There’s that previous Sixties question: what if that they had a struggle and no person got here? Contemplating the 1982 conflict between featherweights Salvador Sanchez and Azumah Nelson, the higher query is: what if that they had an epic, action-packed, back-and-forth scorcher of a combat between two Corridor of Fame champions and nobody knew about it?
In boxing, it’s simple to get vexed about all of the terrific matches that by no means had been or might be, however long-time combat followers realize it’s all the time higher to be glad about what you get, than to worry over what the merciless boxing gods deny you. And so, virtually 4 many years later, we are able to look again with renewed appreciation on the dream combat that was between two nice champions, Nelson and Sanchez.
After all followers and pundits have to be forgiven for not recognizing again in 1982 what a really top-shelf match Sanchez vs Nelson actually was. In any case, nobody outdoors of Ghana knew something about Azumah, who had a paltry file of 13 bouts and was introduced in as a final second substitute for prime contender Mario Miranda. Other than holding the Commonwealth featherweight title, he possessed no {qualifications} for a shot at a world championship in any respect, a lot much less a bout with the person considered one of many most interesting performers within the sport. Because of this, fewer than six thousand confirmed up at Madison Sq. Backyard that night time.
In distinction to Nelson, Sanchez, at solely 23 years of age, entered the ring with the mantle of greatness already upon his shoulders. Since turning professional in 1975, his profession had moved quick, virtually as quick because the sports activities automobiles he liked to drive. He fought incessantly, at the least six bouts per yr, and since battering Danny Lopez to win the featherweight crown, he had notched 9 title defenses in simply two years, his thrilling knockout win over Wilfredo Gomez cementing his standing as, pound-for-pound, one of many easiest.
Promoter Don King had not too long ago begun negotiations for a giant cash super-fight between Sanchez and light-weight king Alexis Arguello, and at this level there actually was no telling how far younger Salvador’s skills might take him. Having been featured on community tv in virtually all of his title wins, the American public had come to admire his precision counter-punching, granite chin and wonderful stamina. To everybody’s shock, he would want all of those attributes to beat the brave problem of Azumah Nelson in some of the thrilling contests in division historical past.
From the opening bell, Nelson, with nothing to lose and a loud contingent of fellow Ghanaians within the stands chanting and cheering, was a whirlwind of kinetic vitality, attacking with abandon and firing large photographs from all angles. The champion was a notoriously sluggish starter, besides, the ferocity of Azumah’s early forays stunned all. Setting a relentless tempo, he scored with left hooks within the opening seconds after which adopted up with laborious proper palms behind an aggressive jab. A proper lead shook Sanchez close to the top of spherical one and Nelson leaped in to attach with each fists, even treating followers to an improvised Ali shuffle between flurries of punches.
It was extra of the identical within the second with the challenger displaying Sanchez no respect, making the champion miss after which countering with heavy photographs from both hand. The straight proper proved to be Nelson’s handiest weapon and thus the all the time affected person and wily Sanchez appeared to counter with the left hook, and early within the third a stiff one buckled the challenger’s legs, a portent of issues to come back. Nonetheless, each time the champion landed, Nelson fired again and the gutsy African gained the fourth, ambushing Sanchez on the finish of the spherical with laborious rights and harsh hooks to the stomach. A flush uppercut adopted by a left to the intestine appeared to deflate the champion and after the spherical he complained to his nook that he felt “weak.”
Nelson continued to make the combat within the fifth, rocking Salvador with a thudding hook halfway via, the final minute of the spherical a toe-to-toe slugfest. The sixth was shut, with Sanchez approaching at its finish, however then within the seventh, the champion, trying to find a technique to decisively flip the tide, lastly discovered what he was on the lookout for. Anticipating Azumah’s proper, he beat him to the mark with an ideal left hook that nearly put the challenger down. A harm Nelson stumbled after which went toe-to-toe, winging wild photographs, however just like the surgeon he reportedly wished to be after his boxing profession ended, Sanchez calmly fielded the maelstrom of blows to get in one other brief, exact hook. This time the blow despatched Azumah to the canvas.
Nelson rose on the rely of six and, demonstrating the guts and resilience of a future triple crown champion, went again on the assault. Ever poised and affected person, Sanchez took his time, permitting the fearless challenger to get his punches off earlier than beautiful him once more close to spherical’s finish with a pointy proper. The beginning of the eighth noticed the champion in management, seemingly rising stronger with every alternate, and hurting Nelson once more with a counter left. Within the ninth, he tried to field Nelson, exploiting his higher mobility and longer attain, however the challenger pressured him, forcing him right into a sequence of brutal, inside exchanges during which Sanchez ruthlessly dug away at Azumah’s ribs.
However the punishment appeared to haven’t any impact and Nelson got here again to take the subsequent two rounds on sheer aggression. The ultimate minute of the eleventh noticed the 2 warriors slug it out and the inexperienced African, to everybody’s shock, bought the higher of it, touchdown thudding rights to the pinnacle earlier than briefly staggering Sanchez with a left hook to the jaw. At this level everybody anticipated Nelson, who had by no means fought previous the tenth, to fade, however the twelfth noticed no let up within the depth of the two-way motion. And because the challenger took the thirteenth on the power of his brawling assault, his proper palms forcing Sanchez to retreat, it started to daybreak on incredulous reporters and ringsiders that Sanchez vs Nelson may show to be not solely an sudden struggle for the ages, but in addition a momentous upset.
But it surely was to not be. The fourteenth was one other nice motion spherical however lastly – lastly! – there appeared some give on the a part of the challenger, his power waning, his legs faltering, his punches wider and slower. He had shocked everybody along with his gallant stand, had given Sanchez the hardest battle of his profession, and in the long run it was not a lot ability or method and even expertise deciding the result as a lot as grit, stamina and the impervious chin of “The Invincible Eagle,” which had beforehand withstood bombs from Lopez, Gomez and Juan La Porte, and now had taken the very best from Nelson and remained unshakable.
As the ultimate spherical started, the courageous challenger as soon as extra pressed, forcing Sanchez to the ropes and letting his palms go, however on the similar time leaving himself open for Salvador’s lethal counters. A proper backed Nelson up and a hook staggered him and now it was apparent his legs had been gone. Their positions reversed and it was Azumah on the ropes as Sanchez dug each palms to the physique earlier than backing off, making Nelson come ahead and throw punches, the higher to seek out openings for the crafty Mexican sharp-shooter to take advantage of.
Seconds later a sequence of flush photographs had the challenger in serious trouble and nonetheless, he wouldn’t cease slinging leather-based, till yet one more crushing left hook buckled his legs and left him momentarily out on his ft, his palms down, his entire physique contorted and off stability, like some decrepit, weather-beaten scarecrow. Two extra lefts lastly pressured the cussed challenger to break down however, extremely, Azumah instantly scrambled to his ft and waved at Sanchez to come back again, to maintain preventing, as if the knockdown had by no means occurred.
However regardless of his astonishing bravado, Nelson was completed. All coronary heart and braveness, he held his palms up like a religious supplicant for referee Tony Perez, begging for the battle to proceed, however when it did it was the champion touchdown at will and the challenger staggering concerning the ring, earlier than Perez lastly stepped in and ended it, waving his arms and awarding the victory, and the tenth profitable protection of his featherweight crown, to Salvador Sanchez.
There are a variety of explanation why this dramatic and grueling wrestle has been largely neglected by so many within the years since. First, 1982 occurred to be a banner yr for monumentally thrilling clashes. An exciting contest, Sanchez vs Nelson would have simply been Combat of the Yr in different years, however discovered itself in fourth place behind Aaron Pryor vs Alexis Arguello, Bobby Chacon vs Rafael Limon IV and Wilfredo Gomez vs Lupe Pintor, all magnificent wars. Second, not like these wonderful matches, there had been no expectation of a fantastic combat. Nobody knew who Nelson was, most had anticipated a routine win for Sanchez, and thus comparatively few followers noticed one of many decade’s nice fights.
However along with these information, the occasion which overshadows Sanchez vs Nelson is what befell simply three weeks later. A lover of sports activities automobiles, a person and a fighter who all the time moved quick, with depth and function, Sanchez was driving his Porsche at excessive velocity on a freeway in central Mexico when he tried to move a truck. He in some way miscalculated, slamming right into a second truck, and Salvador “Chava” Sanchez, the 23-year-old champion with seemingly limitless potential, the conqueror of Lopez and Gomez and Nelson, was killed immediately.
A complete nation, and scores of boxing followers, mourned the dying of this nice warrior, a boxer who had, in lower than three years, left an indelible mark on the game and established himself as a real nice. And a part of what makes him nice, a vital aspect in his legacy, is that this epic combat, a contest made extra significant and resonant as Azumah Nelson’s profession unfolded and we realized that his courageous effort on that summer season night time was not the results of some miraculous circumstance, however as an alternative testomony to the nice Ghanaian’s expertise and tenacity, to the skills of a person who would come to be acknowledged as the best African boxer of all-time.
The reality stays {that a} younger Azumah Nelson gave an electrifying efficiency that night time, an astonishing exhibition of coronary heart and willpower that might solely have been withstood and overcome by a boxer of equal braveness and even larger expertise. Salvador Sanchez had already proved himself a really nice boxer, however on that summer season night time in New York Metropolis he put the ending, closing contact on a Corridor of Fame legacy simply earlier than all of it got here to an finish. Earlier than the younger Salvador, who remained cool and calm when beneath probably the most intense stress, who might negotiate the quickest twists and turns contained in the ring, fatally underestimated a dangerous maneuver on a dusty, slender Mexican street, and left boxing followers to without end speculate as to what might need been. — Michael Carbert
