Sanchez recovers from Injury

July 4, 2001 – By Paul Upham: Power-punching featherweight contender Augie Sanchez has recovered from the back injury that forced him out of a June 11 fight with Joe Morales for the NABA featherweight title and will now return to the ring in Las Vegas on August 16.

“My back is a lot better. I’ve been training very well with it,” said Sanchez, 28-2 (25). “I wanted to fight and I was so upset that I was injured.”

Morales went on to win the NABA title with an impressive win over late substitute Carlos Contreras. IBF No.4 Sanchez is now hoping for his own title shot. “Good for him. Hopefully America Presents can make a fight with Morales so he can defend the NABA title against me,” said Sanchez.

Having started the year off with a bang with two excellent victories, the back injury has only delayed the momentum that Sanchez is looking to build.

Impressive in his knockout victory in January over former world champion Luisito Espinosa on Showtime, Sanchez followed that up with a March knockout win over Daniel Jiminez.

Last August, Sanchez gave then-undefeated WBO featherweight champion Prince Naseem Hamed one of his hardest fights as a professional in their title fight on HBO.

A former U.S. National amateur and National Golden Gloves amateur champion, Sanchez is looking forward to returning to the ring in August on an America Presents card. “I want to get back in there so bad,” said 23 year-old Sanchez, who is looking to meet the biggest names out there.

“I saw Johnny Tapia the other night. He did alright, and I’d really like to get that fight if I could.”


Paul Upham
Contributing Editor