Remembering Chava

[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.