Alexis Argüello
Alexis Argüello | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Statistics | |
Nickname(s) |
|
Rated at | |
Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) |
Reach | 72 in (183 cm) |
Nationality | Nicaraguan |
Born |
Barrio Monseñor Lezcano, Managua, Nicaragua | April 19, 1952
Died |
July 1, 2009 57) Managua, Nicaragua | (aged
Stance | Orthodox |
Boxing record | |
Total fights | 85 |
Wins | 77 |
Wins by KO | 72 |
Losses | 8 |
Alexis Argüello (April 19, 1952 – July 1, 2009) was a Nicaraguan professional boxer who competed from 1968 to 1995, and later became a politician. He was a three-weight world champion, having held the WBA featherweight title from 1974 to 1976; the WBC super featherweight title from 1978 to 1980; and the WBC lightweight title from 1981 to 1982. Additionally, he held the Ring magazine and lineal featherweight titles from 1975 to 1977; the Ring lightweight title from 1981 to 1982; and the lineal lightweight title in 1982. In his later career he challenged twice for light welterweight world titles, both times in famous fights against Aaron Pryor.
Argüello has regularly been cited as one of the greatest boxers of his era, having never lost any of his world titles in the ring, instead relinquishing them each time in pursuit of titles in higher weight classes. After his retirement from boxing, he became active in Nicaraguan politics and in November 2008 was elected mayor of his native Managua, the nation's capital city.
The Ring magazine has ranked Argüello as 20th on their list of "100 greatest punchers of all time", while the Associated Press ranked him as the world's best super featherweight of the 20th century.[1]
Boxing career
"The Explosive Thin Man" suffered an unavenged first-round TKO loss in his 1968 professional debut, but then won 36 of his next 38 bouts, which then led him to a world Featherweight championship bout against experienced WBA champion Ernesto Marcel of Panama in Panama. The young challenger lost a 15-round unanimous decision in Marcel's retirement bout.
Undaunted, Argüello began another streak of wins, and found himself in the ring with a world champion again, this time challenging Marcel's successor to the throne, Mexican world champion Rubén Olivares in Los Angeles. After Olivares built a small lead on the judges' scorecards, Argüello and Olivares landed simultaneous left hooks in round thirteen. Olivares's left hand caused a visible expression of pain on Argüello's face, but Argüello's left hand caused Olivares to crash hard against the canvas. A few seconds later, Argüello was the new Featherweight champion of the world.
Argüello successfully defended this title four times, then moved up in weight to challenge world Junior Lightweight champion Alfredo Escalera in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, in what has been nicknamed The Bloody Battle of Bayamon by many. Escalera had been a busy champion with ten defenses, and he had dethroned Kuniaki Shibata in 2 rounds in Tokyo. In what some experts (including The Ring writers) consider one of the most brutal fights in history, Escalera had his eye, mouth and nose broken early, but was rallying back in the scorecards when Argüello finished him, once again in the thirteenth round.
His reign at Junior Lightweight saw him fend off the challenges of Escalera in a rematch held at Rimini, Italy, as well as former and future world champion Bobby Chacon, future two time world champion Rafael "Bazooka" Limón, Ruben Castillo, future champion Rolando Navarrete, and Diego Alcalá, beaten in only one round.
Argüello suffered many cuts around his face during his second victory against Escalera. The on-site doctor wanted him hospitalized, but Argüello had a flight to catch from Rome the next day to return to Nicaragua, and he boarded a train from Rimini. The doctor decided to travel with Argüello, and performed plastic surgery on Argüello's cuts with Argüello awake.
After eight successful title defenses, Argüello then moved up in weight again, and this time he had to go to London, England, to challenge world Lightweight champion Jim Watt. Watt lasted fifteen rounds, but the judges gave Argüello a unanimous 15-round decision, thus making him only the sixth boxer to win world titles in 3 divisions, and the second Latin American (after Wilfred Benítez had become the first by beating Maurice Hope one month before) to do it. He had to face some less known challengers in this division, one exception being the famous prospect Ray Mancini (known as "Boom Boom" Mancini) who would later be the subject of a made-for-television movie. Mancini and Argüello engaged in a fight that was later showcased in a boxing video of the best fights of the 1980s, with Argüello prevailing by stoppage when he decked Mancini in round 14. This fight was referenced in the Warren Zevon song "Boom Boom Mancini".
Battles with Aaron Pryor
Arguello successfully defended his lightweight title four times. After defeating James 'Bubba' Busceme by sixth round stoppage, Argüello decided to move up in weight class again, and on November 12, 1982, he tried to become the first world champion in 4 different categories, meeting the heavier and future Hall-of-Famer Aaron Pryor, in what was billed as The Battle of the Champions in Miami, Florida. Argüello was stopped in the 14th round. The fight sparked controversy however, because Pryor's trainer, Panama Lewis, introduced a second water bottle which he described as "the bottle I mixed" after round 13, leading to speculation that the bottle was tainted. The Florida State Boxing Commission failed to administer a post-fight urinalysis, adding to speculation that the bottle contained an unsanctioned substance.[2][3] It was later revealed in an interview with former Lewis-trained boxer Luis Resto that Lewis would break apart antihistamine pills used to treat asthma and pour the medicine into the water, giving Lewis's fighter greater lung capacity in the later rounds of a fight.[4][5][6] Others say that there was a mixture of cocaine, honey and orange juice in the bottle. [7]
A rematch was ordered. This time, in Las Vegas, Arguello was KO-ed in the tenth, and stated after the fight "I'm not going to fight anymore. I quit." But he later returned to the ring for financial reasons.
Comeback and post-retirement
During the 1980s Argüello briefly fought with the Contras in his native Nicaragua, but after a few months in the jungle he retired from the war.[8] He then attempted several comebacks into boxing during the late 1980s and early 1990s and had some success, most notably a fourth round stoppage of former World Junior Welterweight Champion Billy Costello in a 1986 televised bout that put him in a position for another shot at the Junior Welterweight title. He retired for good in 1995 with a record of 82 wins, 8 losses, and 65 KO's, along with the recognition of being one of the sports most universally respected fighters among fans, experts, and boxers.
Argüello was elected to the International Boxing Hall Of Fame in 1992. In 2008 he was honored by being selected as Nicaragua's flag-bearer at the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Olympics.[9]
Argüello was an avid breeder of cats, and had several articles published in Cat Fancy magazine throughout the 1990s.
He remained very friendly with his old rival Aaron Pryor, and the pair saw each other several times a year until Argüello's death.
Alexis Arguello was voted as the Greatest Junior Lightweight Ever by the Houston Boxing Hall Of Fame in 2014. The HBHOF is a voting body composed entirely of current and former fighters.
Political career
Argüello was actively involved in Nicaraguan politics with the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN)--the same party against whom he took up arms in the 1980s—and in 2004 was elected vice-mayor of Managua. Amid accusations of vote-rigging Argüello narrowly won the mayoral election in Managua on November 9, 2008[10] elections against the candidate of the Constitutionalist Liberal Party, Eduardo Montealegre, who had come second to Daniel Ortega in the 2006 presidential election. Argüello's margin of victory was narrow as he attained just 51.30% of the vote.[11]
Death

Argüello died around 1 a.m. local time on July 1, 2009, after allegedly shooting himself through the heart in Managua, according to a report from Channel 8 national television. Some reports at the time said there could have been some foul play involved, and he was killed by the highest echelons of the government.
The national police confirmed the death shortly afterwards, and the death was ruled a suicide following the autopsy.[12][13]
Those close to Argüello affirmed that he was becoming progressively disenchanted with the Orteguistas and the Sandinista government, and was planning an imminent departure from the Sandinista political party.[14]
Professional boxing record
Professional record summary | ||
85 fights | 77 wins | 8 losses |
By knockout | 62 | 4 |
By decision | 15 | 4 |
No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
85 | Loss | 77–8 | ![]() |
UD | 10 | Jan 21, 1995 | ![]() |
|
84 | Win | 77–7 | ![]() |
MD | 10 | Aug 27, 1994 | ![]() |
|
83 | Win | 76–7 | ![]() |
TKO | 4 (10), 1:42 | Feb 9, 1986 | ![]() |
|
82 | Win | 75–7 | ![]() |
TKO | 5 (10), 2:47 | Oct 25, 1985 | ![]() |
|
81 | Loss | 74–7 | ![]() |
KO | 10 (15), 1:48 | Sep 9, 1983 | ![]() |
For WBA, The Ring, and vacant lineal light welterweight titles |
80 | Win | 74–6 | ![]() |
TKO | 3 (10), 0:37 | Apr 24, 1983 | ![]() |
|
79 | Win | 73–6 | ![]() |
UD | 10 | Feb 26, 1983 | ![]() |
|
78 | Loss | 72–6 | ![]() |
TKO | 14 (15), 1:06 | Nov 12, 1982 | ![]() |
For WBA and The Ring light welterweight titles |
77 | Win | 72–5 | ![]() |
KO | 2 (10), 3:07 | Jul 31, 1982 | ![]() |
|
76 | Win | 71–5 | ![]() |
KO | 5 (15), 3:09 | May 22, 1982 | ![]() |
Retained WBC and The Ring lightweight titles; Won vacant lineal lightweight title |
75 | Win | 70–5 | ![]() |
TKO | 6 (15), 2:35 | Feb 13, 1982 | ![]() |
Retained WBC and The Ring lightweight titles |
74 | Win | 69–5 | ![]() |
KO | 7 (15), 3:07 | Nov 21, 1981 | ![]() |
Retained WBC and The Ring lightweight titles |
73 | Win | 68–5 | ![]() |
TKO | 14 (15), 1:44 | Oct 3, 1981 | ![]() |
Retained WBC and The Ring lightweight titles |
72 | Win | 67–5 | ![]() |
UD | 15 | Jun 20, 1981 | ![]() |
Won WBC and The Ring lightweight titles |
71 | Win | 66–5 | ![]() |
TKO | 3 (10), 2:55 | Feb 7, 1981 | ![]() |
|
70 | Win | 65–5 | ![]() |
SD | 10 | Nov 14, 1980 | ![]() |
|
69 | Win | 64–5 | ![]() |
TKO | 8 (10) | Aug 9, 1980 | ![]() |
|
68 | Win | 63–5 | ![]() |
RTD | 4 (15), 3:00 | Apr 27, 1980 | ![]() |
Retained WBC super featherweight title |
67 | Win | 62–5 | ![]() |
UD | 10 | Mar 31, 1980 | ![]() |
|
66 | Win | 61–5 | ![]() |
TKO | 11 (15), 2:03 | Jan 20, 1980 | ![]() |
Retained WBC super featherweight title |
65 | Win | 60–5 | ![]() |
RTD | 7 (15), 3:00 | Nov 16, 1979 | ![]() |
Retained WBC super featherweight title |
64 | Win | 59–5 | ![]() |
TKO | 11 (15), 1:40 | Jul 8, 1979 | ![]() |
Retained WBC super featherweight title |
63 | Win | 58–5 | ![]() |
TKO | 13 (15), 1:24 | Feb 4, 1979 | ![]() |
Retained WBC super featherweight title |
62 | Win | 57–5 | ![]() |
UD | 15 | Nov 10, 1978 | ![]() |
Retained WBC super featherweight title |
61 | Loss | 56–5 | ![]() |
MD | 10 | Jul 26, 1978 | ![]() |
|
60 | Win | 56–4 | ![]() |
KO | 1 (15), 1:56 | Jun 3, 1978 | ![]() |
Retained WBC super featherweight title |
59 | Win | 55–4 | ![]() |
TKO | 5 (15), 1:54 | Apr 29, 1978 | ![]() |
Retained WBC super featherweight title |
58 | Win | 54–4 | ![]() |
TKO | 3 (10), 2:00 | Mar 25, 1978 | ![]() |
|
57 | Win | 53–4 | ![]() |
TKO | 13 (15), 2:36 | Jan 28, 1978 | ![]() |
Won vacant WBC super featherweight title |
56 | Win | 52–4 | ![]() |
KO | 5 (10) | Dec 18, 1977 | ![]() |
|
55 | Win | 51–4 | ![]() |
TKO | 2 (10) | Sep 29, 1977 | ![]() |
|
54 | Win | 50–4 | ![]() |
UD | 10 | Aug 27, 1977 | ![]() |
|
53 | Win | 49–4 | ![]() |
TKO | 1 (10), 2:06 | Aug 3, 1977 | ![]() |
|
52 | Win | 48–4 | ![]() |
TKO | 4 (10) | Jun 22, 1977 | ![]() |
|
51 | Win | 47–4 | ![]() |
KO | 1 (10) | May 14, 1977 | ![]() |
|
50 | Win | 46–4 | ![]() |
KO | 2 (10) | Feb 19, 1977 | ![]() |
|
49 | Win | 45–4 | ![]() |
KO | 3 (15), 1:25 | Jun 19, 1976 | ![]() |
Retained WBA, The Ring, and lineal featherweight titles |
48 | Win | 44–4 | ![]() |
KO | 2 (10) | Apr 10, 1976 | ![]() |
|
47 | Win | 43–4 | ![]() |
SD | 10 | Feb 1, 1976 | ![]() |
|
46 | Win | 42–4 | ![]() |
KO | 3 (10) | Dec 20, 1975 | ![]() |
|
45 | Win | 41–4 | ![]() |
KO | 5 (15), 2:47 | Oct 12, 1975 | ![]() |
Retained WBA, The Ring, and lineal featherweight titles |
44 | Win | 40–4 | ![]() |
TKO | 2 (10), 2:54 | Jul 18, 1975 | ![]() |
|
43 | Win | 39–4 | ![]() |
TKO | 2 (15), 2:00 | May 31, 1975 | ![]() |
Retained WBA featherweight title; Won vacant The Ring and lineal featherweight titles |
42 | Win | 38–4 | Leonel Hernandez | TKO | 8 (15), 2:52 | Mar 15, 1975 | ![]() |
Retained WBA featherweight title |
41 | Win | 37–4 | Oscar Aparicio | UD | 10 | Feb 8, 1975 | ![]() |
|
40 | Win | 36–4 | Rubén Olivares | KO | 13 (15), 1:20 | Nov 23, 1974 | ![]() |
Won WBA featherweight title |
39 | Win | 35–4 | Otoniel Martinez | KO | 1 (10) | Sep 21, 1974 | ![]() |
|
38 | Win | 34–4 | Oscar Aparicio | PTS | 12 | Aug 24, 1974 | ![]() |
|
37 | Win | 33–4 | Art Hafey | KO | 5 (10) | May 18, 1974 | ![]() |
|
36 | Win | 32–4 | Enrique Garcia | KO | 3 (10) | Apr 27, 1974 | ![]() |
|
35 | Loss | 31–4 | Ernesto Marcel | UD | 15 | Feb 16, 1974 | ![]() |
For WBA featherweight title |
34 | Win | 31–3 | Raul Martinez Mora | KO | 1 | Jan 12, 1974 | ![]() |
|
33 | Win | 30–3 | Jose Legra | TKO | 1 (10) | Nov 24, 1973 | ![]() |
|
32 | Win | 29–3 | Sigfrido Rodriguez | TKO | 9 (10) | Oct 27, 1973 | ![]() |
|
31 | Win | 28–3 | Nacho Lomeli | KO | 1 (10), 2:33 | Aug 25, 1973 | ![]() |
|
30 | Win | 27–3 | Octavio Gomez | KO | 2 (10) | Jun 30, 1973 | ![]() |
|
29 | Win | 26–3 | Kid Pascualito | TKO | 3 (10) | May 26, 1973 | ![]() |
|
28 | Win | 25–3 | Magallo Lozada | UD | 10 | Mar 31, 1973 | ![]() |
|
27 | Win | 24–3 | Fernando Fernandez | TKO | 2 | Feb 24, 1973 | ![]() |
|
26 | Win | 23–3 | Rafael Gonzalez | TKO | 3 | Dec 16, 1972 | ![]() |
|
25 | Win | 22–3 | Memo Ortiz | KO | 2 (10) | Nov 19, 1972 | ![]() |
|
24 | Win | 21–3 | Memo Barrera | TKO | 2 | Oct 21, 1972 | ![]() |
|
23 | Win | 20–3 | Jorge Benitez | KO | 1 | Sep 9, 1972 | ![]() |
|
22 | Loss | 19–3 | Jorge Reyes | TKO | 6 (10) | Jan 15, 1972 | ![]() |
|
21 | Win | 19–2 | Vicente Worrel Jr. | KO | 2 | Dec 18, 1971 | ![]() |
|
20 | Win | 18–2 | Reynaldo Mendoza | TKO | 4 | Oct 10, 1971 | ![]() |
|
19 | Win | 17–2 | Emilio Buitrago | UD | 10 | Oct 2, 1971 | ![]() |
Won vacant Nicaraguan bantamweight title |
18 | Win | 16–2 | Catalino Alvarado | KO | 1 | Aug 14, 1971 | ![]() |
|
17 | Win | 15–2 | Emilio Buitrago | TKO | 5 (10) | Jul 17, 1971 | ![]() |
|
16 | Win | 14–2 | Marcial Loyola | TKO | 2 | Jun 26, 1971 | ![]() |
|
15 | Win | 13–2 | Kid Chapula | KO | 1 | Jun 5, 1971 | ![]() |
|
14 | Win | 12–2 | Mauricio Buitrago | KO | 7 (10) | May 1, 1971 | ![]() |
|
13 | Win | 11–2 | Julio Hernandez | UD | 10 | Apr 17, 1971 | ![]() |
|
12 | Win | 10–2 | Julio Hernandez | UD | 10 | Mar 13, 1971 | ![]() |
|
11 | Win | 9–2 | Antonio Quiroz | KO | 6 (8), 2:06 | Feb 13, 1971 | ![]() |
|
10 | Win | 8–2 | Armando Figueroa | TKO | 1 | Dec 19, 1970 | ![]() |
|
9 | Win | 7–2 | Julio Morales | KO | 3 | Dec 5, 1970 | ![]() |
|
8 | Win | 6–2 | Jose Urbina | KO | 1 | Nov 14, 1970 | ![]() |
|
7 | Win | 5–2 | Mario Bojorque | KO | 1 (6) | Sep 24, 1970 | ![]() |
|
6 | Win | 4–2 | Marcelino Beckles | TKO | 8 (8) | Sep 24, 1970 | ![]() |
|
5 | Loss | 3–2 | Oscar Espinosa | SD | 6 | Apr 26, 1969 | ![]() |
|
4 | Loss | 3–1 | Omar Amaya | KO | 4 | Mar 1, 1969 | ![]() |
|
3 | Win | 3–0 | Burrito Martinez | TKO | 3 | Feb 15, 1969 | ![]() |
|
2 | Win | 2–0 | Oscar Espinosa | SD | 4 | Dec 14, 1968 | ![]() |
|
1 | Win | 1–0 | Israel Medina | KO | 1 (4) | Oct 26, 1968 | ![]() |
Professional debut |
Titles in boxing
Regional titles | ||
---|---|---|
Vacant Title last held by Leonel Urbina |
Nicaraguan bantamweight champion October 2, 1971 – 1974 Vacated |
Vacant Title next held by Moises Castro |
World titles | ||
Preceded by Rubén Olivares |
WBA featherweight champion November 23, 1974 – January 1977 Vacated |
Vacant Title next held by Rafael Ortega |
Vacant Title last held by Clemente Sánchez |
The Ring featherweight champion May 31, 1975 – June 20, 1977 Vacated |
Vacant Title next held by Danny Lopez |
Vacant Title last held by Eder Jofre |
Lineal featherweight champion May 31, 1975 – June 20, 1977 Vacated | |
Vacant Title last held by Alfredo Escalera |
WBC super featherweight champion January 28, 1978 – August 1980 Vacated |
Vacant Title next held by Edwin Rosario |
Preceded by Jim Watt |
WBC lightweight champion June 20, 1981 – July 1982 Vacated | |
The Ring lightweight champion June 20, 1981 – February 1983 Vacated |
Vacant Title next held by Julio César Chávez | |
Vacant Title last held by Roberto Durán |
Lineal lightweight champion June 20, 1981 – February 1983 Vacated |
See also
- Lineal championship
- List of lineal boxing world champions
- List of WBA world champions
- List of WBC world champions
- List of lightweight boxing champions
- List of boxing triple champions
References
- ↑ http://static.espn.go.com/boxing/news/1999/1208/221260.html
- ↑ Reflections on Lewis-Tyson - SecondOut.com
- ↑ Interview with Aaron Pryor - Boxing Monthly
- ↑ http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/content/sports/epaper/2009/07/29/0729panama_lewis.html
- ↑ http://www.cbssports.com/boxing/story/12007362
- ↑ https://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=ki-hbodoc072209&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
- ↑ http://www.boxing.com/the_final_chapter_pryor_argueello_saga_panama_lewis_and_the_black_bottle.html
- ↑ "Adrift in a Sea of Choices", Sports Illustrated, October 21, 1985
- ↑ "Alexis Arguello to bear Nicaraguan flag in Beijing Olympics", Xinhua, July 9, 2008
- ↑ The Independent Newspaper (London) Obituary of Alexis Argüello July 17, 2009
- ↑ "La Prensa Election Section" November 11, 2008
- ↑ El Nuevo Diario - Muere Alexis Argüello
- ↑ "Boxer Argüello Found Dead", Associated Press via Yahoo News (July 1, 2009)
- ↑ http://lisa-olson.fanhouse.com/2009/08/31/son-in-fight-of-alexis-arguellos-life/
External links
- Professional boxing record for Alexis Argüello from BoxRec
- BoxingInsider.com Biofile interview with Alexis Arguello
- Aladdin Freeman's BraggingRights Interview With Arguello 2004
- On June 26, 2009 in Carolina, Puerto Rico, Argúello placed flowers at a monument for Roberto Clemente to honor the late baseball great. Video on YouTube
- La Prensa - police statement
- https://web.archive.org/web/20090903082047/http://lisa-olson.fanhouse.com/2009/08/31/son-in-fight-of-alexis-arguellos-life
- http://nicaraguadispatch.com/2013/07/4-years-on-still-no-answers-about-death-of-alexis-arguello/
- http://articles.latimes.com/2009/aug/06/world/fg-nicaragua-mayor6
- http://www.ringsideboxingshow.com/ArguelloMurdered.html