I own this fight, had first seen it about 3 years ago, but had never seen it on Youtube until recently. Saldivar was a bad man. Has to be the most underrated featherweight ever. I would have loved to see him against Sanchez.
Great fighter just not in the same league as another 'great-but-underrated' boxer here - Éder Jofre who smashed Saldivar in 4 rounds...
Indeed. Jofre was a bad man. Based on this fight, and his fights I've seen with Harry Winstone, Saldivar might have beena bit too much for MAB and Morales.
Jofre/Saldivar was a meaningless fight... Saldivar was totally shot (though I agree Jofre was a greater fighter) Saldivar is indeed underrated... One of the best fighters of the 60s for sure
There was a guy called Jesus Pimentel who might just be the best bantam never to win the title. Apparently he was scheduled to fight Jofre but Jofre pulled out at the last minute..........
He was a terror in the Bantamweight division... By the time he got a shot he was still good but past his best against Ruben Olivares. He put up a game fight but was ultimately battered. Jofre stayed at 118 too long, the weight was killing him and that cost him against Harada, who was a workhorse. An argument could be made he won the first fight anyway
Brazil is a boxing enigma. A mixed-race country, slaves, dire poverty, the works, and maybe one ATG boxer. The power of Soccer.
Maybe? I can't think of any other Brazilian champions besides Jofre and Frietas. And OBVIOUSLY, Frietas couldnt shine Jofre's shoes. So yeah, Jofre's their only atg. There was Kelson Pinto, that dude a young Cotto destroyed to win his first world title. He was Brazilian. Definitely a country DOMINATED by football.
Now you mention it, it is quite strange. Especially when you consider Argentina is right next door and has produced shitloads of great boxers.
Often wondered that myself, regarding Brazil and boxing. Fucking big country too, full of slums you'd think people would be fighting their way out of. I was surprised that Robson guy won gold too.
Living here, I've nor been able to pinpoint why it is Brazil doesn't have more famous fighters or more interest in Boxing. Obviously Football is #1 but since the interest in Formula One motor-racing trailed off, Mixed-Martial Arts (and specifically Brasilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay-Thai) is the 2nd most popular sport here now. There's even a 24-hr TV channel dedicated to this called 'Combate'. Males even less sense when you see just about every gym advertising: "Muay-Thai - Jiu-Jitsu - Boxe" Maybe kids just look up to whoever successful at a particular time?
I actually thought the same thing, they obviously like fighting as Brazil has always been one of the most prominent MMA countries, every since the Royce Gracie days. Yet just not boxing for some weird reason.
Like you said above, whether Robson Conceição can get things going I don't know - he's flashy & got KO power but don't know how far he can go.... Got a 405-15 amateur record, good reach for a 130-lb'er, currently 4-0 (3KO)
Well, no-one needs Brasil unless there´s some big upsurge in the sport of Boxing here - in which case, it benefits the entire sport, yeah? (dont turn this into an Xplosive-I-Hate-MMA-thread- we had enough of that for the last month)
What about Muay-Thai boxing or Jiu-Jitsu or many other combat sports that don´t involve participating in that environment?
You seem a bit salty that a mixed martial artist making his professional boxing debut lasted into the championship rounds against the greatest boxer of all time
