Arguello slices Chavez up with pinpoint punching. The only moral victory for Chavez is making it to the final bell and losing by UD.
Chavez late at 135 Arguello didn't stick around very long but enough to show his potential had he stayed. JCC was a better, stronger, harder punching fighter than Arguello ever fought and an ATG at 135 if not the best JCC has a chin that Arguello can't dent and he cannot outfight JCC
I thought then and I think it now, Chavez is too much for Alexis. Chavez wins at range and dominates inside. 3 or 4 point decision going Julio's way.
Great, great matchup. Chavez was smack bang in the middle of his prime at lightweight, Arguello was probably a little past his at the same weight. Superficially different fighters - Arguello tall and rangy, Chavez short and pressure focussed - they were similarly orthodox and methodical in their approach. Arguello had the better one punch power, Chavez had the (slightly) better chin. Chavez would look to infight and go to the body and Arguello would look to fight at range and set up that cracking right hand and left hook. Could Chavez walk through Arguello's power shots like Pryor managed to at 140? Would Chavez's pressure tell over the course of 12 or 15 rounds and Arguello start to weaken? It's hard to be sure. Like others have said, at 130 I'd pick Arguello but at this weight I'm picking Chavez to edge it as the slightly younger and fresher fighter. Regardless, it would have been a classic.
Another difference would be Arguello wouldn't go into a shell or survivor mode if he did get hurt. He'd fight his way through the rough spots, that's another big factor in the way the fight would go. Rosario pretty much "resigned to his fate" when he fought Chavez.
In patches, yes, and only during the last 3 rounds did Chavez really start getting to him to the point of slowing him down. Taylor moved on Chavez and outscored him with jabs and flurries for most of the fight, though....
Maybe not - Arguello commonly gave away early rounds and in this case wouldn't have his usual stamina advantage as both were awesome late round fighters.
Very interesting match up. Chavez is underrated technically, but the reach difference is sizeable. Can he keep the fight on the inside? I think he can for long stretches, but this is a genuinely close match. One thing mentioned already is I can't see Chavez getting knocked out. I can however, see a pressure fighter having some success, particularly an atg one. I'd favor Chavez in split decision.
That is a good question. Chavez could certainly take a punch. I’m sure Arguello would land some big shots. Could Chavez respond like Pryor?
I don’t think 135 is Arguello’s best weight. Ray Mancini was no JC Chavez, and Boom Boom gave Alexis a helluva fight for a still-novice pressure fighter. Chavez would be able to do more and wouldn’t wear down the way Mancini did. I figure JCC by UD, the difference being he’s a faster starter (AA almost always had to warm to the task) and would close stronger in the championship rounds.
Would the distance 12 or 15 rounds give an edge to either fighter . I'm leaning toward alexis if a 15 rounder
I don't think 15 rounds would give Alexis any advantage over JC. Chavez first became champion at the tail end of the 15 round era and I remember him being referred to as a '15 round fighter in a 12 round era' which I think is a good discription. He never had trouble with going the distance or with running out of steam in later rounds. If anything, with Arguello being a bit older it would hurt him more. But ultimately it would potentially mean three extra rounds so that would make an even greater fight!
