R.I.P. Alexis Arguello

Alexis Arguello was one of my family's favorite fighters when I was growing up, and one of mine as well. He was like the counterpoint to one of my family's other favorite fighters Roberto Duran. Alexis Arguello was always described as a gentleman, but of course he knocked people out for a living, or at least beat them badly. He was one of the best of all time, and so he usually wasn't at the receiving end of the punishment being dished. Alexis Arguello, like most dominant fighters, eventually moved up in weight from his legendary stint as a 130 pounder to challenge Aaron Pryor. Aaron Pryor was an unpredictable fighter with a whirlwind style that would baffle and wear down opponents, but none as great as Alexis Arguello. Their first fight was classic. Action packed throughout, the fighters set a relentless pace that eventually caught up to Alexis Arguello in the later rounds. For some reason, Alexis Arguello's vaunted one punch knockout power and devastating body shots had little or no effect on Aaron Pryor. Oh, but then there was video of Aaron Pryor being given a mystery bottle of some substance in between rounds.

"Not that bottle, the other bottle. The one I mixed."

Aaron Pryor was a great fighter (make no mistake), but some things add up and others don't. He was later busted for cocaine possesion, and then it became more clear that he might of had an added advantage that fateful night. Boxing is a crooked game, as is MMA today (where there are rules, but the enforcement is selective), but much worse. That fight was an all out war, and Alexis Arguello never came back in later fights as strong and unstoppable as he had been for the past decade.

That is a quick rememberance of a fighter that mattered when boxing still mattered, and especially in family's like mine where boxing was the number one sport. After boxing, Alexis Arguello got into politics, which goes along with most folks assesment that Arguello was one of the most intelligent fighters ever. Alexis Arguello reecently passed away at 57, and his death went almost unnoticed, which is a little sad for a fighter that would inspire my family to make enchilada dinners and throw parties on some of his bigger fight nights.

R.I.P. Alexis Arguello

-Jay Unidos