The greatest Junior Lightweight boxing champion of all time is Alexis Arguello.
Alexis Arguello fought in 4 different weight divisions and met 14 world champions in his career defeating ALL of them except
TWO and knocking out 10 of them. He was 19-3 in title bouts only losing to Ernesto Marcel at Featherweight and Aaron Pryor
at Junior Welterweight. Alexis Arguello won 19 consecutive world championship/title fights, one of the longest streaks of
consecutive title fights without a loss.
Alexis Arguello was a class act in and out of the ring. In the ring he was
the FIRST man ever to win three world titles in 3 different weight divisions and not lose any of them. He always relinquished
them to move up a class. Alexis Arguello was recognized as the best fighter in his weight class when he held the title in
each of those divisions. Of the few men to win 3 world titles and never lose them, Alexis Arguello had the most title defenses(16).
Out of the ring he was unique in always having nothing but praise for his oponents. Tall, with destructive punching power
he began pro boxing in his homeland at the tender age of 16. Over a 27 year pro career he fought an amazing 22 world championship
bouts and won 19 of them, 17 by knockout.
"Foster possessed one of the
most powerful punches ever seen on a light heavyweight, his left hook. The left hook of Foster left more than a few top fighters
on the canvas for a count of well past 10. In more than a few fights, some thought the opponents were actually dead while
they were being counted out" - Frank Lotierzo on Bob Foster
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21-4-1, (7 KO’s), Kevin Rooney was trained and managed by the late-legend Cus
D’Amato in Catskills, NY.
Rooney was 15 and zip when he was stopped in seven on cuts by the then 6-0 and future
WBA 154 lb. king Davey Moore in 1981. He would roll off a few wins before fighting Hall of Famer Alexis Arguello.
Alexis Arguello Jul-31-1982, Atlantic City vs. Kevin ROONEY trainer of Mike Tyson at 140 lbs.
Alexis Arguello showed his awesome punching power and defensive skills (blocking
and slipping punches)at 140 Ibs. Here's a poll conducted by various boxing writers and experts (15 in all) on who they thought
were the best p4p fighters in boxing, which took place in July/August of '82 and was printed in KO magazine;
1. Sugar
Ray Leonard
2. ALEXIS ARGUELLO
3. Marvin Hagler
4. Salvador Sanchez
5.
Wilfred Benitez
6. Larry Holmes
7. Jeff Chandler
8. Eusebio Pedroza
9.
Aaron Pryor
10. Thomas Hearns (tie)
10. Dwight Braxton
Since
Leonard retired just before Pryor/Arguello, it's safe to assume that those same writers would've considered Alex as the best
in the sport at that exact time.
Alexis Arguello from Managua, Nicaragua was a classic boxer with knockout power in either hand. Extremely accurate
puncher and wonderful tacticion in the ring.
In his prime Arguello was considered nigh invincible. One 1978 boxing
magazine published, “Alexis Arguello is regarded by some people as the perfect fighter. He is thought to be--pound for
pound, inch-for-inch and punch for punch--the best puglist in the world...a fighter without a flaw.”
Peter
King penned in 1981, “Watching Arguello fight is like enjoying the subtleties of a great Renaissance masterpiece. There
is rich color and detail in his performance. His jabs are straight, strong and accurate. His body punches are delivered with
care. His right crosses and left hooks are issued with an awesome potency. Yet this great fighter-perhaps one of the greatest
ever-is largely unknown.”
Rolando Navarrete (Philippines) was a boxer who won the Junior
Lightweight Title from Cornelius Boza Edwards by 5th round KO in Itlay. He later defended it against Choi Chung-Il of Korea
by 11th round KO, but eventually lost the title to Rafael Bazooka Limon by TKO in round 12.
Boxing writer and analyst Frank Lotierzo wrote, “Arguello mostly fought a somewhat pressure style.
He didn't pressure his opponents like a Frazier or Duran; it was more a subtle type pressure like Joe Louis. Another thing
Arguello shared with Louis was that they were vulnerable versus fighters who had fast feet. That's not saying they couldn't
fight fighters that had good movement. It is verifying that fighters who moved against them usually fared the best. The fighters
who brought the fight to Arguello are the ones who he defeated in the most devastating fashion.”
Alexis Arguello
became the sixth man in boxing history to win a world title in three different weight divisions. In 1982 his goal was to become
boxing's first four-division champion. 5 years later in 1987 Thomas "The Hit Man" Hearns was the first to win 4
titles in 4 different weight divisions.
"One of the best pure punchers of my generation was Alexis
Arguello" - Jim Amato, June 24, 2006. Jim Amato is a member of the Boxing Writers Association Of America (BWAA) and is
also a member of the International Boxing Research Organization (IBRO) .
"Alexis Arguello, the greatest junior
lightweight of all time" - Dec. 16, 2005, Jim Amato
Alexis Arguello knocked out Mexican idol, Ruben Olivares, to capture the Featherweight crown. In the Junior Lightweight
division Arguello beat some pretty tough foes, namely, Alfredo Escalera, Bazooka Limon, Bobby Chacon, Rolando Navarette, Cornelius
Boza-Edwards. As lightweight king, he KO'd hard-hitting Andrew Ganigan and Ray Mancini, proving his punching power had not
diminished as he moved up in weight. He also defeated Jose Luis Ramirez. His first bout against Aaron Pryor was one of the
the most dramatical boxing matches ever.
Cornelius Boza-Edwards was an excellent Junior-Lightweight
with a 27-1 (22 KOs)record before he fought Alexis Arguello. 3 fights later Boza-Edwards would win the WBC Super-featherweight
title (vacated by Arguello) defeating Rafael "Bazooka" Limon and successfully defended by TKO against Bobby Chacon
in 13.
Alexis Arguello on the right in suit and tie. Enormous
heart, flawless technique, frightening power, along with Omar Sharif - matinee idol good looks is what made Alexis Arguello
a legend. A movie or documentary on Arguello's life would be great. Alexis Arguello did some acting. Alexis Arguello never
earned a Oscar but did appear in a episode of Miami Vice.
"Alexis Arguello also had a great chin. Arguello
was never really hurt until he fought Aaron Pryor at junior welterweight. He also had outstanding stamina and could fight
at any pace." - Frank Lotierzo @ TheSweetScience.com
This
website is a fan's tribute to Alexis Arguello and is not endorsed by Alexis Arguello.
