Hi All, Looking Forward to Talking Boxing!

[The Six Four]

Thanks for the welcome, Master! Registering was a breeze, but I’ve noticed that posting and reading the forum sometimes requires multiple reloads. No worries, though—I’m determined to make it work!

Salvador Sanchez vs. Julio Cesar Chavez – A Clash of Greatness

Salvador Sanchez wasn’t your typical Mexican pressure fighter—his style was built on elite counterpunching, fluid combinations, and brilliant defensive movement. He had an iron chin, an underrated ring IQ, and the ability to adjust to different styles seamlessly. However, the Azumah Nelson fight showed that he could be troubled by aggression.

Chavez, as relentless and punishing as he was, could be outboxed. We saw glimpses of this in certain fights. While his pressure was suffocating, a skilled counterpuncher with lateral movement could create problems for him. Sanchez’s footwork, ability to keep his head off the line, and sharp right-hand counters would be major weapons in this matchup.

At 130 lbs, I’d favor Sanchez by unanimous decision—his ability to make opponents miss and fire back in combinations would be the difference. But timing is everything—when could this fight have realistically happened? In 1982, Chavez was still on the rise, while Sanchez was reportedly in talks to move up two divisions to face Alexis Arguello at lightweight (another incredible fantasy fight).

Had this bout taken place after 1986, the story changes. By then, Chavez had fully matured into a wrecking machine, and I’d give him the edge

[The Six Four]

Thanks for the welcome, TitoFan! I’m not new to boxing, but I stumbled upon this forum by accident while searching for an alternative to the chaos on X. As I mentioned to Master, the site’s technical issues aren’t a problem—patience is a virtue, after all.

Wilfredo Gómez, Félix Trinidad, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Alexis Argüello were all incredible to watch, each contributing to the sport’s rich history. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a buildup or atmosphere quite like Hopkins vs. Trinidad—it was electrifying.

Like you, I have several all-time favorites. I personally preferred De La Hoya over Trinidad and Hearns over Leonard. But you’re right—there are so many legends, it’s hard to name them all at once!

[Spicoli]

Welcome to the forum bud. Sanchez was an exceptional diverse fighter and also a case study in maximizing your time. Crazy to think he was just hitting his top stride when fate came in so tragically. Really enjoyed the Little Red Lopez matches and discovering future greats like Azumah bringing Sanchez to the brink. The nod and later connection with Laporte was class too. Always wondered about 130 JCC and Sanchez as paths barely missed one another. Chavez was not the frontal sometimes too square two-fisted body wrecker that we would see later 140+. Chavez had smart feet and more a boxer-puncher mover himself early on. But ultimately, I think Sanchez would have more on the end of his shots and for only 7-8 years a real hardened depth to draw on in there. An insanely brutal cruel world looking back with Sanchez cut down at 23 years young. Majority of today's guys arguing over p4p have yet to even scratch the surface of relevance that young.

[Master]

Excellent post and knowledge The Six Four (you have to explain that name )

I never knew that Salvador Sanchez v Alexis Arguello was actually considered! Just shows you how greatly Sanchez was regarded.

What I liked about Salvador Sanchez was his stamina. He could punch for fun and just did not tire. His ring intelligence and boxing IQ made him special. He beat huge names and was in great fights at such an early age. I would loved to be there for the Red Lopez and Gomez events.

[TitoFan]

I once watched a very good documentary on the career of Wilfredo Gomez, up to and including the Salvador Sanchez fight. Gomez was a beast at super bantam... probably the best there ever was. But he went up to featherweight and immediately met probably one of the greatest featherweights in history (probably would've ended up being the best ever, but tragically died young). I'm pretty sure Gomez underestimated Sanchez. He wanted the rematch badly, but it never happened as Sanchez died in a traffic accident.

[TIC]

sal beats julio, i think alexis at lightweight might have been a step too far

[The Six Four]

Thanks for the warm welcome, Spicoli. It was truly tragic that Sanchez’s life was cut short at such a young age. Danny Lopez was pure entertainment to watch, and I can see Sanchez utilizing many of the same tactics he employed against Lopez in a potential fight with Chavez.

Azumah Nelson was virtually unknown at the time and given little chance, especially since he took the Sanchez fight on short notice. Who knows how that bout would have played out if Nelson had been more seasoned and had the benefit of a full training camp?

You're right—Chavez was an exceptional boxer in his own right and naturally the bigger fighter, having moved down from 135 to claim a title at 130. If Sanchez and Chavez had ever met in the ring, I believe it would have led to an excellent series of close, hard-fought battles.

Ruben Castillo, who faced both men, believed Chavez would have won, while Juan LaPorte, another fighter who shared the ring with both, called Sanchez the best he ever fought. Interestingly, Sanchez was already contemplating retirement before the Nelson fight. I believe he had two fights left on his contract, one of which was presumably against Mario Miranda, whom Nelson replaced. Beyond boxing, Sanchez had aspirations of studying and even spoke about wanting to become a doctor.


Master, the username comes from a Mike Tyson combo, based on the number system he used under Cus D’Amato.

Yes, Sanchez had apparently already signed an agreement for the Arguello fight, but a final deal had yet to be reached. Don King was involved, so it’s unclear whether he played a role in the stalled negotiations or if it was due to Arguello’s own plans to move up in weight.

I completely agree about Sanchez’s stamina—he seemed to have an endless gas tank. Unlike a typical counterpuncher who waits for his opponent to attack, Sanchez actively created his own opportunities. It’s remarkable how many huge names he faced and the legendary fights he had at such a young age.

Attending the Little Red Lopez and Bazooka Gomez events must have been an unforgettable experience. Those were truly historic moments in boxing.


TitoFan, I completely agree—Wilfredo Gomez was an absolute beast at 122, and I consider him the greatest fighter in the division’s history. Sanchez, on the other hand, had the potential to become the greatest featherweight of all time. I currently rank him around #5, but how much higher could he have climbed with time and an eventual showdown against Pedroza? That’s tough to say.

It’s unclear whether Gomez underestimated Sanchez. Leading up to the fight, Gomez was the favorite, having knocked out all 32 of his opponents. Sanchez, though highly skilled, wasn’t as well-known outside hardcore boxing circles and may have been somewhat underrated. The first-round knockdown may have left Gomez compromised, and with his eye swelling shut by the midpoint of the fight, the challenge ahead became even more daunting.

A rematch would have been fascinating—could Gomez have made the necessary adjustments to turn the tide and secure a victory? We’ll never know, but it’s one of boxing’s great “what ifs.”


TIC, thanks for sharing those fight links—I appreciate them! I agree that Sanchez would have likely beaten Chavez, but it wouldn’t have been an easy night for either fighter. Unfortunately, we never got to see 'Chava' truly tested against the best at 130, so it's hard to say with certainty how he would have fared at lightweight, especially against a talent like Arguello.