By Brent Matteo Alderson

Julio Cesar Chavez is almost universally regarded as the greatest fighter in Mexican history.  He was 83-0 and battled through the best that three divisions had to offer until his reign of pound for pound supremacy was unceremoniously derailed by the great Pernell Whitaker in September of 93. 

Up until that point Chavez was the quintessential Mexican warrior slowing down fleet footed rivals with well placed left hooks to the body and shaking off his opponents’ best shots without even flinching or taking a step back.

Who knows, maybe if things had worked out differently there’s a very real possibility that I wouldn’t be here writing about Chavez or you wouldn’t be here reading about him.  You see Chavez won his first world title in 1984 at 130 pounds, but two years prior to that in the fall of 1982, the great Salvador Sanchez died in a car accident at the tender age of 23. 

Inevitably Sanchez would have moved up to 130 pound because he had been the WBC 126 pound champion for over two years and with being a young and still physically maturing 23 years old along with being 5’7, his body would have necessitated a rise in weight which in all likelihood would have been a move to 130 in 1984 around the same time that Chavez was making his way up the championship ladder.

What would of happened to Chavez if he had met Sanchez at 130 pounds in 84 when he was still a bit green and struggling to make the junior-lightweight limit?  Would Chavez of just moved up to 135 and skipped the challenge or would he have stayed at 130 and aimed for a bout with his compatriot? 

And if he had fought Sanchez would he have been victorious or if he lost would he have been able to rebound and reestablish his championship legacy like Pipino Cuevas and Jose Luis Castillo did after some tough losses early in their careers? 

Surprisingly all the people that I spoke with regarding this mythical match up all thought that Sanchez would have beaten Chavez in 1984. 

Jorge Barrera, a former prizefighter as well as the brother of Marco Antonio commented, “That’s a tough one.  They were both great fighters.  It’s hard to say, but at 130 I would go with Sanchez by a very close hard-fought decision because I think it really hurt Chavez to make 130 pounds and I think the weight loss would be a factor.” 

Jorge Barrera as well as Rick Reeno, the editor of BoxingScene.com, both cited Chavez’s close decision victories over Rocky Lockridge and Juan Laporte to support their assertion that Chavez had troubling making the junior lightweight limit.  Reeno also noted, “Chavez was at his best in the late 80’s, 88 and 89. 

I think he was too green for a fighter of Sanchez’s caliber at that point in time and think Sanchez would have beaten Chavez at 130.”  Chavez was a great fighter, and people forget that even though Sanchez knocked out Wilfredo Gomez and Azumah Nelson that he also struggled to decisions against Englishman Pat Codwell and Patrick Ford, but I still agree with Barrera and Reeno and feel that Chavez was just too inexperienced in 84 and think that Sanchez would have been able to box his way to a hard fought decision victory. 

Random Boxing Notes:

I’m glad David Tua is back and even though he’s not in his prime, he still has the chin and the punch to knock out most of today’s heavyweights.  If he comes in under 240 I would pick him against Wladimir Klitschko and Shannon Briggs.  And a fight against Samuel Peter would be a classic

Check out the March edition of the Ring on sale January 2.  I did the cover story on Barrera.

It’s sad to see the end of the boxing newsletters Flash and Boxing Update.  I used to run out to check the mail, anxiously waiting for news about the boxing world.  Thanks for all the good work you guys did over the years.  If you live in the US and you’re a real hardcore boxing fan you subscribed.  I did. 

Where is Travis Simms?  Last time I checked he was undefeated and coming off of a win against Bronco McKart.  Let me know if you know.

I’ve always liked following the British Heavyweight scene and right now it’s more intriguing than ever, I’m really looking forward to the clash between Danny Williams and the undefeated Matt Skelton.  This may sound stupid, but even though he has suffered retina damage and has undergone treatment for depression, I’d like to see Frank Bruno come out of retirement to fight for the British Title.  I think he could do it.  He’s 44 years old, but Bruno is always in shape. 

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