Salvador Sanchez vs. Juan Laporte
Encyclopedia
The Salvador Sánchez
vs. Juan Laporte
fight was a boxing
encounter that took place on December 13, 1980, in El Paso, Texas
, for the WBC
world Featherweight title.
by a thirteenth round knockout on February 2 of that year. He followed that win with defenses against Ruben Castillo, Lopez in a rematch and Patrick Ford. Despite the fact that Sanchez was a world champion, he had reached celebrity status only in his native Mexico and among hardcore boxing fans. It was when Sanchez beat Wilfredo Gómez
that it can be said Sanchez gained full celebrity status.
On the other hand, Laporte was even lesser known than Sanchez, as even many among his fellow Puerto Ricans
did not know him. He was known more than anywhere else in the New York
area, having fought at the Madison Square Garden
often during the early parts of his career. He sported a record of 15 wins and 1 loss, with 8 wins by knockout, coming into his bout with Sanchez.
live on ABC
.
Laporte, the underdog, pressed Sanchez into a torrid pace since early on in the bout. Sanchez was never knocked down in his career; Laporte only once in over 50 fights. The two boxers traded punches toe to toe for most of the encounter, but Sanchez utilized his experience to his advantage. The less experienced Laporte, however, kept firing back at Sanchez, connecting with multiple hard shots that bounced off Sanchez's head and chin.
By the latter rounds, Sanchez's expertise was becoming more evident, as he repeatedly shook Laporte with blows to the head. Laporte, however, hung in and kept trying to overtake the champion. Much to the delight of the crowd, Laporte did not refuse to trade punches with the champion until the bell rang to end round fifteen, signifying the end of the bout. Fans gave both fighters a standing ovation after the bout was over.
Sanchez retained the title by unanimous decision, with scores of 148-142 (8-2-5 in rounds), 146-139 (11-4) and 147-140 (10-3-2).
Laporte and Sanchez forged a friendship that lasted for the rest of Sanchez's life after the bout.
On August 21, 1981, Sanchez finally reached cross-over celebrity when he knocked out Gómez
, as aforementioned, in eight rounds at Las Vegas, Nevada
.
After having defeated Azumah Nelson
to retain his title, Sanchez reportedly signed a contract to fight Laporte in a rematch, and he went to training
soon after.
Sanchez's words to Laporte after their fight would tragically become prophetic when Sanchez was killed in a car accident on August 12 of 1982, and, on September 15, Laporte captured the vacant WBC world Featherweight title by knocking out Mario Miranda in ten rounds at the Madison Square Garden.
Salvador Sánchez
Salvador Sánchez Narváez was a Mexican boxer born in the town of Santiago Tianguistenco, Estado de México. Many of his contemporaries as well as boxing writers believe that, had it not been for his premature death, Sanchez could have gone on to become the greatest Featherweight boxer of all time...
vs. Juan Laporte
Juan Laporte
Juan Laporte is a former boxer who was born in Guayama, Puerto Rico.-Amateur career:Juan Laporte won the 1976 112 lb New York Golden Gloves Sub-Novice Championship. He defeated Long Island's Ricky Brown in the finals. Laporte was defeated by Joseph Nieto of the Police Athletic Leagues Lynch...
fight was a boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
encounter that took place on December 13, 1980, in El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
, for the WBC
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
world Featherweight title.
Before the fight
Salvador Sánchez had an undefeated record of 37 wins, 0 loss and one draw, with 29 knockouts. He had won the WBC world Featherweight championship by defeating Danny LopezDanny Lopez
Danny Lopez is a former American boxer from Fort Duchesne, Utah. He was world Featherweight champion, and a very popular fighter both in television and Southern California, during the 1970s. His nickname is Little Red.-Background:...
by a thirteenth round knockout on February 2 of that year. He followed that win with defenses against Ruben Castillo, Lopez in a rematch and Patrick Ford. Despite the fact that Sanchez was a world champion, he had reached celebrity status only in his native Mexico and among hardcore boxing fans. It was when Sanchez beat Wilfredo Gómez
The Battle of the Little Giants
The Battle of the Little Giants was a 1981 boxing event with a deep social impact.Fought on August 21, 1981, at the Caesars Palace hotel on the Las Vegas Strip, it pitted Wilfredo Gómez, a Puerto Rican who had a record of 32 wins, 0 losses, 1 draw, and all his wins by knockout, and who was the...
that it can be said Sanchez gained full celebrity status.
On the other hand, Laporte was even lesser known than Sanchez, as even many among his fellow Puerto Ricans
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
did not know him. He was known more than anywhere else in the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
area, having fought at the Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
often during the early parts of his career. He sported a record of 15 wins and 1 loss, with 8 wins by knockout, coming into his bout with Sanchez.
The fight
Laporte was a mandatory challenger, meaning that Sanchez had to defend his WBC title against him or he could be stripped of the world championship. Don King, Sanchez's promoter, figuring that the fight would sell more tickets in a state near Mexico, worked a deal for the fight to take place in El Paso. A decisively pro-Sanchez crowd filled the County Coliseum the night of the fight. The event was televisedTelevision
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
live on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
.
Laporte, the underdog, pressed Sanchez into a torrid pace since early on in the bout. Sanchez was never knocked down in his career; Laporte only once in over 50 fights. The two boxers traded punches toe to toe for most of the encounter, but Sanchez utilized his experience to his advantage. The less experienced Laporte, however, kept firing back at Sanchez, connecting with multiple hard shots that bounced off Sanchez's head and chin.
By the latter rounds, Sanchez's expertise was becoming more evident, as he repeatedly shook Laporte with blows to the head. Laporte, however, hung in and kept trying to overtake the champion. Much to the delight of the crowd, Laporte did not refuse to trade punches with the champion until the bell rang to end round fifteen, signifying the end of the bout. Fans gave both fighters a standing ovation after the bout was over.
Sanchez retained the title by unanimous decision, with scores of 148-142 (8-2-5 in rounds), 146-139 (11-4) and 147-140 (10-3-2).
The aftermath
Sanchez was so impressed by his foe's performance that he went over to Laporte's dressing room and told Laporte that he would be the next great world Featherweight champion.Laporte and Sanchez forged a friendship that lasted for the rest of Sanchez's life after the bout.
On August 21, 1981, Sanchez finally reached cross-over celebrity when he knocked out Gómez
Wilfredo Gómez
Wilfredo Gómez , sometimes referred to as Bazooka Gómez, is a former boxer and three time world champion.-Biography:...
, as aforementioned, in eight rounds at Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
.
After having defeated Azumah Nelson
Azumah Nelson
Azumah Nelson , a native of Ghana, is a former professional boxer. He is a three-time world champion in two weight classes.Nelson is the former Lineal and two-time WBC Super Featherweight Champion...
to retain his title, Sanchez reportedly signed a contract to fight Laporte in a rematch, and he went to training
Boxing training
Boxing training is the training method that boxers use in order to get more fit for their sport. This training method is often cited by medical doctors, boxing trainers, and writers as one of the most spartan forms of sports training.- Training :...
soon after.
Sanchez's words to Laporte after their fight would tragically become prophetic when Sanchez was killed in a car accident on August 12 of 1982, and, on September 15, Laporte captured the vacant WBC world Featherweight title by knocking out Mario Miranda in ten rounds at the Madison Square Garden.