Antonio Cervantes - An ATG?

Well, there was nothing wrong with the 2nd fight. Pryor still won.

 

The possible issue wasn't so much him taking the punches, it was the ridiculous energy and punch rate he thrust forth so late in a gruelling battle. The ending looked very ugly, for some moments people feared for Alexis' well being.

Not saying this is conclusive proof.

 

That first loss sure took a big piece of Arguello tho. He was never the same again, and certainly not in the second fight. The first fight was a career chaning loss at that stage.

Not saying Arguello would have won the first fight under any circumstances but he sure wasn't going to win the second.

Personally i believe Pryor was definitely on stimulants. Each to their own tho.

 

Pryor defended his title 8-10 times over the best 140 would offer him as well as Arguello. He beat the still reasonable Cervantes to win his title. He would be a tough hombre H2H for anyone in 140 history. 10 defenses, 3 wins over ATG's, it's enough for me. How many people have that many defenses vs the best available without loss and beat a couple of ATG's when they held titles?

I think he's overrated substancially H2H personally. Some have him beating Duran for heavens sake. A serious Duran (And he would be vs Aaron) popping in at 140 before his stint at 147 would take him to pieces imo.

 

I dont. It was just an inspired performance and a display of outstanding late round stamina, something Tommy Hearns could have used.

Why dont I believe Ap used stimulants? The results of the rematch

 

its called fighting heart, something Wilfred Benitez could have used more of.

 

Well if it ain't the good old pink headless chook.

Maybe Tommy could have used the black bottle, for such occasions?

 

Such a surprise you come in denouncing SRL opponents that have absolutely nothing to do with the thread.

Good to see the old infatuation is still so strong even after all these years.

 

what black bottle?

 

Pryor had balls the size of watermelons. Benitez was stuck with a paper mache version

 

""The one i mixed"

 

Sounds like you'd give anything to be fondling them too

:think

 

Pryor's own account of the black bottle contents seemingly having the effect of opening up his lungs seems to bear this out, but unlike Resto, I don't hold him as a willing accomplice in any cheating by Panama Lewis. (Leon Spinks drank a fizzy concoction late in his first match with Ali, which Sam Solomon told him was "juice." Solomon claimed later it was Perrier Water, but anybody who has ever boxed after drinking a carbonated beverage knows what a bad idea this is, especially if a shot to the gut happens to connect. With all the controversy over the black bottle in Pryor-Arguello I, I'm surprised the earlier controversy over Solomon's "juice" didn't have more staying power.)

Again, while Miami did take a lot out of him, he still looked all right in the rematch with Fernandez and the stoppage of Noel. Only a superb fighter could have taken his heart to stop him the way Pryor did in their rematch. (And Arguello was candid in interviews years later that Pryor did indeed take his heart out in that return.) As before, Pryor stood up to some tremendous shots, of which Arguello later needed just one to drop and ruin Costello. (I suspect Pryor's own heart is literally bigger, with a slower beat, like Armstrong's. If I were to meet him at an IBHOF induction, I might have a heart rate monitor with me, and ask if I could check his.)

For me, their rematch was startlingly anticlimactic. That pre-fight coverage showed footage of Arguello's diligent training, as he worked on nuances like lateral movement with a bouncing ball. (Alexis openly acknowledged the long held criticism that his infrequent use of lateral movement was a key shortfall in his execution.) He really did everything he could to reverse the outcome of their first match in his preparation.

 

I´m not disagreeing with you here. Just think the outcome of the 2nd match shouldn´t be ignored.

Yeah, this is very good but ATG? Don´t know, man. Looks overall just too thin to me. He´s definitly not a mere footnote in boxing history though.

Well, he certainly did everything he could to be prepared for Pryor. But after the first fight Pryor was in his head. I think this is what the decided the fight.

 

No, he got beat up by a 17yo