There have been countless boxing greats from Mexico, and one such legend from the retro boxing era was Salvador Sanchez. The pugilist was a featherweight prospect who rose to super-stardom in no time. Unfortunately, the rising star of the sport died a painful death at 23 when his Porsche 928 collided with a truck on a highway in Queretaro, Mexico.
He was the WBC featherweight champion, who was looking to make his mark in the boxing world.
Recently, the baddest man on the planet, Mike Tyson, shed some light on the magnetic aura of Salvador Sanchez. Speaking on his Hotboxin’ podcast, he said:
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“I think Sanchez is hard to beat.”
“If you’re a halfway fighter, a decent fighter, you might last the distance (against him). As good as you are, you’re greater, you are the more, he kicks your a**. He fights right above the level of the game that he’s fighting. He’s just above everybody else. And last time he was just such a bad motherf**ker,” said Tyson.
‘Chava’ made his boxing debut in 1975, after which there was no turning back for him. He went on to win every fight in his first two years as a professional. Despite suffering his first and only loss in 1977, Sanchez didn’t stop at all.
Taking that loss on his chin, he moved ahead and finally captured the WBC title in 1980. Moreover, he defended his title a whopping 10 times.
Salvador Sanchez – the star featherweight
With a cracking record of 44-1, Sanchez struck every boxing fan’s eye. He possessed enormous skill sets that his opponents couldn’t counter. Coupled with power, ‘Chava’ had swift in-ring movements that helped him dispatch his opponents with ease.
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In the above podcast, even ‘Iron’ Mike admitted Sanchez fared differently against the greatest pugilists and gave them a stern outing.
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This made him a special fighter, and all of his fights grabbed massive eyeballs. He was one of a kind, and there’ll never be a boxer as captivating as him.
What do you make of Tyson’s exuberant remarks on Salvador Sanchez?