Than Arguello?! No way! Than Saijo? Yeah, but didn't look all that much like Arguello. Then again, it's not a lookalike thread is it? Styleswise I mean. Was just throwing it out there. BTW, I'ma bump your 'cultured left hands' thread later with a suggestion I think you'll like.
If you just bumped the thread to have people agree with you and laugh at the people who don't, it was a wasted bump. I think Zarate was more adaptable. I think he was strategically more brilliant and that some of the more serious breakdowns he put on opponents were brilliantly calculated. Zarate would often be in control of fights he was losing, or having a share in. He cracked guys who didn't even know they were being cracked until too late. Arguello cracked fighters in a similar way but it was just by being extremely good. He didn't have the layers Zarate did. I also think Zarate was the better balanced puncher who was capable of delivering more types of KO without commiting in the same way. I think his much higher KO% is born of this. I genuinely don't think there is anything strange or laughable in the comparison, and I think a lot of people pick Zarate for a reason.
I can't see any reason to think Zarate is superior myself. Arguello fought far better opposition, and also has clinical decimations on his ledger. Arguello had the better one punch power as well. And was also a deadly body puncher.
I couldnt agree more. I think Arguello was easily better at everything but footspeed as I stated befor. He was near textbook perfect as anyone in history. I respectfully disagree with McGrain. I feel Arguello was the much more layered fighter. P4P Arguello by KO.
Bump I think both guys were close to each other in terms of overall skills and punch selection / variety. Arguello obviously beat better competition but I think Zarate showed he was better against movers.
Love both fighters. I think they are far closer in skill than they are in all-time rankings/legacies. Both are all-time greats but Arguello did significantly more IMO with only slightly more. Zarate perhaps a little better with 2-3 shots, footwork, body punching but Arguello better with combination punches. Zarate was more dominant at their respective bests but Arguello operates on the higher level more consistently and carried his success better in weight.
Alexis Arguello, he did have the longevity on his side, and went on to some great wins, though Carlos Zarate was quite a hitter, he faded into obscurity after the knockout loss to Wilfredo Gomez, in 1978. Both fighters did have problems with mobile boxers.
Arguello by a long way in my opinion. Zarate was a gigantic bantamweight and he never managed to climb up in weight like Arguello did or have the overall longevity of Alexis. Gomez painted a picture on Zarate and the Mexican’s competition at 118 was very good but not stellar in my opinion. The battle of the Z’s was a great event and a memorable fight but for mine Zarate didn’t have quite as good a jab and definitely not as good a right hand as Arguello possessed. Neither man was what I would call a defensive genius but Arguello was better in that area in my opinion. I also think Arguello was more methodical and had a calmer ring presence than Zarate Cheers All.
