Manny Pacquiao vs. Salvador Sanchez: No Surrender, No Retreat
Published: Apr 27 2010 by: Rich Thomas
A Dream Match Up Between Two Legends, Salvador Sanchez & Manny Pacquiao
Salvador Sanchez is one of boxing's great "what ifs." His 1980 to 1982 reign as WBC Featherweight Champion saw him carve a path of destruction through the division, and was brought to a halt only by Sanchez's death in a car crash. At the age of 23, Sanchez had most of what would surely become a stellar career ahead of him.
Readers who have been following my multi-part, fictional history of the career of Salvador Sanchez are by now familiar with his attributes as a fighter. First and foremost, Sanchez was a swarmer. He came forward throwing punches in bunches, and was always in the kind of shape to fight every minute of every round for 15 whole rounds, for Sanchez all of his title fights were 15 rounders. Supplementing that offense were Sanchez's good hand speed, superb head movement and counter-punching skills. Finally, Sanchez had a concrete chin. Wilfredo Gomez was ranked by The Ring as the 13th hardest pound-for-pound puncher of all-time, and yet even he was unable to dent Sanchez's chin. How would such a fighter do against the famed "Mexi-Slayer," Manny Pacquiao?
At 126 or 130 lbs., this is an awful match-up for Manny Pacquiao. At that stage in his career, Pacman was still punch-happy about his looping, overhand left, and had bad balance to boot. Because of that, Erik Morales was able to outbox him at 126. Juan Manuel Marquez came back from a 10-6 1st Round to pull out a draw, all with a broken nose, and in my book he edged Pacquiao in their 2008, 130 lbs. rematch. Pacquiao had flaws and was not quite what he would become later, and like Juan La Porte or Azumah Nelson, he would fight a Sanchez as a seasoned, strong champion.
In the opening round, both men would come forward and look to establish who was going to push who. Both would be somewhat cautious, but the refusal to back up would cause the fight to steadily escalate. Pacman would have easily been the fastest fighter Sanchez had ever seen, and those lightning bolt overhand lefts would find and score on Sanchez's head much more often than the champion was used to. This would slow, but not stop Chava.
For his part, Pacquiao would find his efforts to apply pressure to Sanchez akin to feeding himself into a mincer. The two would meet and exchange blows, both scoring, but with Pacman hitting empty air as well. Whenever he missed, Sanchez would counter-punch him with a sharp combo. Both would score, but Sanchez would score more. Sanchez would suffer a cut from Pacquiao's left by the 6th. Yet by the 8 or 9th Round, whenever Pacman threw the left and missed he would eat a sharp counter-combo. If Pacman did hit, Sanchez would counter to the body instead. Pacquiao's main weapon would be effectively neutralized, but of course Pacquiao is Pacquiao, and he would refuse to back down. By Round 12, Pacman's right eye would swell shut from all the leather counters. A 14th Round effort by Pacquiao to turn it around and knock out Sanchez would spend the rest of the Filipino's gas. After weathering the storm, Chava would storm back and stop an exhausted, half-blind, valiant Pacquiao in a 15th Round TKO.
Later on in their careers, it would be a different story. The key to Manny Pacquiao's stellar rise in weight class has been that he has grown into a true 140 lbs. fighter without losing even one iota of his hand speed. That is an extreme rarity, and I would never project the same thing for Sanchez. Furthermore, as time went by Pacman adapted in the wake of his bouts with Morales and Marquez by working on and improving his boxing style.
In a meeting at 135 lbs, Pacman would be sharper, tighter and just as fast. Sanchez would be slower and probably not have carried as much of his punching power up with him. However, Chava would still have his defensive and counter-punching prowess, as well as his concrete chin. A rematch would evolve much like a rubber match between Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez would today, except that Sanchez would be very hard to knock down and damn near impossible to knock out. Pacquiao would win a clear Unanimous Decision.
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Tags: fantasy fight, manny pacquiao, pound for pound, salvador sanchez
Sanchez would end up like Morales. Manny would be too fast, Gomez didn’t have the offensive skills and tenacity like Pacquiao. Gomez also didn’t have the chin like Pacquiao. Any of Sanchez’s opponents does not measure up close to Pacquiao. I say Pacquiao finishes Sanchez in 11 with lots of bumps and lumps on his head, just like Morales and Barrera and Cotto and Oscar.
You are in serious need of a history lesson. Gomez did not have the offensive skills of Pac? You my friend are clueless. I’ll bet anything you never saw Gomez fight in your life. Tell me who holds the record for most consecutive KO’s in championship fights? You also don’t have a clue about Sanchez skills. Sanchez would’ve school Pac. Sanchez was better counter-puncher than Marquez and why smarter than Morales in the ring. If Morales could defeat Pac then Sanchez would too and even more convincingly. Pac would have his moments but he loses something like 10 to 5. If 12 rounds then 9 to 3 or 8 to 4. It don’t matter it will be a clear win by Sanchez.
I agree with you Wilfredo. Sanchez was head and shoulders better than both Marquez & Morales and had a similiar style. Sanchez’s style, skill, intelligence and defense would have given Pacquiao fits. His endurance and chin would’ve clinched it for him. The fight nobody talks about is his fight against Azuma Nelson. Nelson swarmed Sanchez the entire fight with nonstop speedy and powerful combinations. Sanchez handled it beautifully with a calmness unlike anything I’ve ever seen, then delivered his dramatic KO finish in the 15th. It’s a damn shame we never got to see what he would accomplish next.
Sanchez was clearly the more polished fighter at featherweight so I’d agree with favoring him at that weight. But your analysis for the fight at 135 is based on pure speculation because we never saw Sanchez compete at that weight. Sanchez was only 23 when he died and had likely not reached his prime at that point so it’s likely that he would have improved with experience.
Another thing, you suggested Sanchez would be significantly slower if he moved up to lightweight (speculation once again) but you should also remember that Pacquiao had every physical advantage over Marquez (size, speed, power and chin) yet Marquez held his own using skill alone and Sanchez was a much more skilled fighter than Marquez or Morales. Another thing that should be taken into account is stamina, Pac is one of the best conditioned boxers today, but I believe Sanchez was a notch above in my opinion. He would fight 14rounders at a relentless pace without ever losing his focus, technique or even appearing out of breath. I think Sanchez’s skill, chin, stamina and versatility as a boxer/puncher would be too much for Pac between featherweight and lightweight(speculating). I think Pac would do a lot better at jr ww and ww but we dont know whether Sanchez would have ever competed at those weights or how he would look so again, that’s just speculation.
I’d pick Sanchez. He didn’t have to learn boxing. It came naturally to him. Plus he had the punch…
and dead!!!!hahahahaha
JMM is a poor man’s Salvador Sanchez and still gave Manny all he could handle
Sorry wabas but you are way off if you think pacquiao would be too much for Sanchez.When SAL was fighting title fights were 15 rnds and his skill and stamina allowed him to perform at a level not seen since.The kid was tireless with an seemingly endless supply of energy something that fighters since lack even though they fight less rnds.Pacman is quick and can punch but an old Morales beat him in there first fight and then a slow but skilled Marquez nearly beat him both times they faced each other.Barrera another tough mexican fighter old and slow by the time he faced MANNY gave him all he can handle.SALVADOR was light yrs ahead of these guys and would have outboxed and outfought Pacquiao who would tire the way he does now.SAL was ready to go 30 rnds if he had to that kind of stamina is unheard of by todays standard.When he passed away SANCHEZ`was ready to make his move up in weight something fighters since have done.SAL was the best conditioned athlete boxing has ever had lean not an ounce of fat on him and moving up would have been no problem.Sanchez over Pacquiao unanimous decision.
I aggree with all this opimion!!!…yes, pac is destructible!!!! in our dreams!…hey guys!WAKE UP, THE DOCTOR IS HERE TO INJECT US AGAIN WITH TRANQUILIZERssssssss…we’ll continue our dreams hahahahaha
sanchez is dead dead dead dead…dont wake him up or else he turns out a zzzzzzzommmbieeeeeee!
I’m Mexican and Sal is my favorite over anyone including my second favorite JC Chavez. But I agree with you. Pacaman is from other planet and I’ve never seen a boxer like him at that divisions. This would be a hell of the fight and perhaps Pacman’s toughest one. A decision win as Sal would be difficult to KO. Perhaps a TKO at the final rounds but I don’t see Sal at the floor in a match where the two of them are at their prime. But anyway, it is a big “if” but an entertaining one. It is too bad that great boxers never come in pairs!!!
Sorry I disagree.Pacman lost to morales barely beat marquez.I thought JM won the rematch.SORRY but SAL was light yrs ahead of these guys.Sanchez was the most complete fighter the last 50 yrs.HE fought when championship fights were 15rnds not 12 like today.STAMINA the kid was TIRELESS!!SORRY SANCHEZ BEATS UP PACQUIAO RNDS 13-15 TO A UNANIMOUS DECISION!!
Pac isn’t from another planet, he has never fought a 15round fight against any elite fighters. Marquez gave him hell twice using the same game plan. Pac knew what to expect from marquez and he still din’t fair any better. You say Pac is out if this world, are you kidding me? Salvador conditioning, tenacity, offensive and defensive skills with a granite chin would be more than enough o beat and even stop Pac. The man human, he has shown weaknesses. Pernell Whittaker, Julio Cesar Chavez, Aaron Pryor, Alexis Arguello and many other fighters would had given Pac more than a match. Some Pac fans are ridiculous with some of the things they say. Marquez gave him hell but he would beat Sanchez, please people.
Some people here have no clue of boxing history. First Gomez did not have the offensive skills of Pac? What clueless comment. That tell you he has no credible knowledge of boxing. Sanchez would outbox Pac worst than Morales did on their first fight. Sanchez was way smarter than Morales in the ring. Sanchez was a better counter-puncher than Marquez with better chin to boot. Pac would not defeat Sanchez and that you can take to the bank. I’m still lMAO at the comment that Gomez did not have the offensive skills of Pac? Clueless I’ll tell you Clueless. lol