Salvador Sanchez, my god he was a great fighter
Yo.
Died at 23 years old and already an ATG. He had AT LEAST 5 great years left in him, could have been the greatest of all time, if he had been allowed to fully mature as a fighter.
Herol Graham
Michael Watson
Gerald Mccelan
Charley Burley
Tony Ayala
Ike Ibeabuchi
Marlon Wilson
Paul Ingle
Salvador Sanchez
Sam Langford
A lot of them were given a chance and some of them were great.
McClellan and Watson were both good fighters but never got a real shot at being great because of ring injuries (something they could do nothing about).
Ayala and Ibeabuchi both ruined their own chances, so I have less sympathy for them.
Sanchez died early, could've done even more but in my opinion he proved his greatness already.
Langford never got a shot at being the world champion but aside from that, he was great in every way (fought champions from lightweight to welterweight, middleweight, light heavyweight and all the way up to the heavyweight division).
Burley is the same, he fought everyone from welterweight to middleweight & light heavyweight...
Graham had numerous title opportunities but never managed to put it all together to win one, Paul Ingle got his shot at Naseem Hamed...
Pryor not even in the poll, wtf?
He was on national TV at least a half dozen times in world title fights and headlined two major PPV's. That's a lot better chance than Burley ever got.
Sanchez already has ATG status despite his career being cut short. Certainly he would have been even greater, but I don't think it's fair to compare him to the other names listed, who lack a great deal of recognition.
Salvador Sanchez who died at 23, we'll never know if to that point he was on his peak. He turn pro when he was like 15. Also Burley should be considered.
Sanchez, just would be amazing to see him square off against JCC if they both met at a same weight.....
IF, Sanchez had lived a full life he may have very well been considered the greatest Mexican fighter ever. It would have been great to get that JCC-Sanchez fight. Might have been a passing of the torch fight between to greats.
I'm going with Harry Willis, but he isn't on that poll. Langford and Burley come up second, but atleast Burley has wins over Archie Moore and Fritive Zivic. Langford pretty much proved it by beating everyone except the heavyweight champion, who he never got a shot at.
Salvador Sanchez could have been up there with Ray Robinson he was like 23 when he died and he had already beat greats like Wilfredo Gomez and Azumah Nelson and he could have moved up and taken Alexis Arguello or even Aaron Pryor.
Vitali Klitschko
He had to retire in his prime because of serious injuries
If he had stayed healthy he would still be dominating the heavyweight division today.