Remembering Chava

[marbleheadmaui]

The week after Salvador Sanchez died, Howard Cosell (who had called a bunch of his fights) offered this wonderful tribute. If you haven't seen it it is nine minutes well spent.

[greynotsoold]

He beat Little Red twice. Still haven't forgiven him.

[marbleheadmaui]

He beat Little Red twice. Still haven't forgiven him.

It was hard not to love Danny Lopez wasn't it?

I found it equally hard not to admire Salvador.

[THE THIRD MAN]

Gone at just 23, he most certainly would've fought Nelson again and i wonder if JCC would've become Super Featherweight Champion? Boxing in the 80's was completely changed with his untimely death. It is hard to imagine he beat La Porte, Lopez twice, knocked out Wilfredo Gomez and stopped Azumah Nelson all before the age of 23. You could argue that Sanchez had not yet reached his peak!

[marbleheadmaui]

Gone at just 23, he most certainly would've fought Nelson again and i wonder if JCC would've become Super Featherweight Champion? Boxing in the 80's was completely changed with his untimely death. It is hard to imagine he beat La Porte, Lopez twice, knocked out Wilfredo Gomez and stopped Azumah Nelson all before the age of 23. You could argue that Sanchez had not yet reached his peak!

Sure could. The really scary and sad thing is the names available to Sanchez at 126 and 130 over the next 3 or so years. Rematches with LaPorte and Azumah and Bazook as well as fights with McGuigan, Cervantes, Lockridge, Boza-Edwards, Camacho, Chacon, Bernard Taylor, Anzibache, JCC and Roger Mayweather.

Good God what a list!

If he stays around five years to when he's 28? Add in Brian Mitchell and Lupe Pintor and Jeff Fenech.

Just imagine if he fights those 16 men and goes say 13-3 or 12-4. Then he's 56-4 or so with 20 wins over ranked guys and potentially a total of a dozen wins over HOF guys.

That'd be a record that outstrips any Mexican who ever fought and even men like Sweet Pea and Ray Leonard and Duran. Chava had a chance to be THE fighter between Ali and now.

[THE THIRD MAN]

Gone at just 23, he most certainly would've fought Nelson again and i wonder if JCC would've become Super Featherweight Champion? Boxing in the 80's was completely changed with his untimely death. It is hard to imagine he beat La Porte, Lopez twice, knocked out Wilfredo Gomez and stopped Azumah Nelson all before the age of 23. You could argue that Sanchez had not yet reached his peak!

Sure could. The really scary and sad thing is the names available to Sanchez at 126 and 130 over the next 3 or so years. Rematches with LaPorte and Azumah and Bazook as well as fights with McGuigan, Cervantes, Lockridge, Boza-Edwards, Camacho, Chacon, Bernard Taylor, Anzibache, JCC and Roger Mayweather.

Good God what a list!

If he stays around five years to when he's 28? Add in Brian Mitchell and Lupe Pintor and Jeff Fenech.

Just imagine if he fights those 16 men and goes say 13-3 or 12-4. Then he's 56-4 or so with 20 wins over ranked guys and potentially a total of a dozen wins over HOF guys.

That'd be a record that outstrips any Mexican who ever fought and even men like Sweet Pea and Ray Leonard and Duran. Chava had a chance to be THE fighter between Ali and now.

It might have taken someone like Whitaker to have beaten him? Sanchez would only have been 30 when Whitaker was Lightweight champion. The mind boggles at what possible achievements were waiting for Salvador Sanchez. I have no doubt that JCC would've have received his first loss at the hands of this man.

[marbleheadmaui]

Gone at just 23, he most certainly would've fought Nelson again and i wonder if JCC would've become Super Featherweight Champion? Boxing in the 80's was completely changed with his untimely death. It is hard to imagine he beat La Porte, Lopez twice, knocked out Wilfredo Gomez and stopped Azumah Nelson all before the age of 23. You could argue that Sanchez had not yet reached his peak!

Sure could. The really scary and sad thing is the names available to Sanchez at 126 and 130 over the next 3 or so years. Rematches with LaPorte and Azumah and Bazook as well as fights with McGuigan, Cervantes, Lockridge, Boza-Edwards, Camacho, Chacon, Bernard Taylor, Anzibache, JCC and Roger Mayweather.

Good God what a list!



If he stays around five years to when he's 28? Add in Brian Mitchell and Lupe Pintor and Jeff Fenech.

Just imagine if he fights those 16 men and goes say 13-3 or 12-4. Then he's 56-4 or so with 20 wins over ranked guys and potentially a total of a dozen wins over HOF guys.

That'd be a record that outstrips any Mexican who ever fought and even men like Sweet Pea and Ray Leonard and Duran. Chava had a chance to be THE fighter between Ali and now.

It might have taken someone like Whitaker to have beaten him? Sanchez would only have been 30 when Whitaker was Lightweight champion. The mind boggles at what possible achievements were waiting for Salvador Sanchez. I have no doubt that JCC would've have received his first loss at the hands of this man.

I suspect if he fights those sixteen guys? He takes enough cumulative punishment, has a couple of nights where he's not quite at his peak and he loses some of those fights. That's a daunting schedule.

But you can certainly imagine around 1986 in Azteca Stadium Chava and Chavez having it out and Chava beating him. I also wonder if in say 1988 or 1989 if in a rematch Chavez ends the Sanchez era of greatness.

Such a loss.

[miron_lang]

Gone at just 23, he most certainly would've fought Nelson again and i wonder if JCC would've become Super Featherweight Champion? Boxing in the 80's was completely changed with his untimely death. It is hard to imagine he beat La Porte, Lopez twice, knocked out Wilfredo Gomez and stopped Azumah Nelson all before the age of 23. You could argue that Sanchez had not yet reached his peak!

Sure could. The really scary and sad thing is the names available to Sanchez at 126 and 130 over the next 3 or so years. Rematches with LaPorte and Azumah and Bazook as well as fights with McGuigan, Cervantes, Lockridge, Boza-Edwards, Camacho, Chacon, Bernard Taylor, Anzibache, JCC and Roger Mayweather.

Good God what a list!

If he stays around five years to when he's 28? Add in Brian Mitchell and Lupe Pintor and Jeff Fenech.

Just imagine if he fights those 16 men and goes say 13-3 or 12-4. Then he's 56-4 or so with 20 wins over ranked guys and potentially a total of a dozen wins over HOF guys.

That'd be a record that outstrips any Mexican who ever fought and even men like Sweet Pea and Ray Leonard and Duran. Chava had a chance to be THE fighter between Ali and now.

How is Pancho Villa's competition at the time of his death? I think he was also 23.

He lost to Jimmy Mclarnin on points the same day a tooth was extracted from him causing his death.

I bet he would have done better if he is 100% for the McLarnin fight.

[marbleheadmaui]

Gone at just 23, he most certainly would've fought Nelson again and i wonder if JCC would've become Super Featherweight Champion? Boxing in the 80's was completely changed with his untimely death. It is hard to imagine he beat La Porte, Lopez twice, knocked out Wilfredo Gomez and stopped Azumah Nelson all before the age of 23. You could argue that Sanchez had not yet reached his peak!

Sure could. The really scary and sad thing is the names available to Sanchez at 126 and 130 over the next 3 or so years. Rematches with LaPorte and Azumah and Bazook as well as fights with McGuigan, Cervantes, Lockridge, Boza-Edwards, Camacho, Chacon, Bernard Taylor, Anzibache, JCC and Roger Mayweather.

Good God what a list!

If he stays around five years to when he's 28? Add in Brian Mitchell and Lupe Pintor and Jeff Fenech.

Just imagine if he fights those 16 men and goes say 13-3 or 12-4. Then he's 56-4 or so with 20 wins over ranked guys and potentially a total of a dozen wins over HOF guys.

That'd be a record that outstrips any Mexican who ever fought and even men like Sweet Pea and Ray Leonard and Duran. Chava had a chance to be THE fighter between Ali and now.

How is Pancho Villa's competition at the time of his death? I think he was also 23.

He lost to Jimmy Mclarnin on points the same day a tooth was extracted from him causing his death.

I bet he would have done better if he is 100% for the McLarnin fight.

I han't made that connection. Pancho had about twice as many wins, had wins over HOFers Jimmy Wilde (past it) and Bud Taylor (twice). The flyweights in the early 1920's were another formidable bunch with Frankie Genaro (who'd beaten Pancho), Al Brown (5'11 flyweight!), Izzy Scwartz, Fidel LaBarba and Newsboy Brown. A lot of work to be done there.

Good thought there.

On McLarnin It's hard to believe that tooth and the procedure didn't impact Pancho's energy level and performance.

[IamInuit]

RIP Champ. Cant think of a better featherweight. He's in the 3 mix with Armstrong and Pep.

They had prelim talks of a match between Sal and Arguello prior to that fateful day and his collision with that chicken wagon.