Jeff Chandler: A Look Back at a Great Champion Out of Philadelphia

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“Joltin” Jeff Chandler, 33-2-2, 18 KO’s, an International Boxing Hall of Fame Inductee in the year 2000, was one of the most exciting fighters of the late 1970s and early to mid-1980s. Unlike most hall of fame fighters, remarkably Chandler turned to boxing at a relatively late age, had very little amateur experience, and had a somewhat brief professional career, only lasting a little bit over eight years. He proved however, that if all the circumstances are right, you can pack a lot of content into a short period of time.

Chandler was 19 when he walked into the Juniper Gym in Philadelphia, the same gym that Matthew Saad Muhammad trained out of at the time. He had an exceptionally short and unremarkable amateur career of just two fights, winning one and losing the other. Chandler, eager to be paid for his efforts, turned pro after just two amateur bouts. He had a draw in his professional debut, and his management team decided to build Chandler’s career at a slow pace in the beginning. He was clearly talented but his lack of amateur experience was telling, so he would learn on the job. At 5’7 he had good height for a Bantamweight, and his experience was soon catching up to his talent level.

He was developing into an aggressive counterpuncher with good power. He would throw punches to entice his opponents to throw and then look to counter with his own bombs. He had a lot of tools, he could work off the jab, blast with his right hand, go to the body, work inside or out, he could be slick defensively at times, but often his aggressive nature would put defense on the back burner. For this reason he would eventually develop into a popular TV fighter. After 3 ½ years of developing his skills and learning on the job, Chandler sported a 17-0-1, 6 KO’s record. His low knockout percentage was a bit misleading to his opponents, as he possessed good power. He and his team were ready to take a step up in competition and begin to climb the world rankings. His team would help Chandler gain notoriety by placing him on the fight cards of popular Philly fighters such as “Bad” Bennie Briscoe and Matthew Saad Muhammad.

Chandler’s first step up was against Baby Kid Chocolate, who was 18-2, 8 KO’s, in a contest for the USBA Bantamweight championship. Chandler would shine in his first step up stopping Chocolate in the 9th round. Chandler would then go after the NABF Bantamweight championship against Javier Flores, who was 23-4-3, 16 KO’s. Chandler would become the first fighter to stop Flores, halting him in the 10th round. Chandler was quickly becoming a real contender after these two impressive victories. He would defend both the USBA and NABF Bantamweight championships simultaneously against Andres Hernandez, who was 30-6-1, 12 KO’s at the time. Hernandez was coming off a recent stoppage loss to the legendary Carlos Zarate. Chandler would try and stop Hernandez as well, but would have to settle for a unanimous decision. Chandler was now in a strong position for a world title shot. After a couple of tune ups he would receive his first world title shot.

In November of 1980 Chandler would face the undefeated Julian Solis, who was 21-0, 9 KO’s at the time. Solis had just won the world title by split decision over former champion Jorge Lujan. The winner of Chandler Vs Solis had the obligation of facing Lujan next. Chandler would dazzle in his first world title bout, stopping Solis in a war of attrition in the 14th round of a fight Chandler was leading on the cards. Chandler was now a world champion. Part of the reason he is so highly regarded is that in a relatively short period of time he would defend his world title against a very high level of opposition, engaging in tough fight after tough fight defending his title again and again. First up for him was a tough defense against former champion Jorge Lujan. Lujan had won his championship from Alphonso Zamora and had made 5 defenses over approximately 3 years before losing to aforementioned Solis by close and controversial split decision. Chandler would defeat Lujan convincingly. It was competitive, but Chandler came out on top in a tough fight.

Next would be the undefeated Eijiro Murata, 18-0-3, 11 KO’s, in what would be the first fight of a trilogy. Murata would present a rough challenge to Chandler, coming in with his head causing cuts and just making it a rough and tumble affair all around. After 15 rounds of action, the fight would be ruled a draw, despite Chandler’s claim that he had done enough to get the victory. Next up Chandler would refocus in a pair of rematches against former champ Solis and again with tough contender Murata. Solis would put up a fight, but seemed not be the same as he was in their first encounter, Chandler would absolutely starch Solis in the 7th round with a wicked right hand bomb that had Solis’ head bouncing off the canvas. This vicious knockout is one the best highlights of Chandler’s career. Next Murata came strong again in their rematch, although Chandler was able to make enough adjustments to see the fight turn in his favor, ultimately stopping Murata in the 13th round of a war.

In his next defense, Chandler would get a chance to avenge the only loss of his amateur career against contender Johnny Carter, who was 23-1, 13 KO’s at the time. Chandler was on point in this fight, determined to show Carter how far he had progressed since the amateur days. Chandler was all over Carter stopping him in 6 rounds, the shortest distance of any of Chandler’s world title bouts. Next up in what Chandler was thinking might be an easier defense, since the opponent, Miguel Iriarte, 12-1-1, 8 KO’s, only had 14 fights, turned out to be yet again another tough defense. Iriarte would come out blazing, throwing bomb after bomb. Chandler would avoid most of them but not all. He would as able to counter and land his own and win the fight by stoppage in 9 rounds, but it was a tough a physical fight.

The theme of not many easy defenses for Chandler continued with him making a defense against Gaby Canizales, who was 24-1, 19 KO’s at the time. Chandler would fight a tough, but brilliant fight, defeating Canizales by unanimous decision. After the tough defense against Canizales Chandler would take a couple of fights above the Bantamweight limit. To everyone’s surprise Chandler would lose one of these fights, a close split decision to Oscar Muniz. Chandler had taken the fight on very short notice however, and plans were made for them to fight again, this time on weight and for the title, but first Murata was up to finish their trilogy. Murata would come valiantly once again, but this time Chandler would dominate Murata dropping Murata five times on route to a 10th round stoppage. For the Muniz fight, you could see Chandler was serious and exceptionally ready to avenge his only defeat. He came in lighter in weight than he had in over 2 years. Chandler came in hungry and although Ortiz came to fight, winning a round or two, it was mostly Chandler taking it to Ortiz and getting the better of it. Early in the 7th round Chandler stopped Ortiz and it was over, Chandler had avenged his defeat.

At this point in his career, Chandler was on top of the world, he had avenged his draw to Murata twice, and avenged his only defeat to Ortiz. Some boxing pundits thought Chandler didn’t even lose the split decision to Ortiz anyway, so for all intents and purposes Chandler was still an undefeated fighter. What many people didn’t know though was that Chandler’s body had taken its toll from all of the hard fights it had endured. At 27 years of age, a time when most fighters are in their absolute prime, Chandler’s body was declining from what it once was.

He had begun to get cataracts on his eyes and had a bad shoulder that likely needed surgery. Knowing that he would fight just once more and retire, Chandler would make a defense of his world title against the undefeated Richie Sandoval, who was 22-0, 16 KO’s. Chandler would get a shot in his shoulder before the fight to help with the excruciating pain so he could fight, but the concoction made him feel intoxicated, and affected his fight performance. Chandler would put up a courageous effort despite his ailing body, vision impairment from cataracts, and feeling woozy or intoxicated from a shot of pain killers in his shoulder. He would battle tooth and nail with Sandoval, but as the rounds went on Sandoval seemed to become stronger while Chandler faded. In the 11th round Chandler would be knocked down for the only time in his career, and by the 15th round the bout was stopped with Sandoval leading by large margins on all cards, Sandoval was the new world champion.

So as you can see, Chandler did indeed pack a lot into a short span of time. His Bantamweight world championship reign lasted about 3 ½ years and he made 9 successful defenses of his world title, most of them tough and physically draining bouts. He was 9-1-1, 7 KO’s in world championship bouts. He became a popular, active, and fighting champion who put his heart on the line in every bout fighting tough challenger after tough challenger. This great Bantamweight out of Philadelphia did himself and his sport proud, we should all salute “Joltin” Jeff Chandler.