Quote Originally Posted by greynotsoold View Post
Quote Originally Posted by Spicoli View Post
Going by memory of the Gaby Canizales title win over Sandavol is a lot easier than rewatching it. Just a hard watch again. I had no idea he had not made 118 for that long and read that he even stopped eating 2 days going in? Had to force retire after that at only 26, thankfully escaping permanent damage though. Night with Chandler was pinnacle brilliance by Richie Sandoval.
After he won the title, he sat in a vacant shop just inside the main entrance of the Indian Hill Mall in Pomona with his belt signing autographs. He was the hero of Pomona at the time and, while he was there, people would bring him food. You could literally watch him grow. He had those non title fights but they were at 130 if my memory is correct.
The quintessential "hometown boy makes good on his town" playing out. Good stuff. I forgot how he qualified for the US Olympic team in 80' but the entire team sat out with the Moscow boycott. He did some good work with Top rank and was always a fixture with bringing Michael Carbajal onboard. Gotta love when fighters get to live/work beyond being in the ring post career and young fighters just soak up the knowledge.