winner and still the WBC Featherweight Champion of the World!: Salvador Sanchez.

Little we knew that it was Sanchez last time to ever stepped into the ring at age 23.

On August 12 of the same year just about 3 weeks from that great grueling win, Sanchez dies of an automobile accident. Leaving us a legacy and perhaps many other great fights for us to see. It was Sanchez's most courageous win. He had to dig deep to win.

In the other hand, Nelson became WBC World Featherweight Champion when he dethroned the great champion Wilfredo Gomez of Puerto Rico by an eleven round knockout in San Juan two years later. And also became a true all-time great pound per pound fighter.

[elmersalsa]

Your thoughts about the great Salvador Sanchez at the time of his death.

[Nile4000]

When I first heard he was dead, was a bit shocked. Couldn't believe it.

[Seamus]

Couldn't believe he was only 23 and gone

[tiny_acres]

I swear looking back at several fighters and I can not believe it has really been 40 years since they fought. I guess I'm just that old now.
Sanchez was so talented and so young at the time of his death. The world lost a legend that day.

[Wee Tommy]

He had the potential to be one of the greatest. I always enjoy watching his fights, he had it all.

[bollocks]

Starting so young, his prime was also at a young age IMO. My thinking is that at 27 / 28 his best may have been well and truly behind him

[Ambling Alp II]

We will never know. Still consider him the #3 featherweight of all time. Fun to watch, and he took on some good competition.

[elmersalsa]

His career was not complete until he fought the great Eusebio Pedroza, the WBA featherweight counterpart from Panama.

I think that Pedroza would have taken him and beat him by UD. Pedroza, nicknamed as The Panamanian Scorpion, was the most complete fighter that I ever saw.

[giacomino]

Sánchez would have beaten Pedroza by UD. No knockdowns, just outboxed him

[elmersalsa]

Sánchez would have beaten Pedroza by UD. No knockdowns, just outboxed him

Outboxing Pedroza was a difficult task. I don't think that Pedroza has ever been outboxed.

I don't discard a Sanchez possibility of a win against Pedroza. They were evenly matched. None of the two had never fought the quality of the other. Anybody could win that fight. But, I lean towards the great Eusebio Pedroza. I think that Pedroza got the style to beat the great Salvador Sanchez.

[Ambling Alp II]

Gomez and Nelson were great fighters that were arguably as good as or better than Pedroza.
Pedroza got might got a decision handed to him yet again. But he probably would not won legitimately.
Sanchez didn't have to have the judges bail him out.

[elmersalsa]

Gomez and Nelson were great fighters that were arguably as good as or better than Pedroza.
Pedroza got might got a decision handed to him yet again. But he probably would not won legitimately.
Sanchez didn't have to have the judges bail him out.

Azumah Nelson and Wilfredo Gomez were great fighters, but, skillwise, they were not better than the great Eusebio Pedroza. Watch his fights and his style. You might learn something or two. I can't say that about Gomez nor Nelson.

Pedroza did not need no judges to bail him out. He won his fights outright. He was a true all-time great pound per pound fighter that the American media does not want to give him the credit that he deserves.

In my view, Pedroza was a great as any other featherweight champion in history. He would give them fits win, lose or draw. What a fighter he was.

[Ambling Alp II]

Will have to agree to disagree. For one millionth time.

[Nile4000]

If Eusebio flew to Puerto Rico to ask Salvador to fight him, and he turned Pedroza down, strong actions.

[elmersalsa]

If Eusebio flew to Puerto Rico to ask Salvador to fight him, and he turned Pedroza down, strong actions.

Yes. Salvador Sanchez' promoter, Don King, told Eusebio Pedroza that Sanchez didn't want to fight him.

[Nile4000]

If Eusebio flew to Puerto Rico to ask Salvador to fight him, and he turned Pedroza down, strong actions.

Yes. Salvador Sanchez' promoter, Don King, told Eusebio Pedroza that Sanchez didn't want to fight him.

Makes you wonder if Don had an influence in that.

[Ambling Alp II]

Sanchez beat Lopez (2x), Gomez, and Nelson clearly. Stopped them all.

Pedroza has zero wins over Hall of Famers.
In his biggest fights, the judges bailed him out. Lockridge (2x) Bernard Taylor, and Juan LaPorte.
Who did he ever beat clearly?

Sanchez was always considered by almost everyone at the time. He clearly the better fighter.

[Monzon83]

Pedroza admittedly ageing got beat by McGuigan. No way Sanchez loses to Barry. If they fought in 83/84 Sanchez the younger man would have won fairly easily.

[elmersalsa]

Sanchez beat Lopez (2x), Gomez, and Nelson clearly. Stopped them all.

Pedroza has zero wins over Hall of Famers.
In his biggest fights, the judges bailed him out. Lockridge (2x) Bernard Taylor, and Juan LaPorte.
Who did he ever beat clearly?

Sanchez was always considered by almost everyone at the time. He clearly the better fighter.

No, he wasn't. He had the better resume. He wasn't clearly the better fighter. He had to prove it in the ring with the great Eusebio Pedroza, in which in my opinion, was a fine and fantastic top 100 all-time great fighter no matter how we see him.

Pedroza beat hall of Famer Ruben Olivares. I guess you forgot that. The other hall of Famers, Danny Lopez, Salvador Sanchez, Wilfredo Gomez and Azumah Nelson, didn't look in Pedroza's direction.

I ask everyone in this forum, if Pedroza was inferior to those guys, why they didn't ask for an unification title match?

[Ambling Alp II]

Well they never fought, so we have to go with what did happen. And what did happen was that Sanchez beat better fighters and beat them more clearly.

You are counting Pedroza's win over Olivares ? wow. how desperate are you to find a big win. Olivares was way past his best by then.
Danny Lopez had less trouble with Olivares four years earlier.

If we are counting Pedroza's win over Olivares then there can't use the past his prime excuse for Pedroza for losing to Barry Mcguigan. And to Castro.

Sanchez was clearly the better fighter. Not really even that close.

[elmersalsa]

Well they never fought, so we have to go with what did happen. And what did happen was that Sanchez beat better fighters and beat them more clearly.

You are counting Pedroza's win over Olivares ? wow. how desperate are you to find a big win. Olivares was way past his best by then.
Danny Lopez had less trouble with Olivares four years earlier.

If we are counting Pedroza's win over Olivares then there can't use the past his prime excuse for Pedroza for losing to Barry Mcguigan. And to Castro.

Sanchez was clearly the better fighter. Not really even that close.

Sanchez was not clearly the better fighter. That's an aberration. He had better resume and beat better fighters, but that does not mean that he was clearly the better fighter when they never fought.

Pedroza had 20 title defenses. Ten of them in his opponent's backyard, something that Sanchez only did that once or twice. The 10 defenses in opponent's backyards is a world record for title defenses. That is impressive!

Pedroza never had the opportunity to fight the elite champions. He challenged Sanchez and Sanchez didn't want the fight. Plain and simple.

I mentioned that Pedroza beat the great Olivares because you said that he never beat hall of fame boxers. That's all. That wasn't a desperate statement. It was a fact that you did ignore or probably didn't remember.

Sanchez had better resume of fighters that he has beaten. Pedroza had more world championship defenses. He didn't had the fault that the the best didn't want to face him at all. It is, what it is. Both were top 10 featherweight greats. One was loved by the American media and the other one wasn't.

[Ambling Alp II]

Better resume > Number title defenses. By a mile.

[elmersalsa]

Better resume > Number title defenses. By a mile.

You can say so. I differ. Pedroza was champion of all over the world defending his title all over the globe.

Skillwise, I think both were equally skilled and complete fighters.

[Ambling Alp II]

Who was better, Tommy Burns or George Foreman?