14.08.04 – By: Wray Edwards: Twenty-seven year-old Eddie Sanchez, 11-3-2 (7), demonstrated what is possible, when inner courage triumphs over physical, and experience limitations. Last night, on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights, he took on Joel C. Candelo 26-6-3 (18). The Columbian born Candelo, who recently began to train with Buddy McGirt, was on a mission to re-establish his Jr. Lightweight career after a recent loss to Kassim Ouma. Sanchez, who lives in New Orleans, and trains in San Diego, has been a local, West Coast, boxing circuit fighter, with limited experience. He has recently re-entered the boxing game after a four-year layoff to recover from life-threatening injuries he received when he was stabbed during a road-rage incident and, left for dead.
Everything was in place. An underdog boxer, with horrific life experiences surmounted, in a new career as a local hero, just starting over, opposite a seasoned professional, with twice the experience, trying to come back from a bad patch.
Sanchez, who was observing Candelo’s weigh-in, took the fight on seven hours notice, when Candelo’s original opponent, Joachim Alcine, was not able to make the fight. That’s right, I said “seven hours!” Sanchez had to lose a considerable amount of weight, to get down from his usual welterweight to meet an agreed Lightweight compromise. Just eight weeks ago, Eddie fought highly ranked Jose Celaya, 22-1 (11) WBO #1, and knocked him out. Sanchez had only two weeks to train for that fight after leaving two jobs, and his girlfriend, in NOLA to be trained by David Gutierrez. Celaya’s trainer, Emanuel Steward had second thoughts about that fight, but was unable to replace Sanchez.
The twelve round bout, between Sanchez and Candelo, took place in Temecula, California before a modest crowd, with Diego Corrales as Featured commentator. Mr. Tessitore and Mr. LeDue were ringside to call the fight.
As the fight commenced, the 6’2” Sanchez lumbered around the ring in pursuit of Candelo. His style was awkward, rangy and loose-limbed. Candelo’s approach was a basic, tight, classical style. Two or three rounds in, a certain puzzlement began to creep into Joe and Scott’s commentary. This guy Sanchez was scoring. His more experienced opponent was not. Eddie was using his jab, slipping Joel’s punches and making progress. For a 6’2” guy, Sanchez was very elusive, and Candelo could not seem to figure him out. About the fourth round, Buddy started to get really worried and implored, the obviously unfocused Candelo, to get to work.
Candelo tried, but just couldn’t seem to penetrate Sanchez’ floppy armed defenses. In the middle of the fight Sanchez got very winded, and asked his corner to replace his double mouthpiece with a single. This helped him recover his wind. Then, from time-to-time, Eddie would switch to southpaw. This drove Jeol crazy, trying to figure out what to do. He finally managed to tag Eddie hard enough to put him on one knee, and take an eight count. Sanchez got up and survived the round. Along about the ninth round, Sanchez began to show real courage. He delivered a really punishing body shot which folded Candelo like a table napkin.
Sanchez was in uncharted waters, as he had never been past eight rounds. Slowly, but surely, the crowd, and the commentators, began to realize that this kid might have a chance against a boxer who had world-class experience. Chants of “Eddie, Eddie” began to ring throughout the venue. McGirt begged, and warned his fighter that he was in trouble. Joel looked away, would not make eye contact with his trainer, even when Buddy pulled his head around to try to get him to pay attention. At one point, near the end of the fight, Scott said, “I’m getting goose-bumps”. Tessitore agreed that they might be about to see a really thrilling upset.
I kept telling myself, “Wray, this is just an FNF pot-boiler to tide you over ‘till the next big one.” Then, as everyone’s mouth began to hang open in disbelief, as the final round began. Between 11 and 12 Buddy told his charge, “You have to knock this guy out!” He knew that they were behind on the scorecards. Every eye, every heart, every breath was held by Sanchez supporters, on the edges of their seats. Sanchez fought on against Joel, the odds, his inexperience, and breathless fatigue, to stay on his feet, and hold his own in the final round.
As the fight concluded, I was thankful that he had just made it to the end. Everyone who knew anything about boxing, and/or human courage, was hoping against hope that the judges would do their duty. When the unanimous decision was handed down declaring Sanchez the winner, Scott and Joe were like a couple of giddy school-girls. There were hissing exclamations of “Yesssss!” and a deafening roar erupted from the crowd, as if they had just seen the “Thrilla in Manila”. Diego Corrales was glowing with admiration, and happy to have seen the fight.
This taught me a lesson which I seem to forget at least once a week; On any day, in any ring, a fight can happen which you will remember for the rest of your life. Candelo was obviously off his game and Sanchez was on his, to the max. Nevertheless, the events which took place in that ring, were a prime example of why boxing is the most dramatic, satisfying, disappointing sport there is. In no other sport can one so completely identify with someone they have never seen before…a complete stranger…and in forty-eight minutes, accompany them to victory with such passion and fulfillment.