Sanchez, Salvador

Salvador Sanchez, byname Chava, (born Jan. 26, 1958, Santiago Tianguistenco, Mex.—died Aug. 12, 1982, near Mexico City), Mexican professional boxer, world featherweight (126 pounds) champion, 1980–82.

Sanchez began his professional boxing career in 1975. His only loss was a 10-round decision (a fight whose outcome is determined by judges’ scoring) to Antonio Becerra for the vacant Mexican bantamweight (118 pounds) championship on Sept. 9, 1977. Sanchez became the World Boxing Council (WBC) featherweight champion by knocking out American Danny (“Little Red”) Lopez in the 13th round on Feb. 2, 1980. Sanchez successfully defended the WBC title four times that year, including a 14th-round knockout of Lopez in a rematch on June 21. His most memorable title fight was on Aug. 21, 1981, when he faced Puerto Rican Wilfredo Gomez, the WBC junior featherweight (122 pounds; also known as super bantamweight) champion, who had moved up in weight class for the fight. Gomez stepped into the ring unbeaten in 33 fights and flaunting 32 knockouts. Sanchez knocked down Gomez in the first round and dominated the match, until the referee stopped the one-sided contest in the eighth round. Sanchez’s career ended abruptly because of a fatal automobile accident shortly after his eighth successful title defense, a 15th-round knockout of Azumah Nelson of Ghana on July 21, 1982. Despite his short life, Sanchez managed to amass a 46-bout record of 44 wins (32 by knockouts) against 1 loss and 1 draw. Sanchez was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991.