I think Chavez was incredible at 135. I like Arguello to beat Chavez at 130 based on it being his prime weight and based on Chavez being just a little inexperienced. I just feel like at 135 Arguello slowed down a little more (never a speed demon) and Chavez with his underrated defense would get on the inside without getting lit up on the way. On the inside it's Chavez's fight. Brutal fight, maybe some blood on both sides. I like Chavez maybe 9-6.
I like Arguello's reach, sharp jabs and straight punching to carry him through in this one, but that presupposes that the scheduled distance is 15 rounds, the duration which Alexis was geared for during his championship career. He blunted the shorter Mancini's inside game most effectively, and ripped apart aggressive body punching specialist Roberto Elizondo with his back against the ropes. Bubba Busceme had a clever idea. He continually rushed Alexis, flicked out multiple right jabs from the elbow at him, then retreated quickly before repeating that attack. This was something that might be expected of Maxie Rosenbloom. Fully realizing that Busceme was aiming to snatch a hometown decision with this low energy tactic, he bent his knees and slipped many of these light taps that others would have simply allowed to score. After five rounds, Flash Gordon had Busceme pitching a shutout, but the judges all had Arguello ahead by one, probably because his defensive moves rendered the challenger's aggression largely ineffective. (Yes, matches are won by throwing punches, but those punches have to land to score. Punchstat percentage statistics on Arguello/Busceme would have been interesting to know. Footage wouldn't be of much help here, as Alexis's back was to the camera much of the time he was slipping and ducking.) Arguello/Busceme demonstrated that Alex was not as easy a lightweight target as some might suppose. During Arguello's prime, mobility was believed to be the key to defeating him (as it was with Louis), but nobody was ever able to sustain this well enough over the championship distance to have a chance at winning a decision. I don't recall any pundit suggesting that it was prudent to try taking him to the inside. He aimed for the sternum, boosting his accuracy. His right uppercut to the body put away Ganigan, and his hook downstairs took out Kobayashi, so we know he could knockout championship caliber competition with either hand downstairs. While he doesn't likely drop or stop Chavez, his skills, underrated versatility, endurance and toughness would have carried him through for the win. Overlooked in his Miami loss to Pryor is the fact that he was able to accept and compete with Pryor's torrid pace and pressure into the championship rounds, even though he was ten pounds past his optimal weight, and at 30 years of age against a possibly juiced opponent who had just turned 27. Upon reflection, I think Elizondo was Arguello's most devastating win at 135, and I remember "Squeaky" (did you ever hear Elizondo speak?) as being perhaps more aggressive than even Ganigan. Pressure, infighting and body punching was no recipe for defeating him.
I was thinking of posting this match up myself as its a very interesting 1. I like Chavez's ability to slip and block jabs/rights and counter to the body or head from angles at a high workrate to give Arguello trouble. Although I like Arguello's tenacity, rangyness and perfect punching. Its a real puzzler with each man giving the other problems but I feel it would be a war, and close but I think Arguello wins out by late KO
JC Chavez by UD. More fluid, faster hands for once and a better combination puncher. Has the chops to eat Arguello's bombs. Arguello has height, reach, timing and one-punch power on Chavez, but I think he comes up short. Once Chavez gets way inside, Arguello's long arms work against him.
Arguello`s right vs Chavez chin would be fascinating... Julio had great defence at 135, his best weight IMO but he had a weakness for being nailed with straight rights at times & Alexis had one of the best straight rights in history, I think Chavez slips enough & gets inside often enough to make it a war & take a close pts win in a brilliant fight, it would be close tho & Id maybe fancy Arguello by a similar margin at 130. Not a lot between these legendary soldiers.
I agree. Most fighters with the style of a Chavez will get stopped by Arguello at 135lbs - but Chavez possessed one of the greatest chins of all time. I don't see Arguello or any other Lightweight in history stopping the man - and therefore I feel Chavez will often take rounds on work rate, and sometimes smothering Arguello's work on the inside. It'd be close, though.
Chavez takes a great shot and is a busy fighter against a fighter of Arguello's style. He would crowd Arguello and keep him off balance. It's a bad match up for Arguello. Arguello's win over Chavez's stablemate Ramirez was questionable. Chavez would outwork Arguello even more. Don't get me wrong, Arguello was an all-time great. He's just not as great as Chavez.
I would definitely favor Arguello at 130. At 135 it's harder to call, as Arguello had slowed down a bit with the extra weight, while Chavez was at least as good, if not somewhat better. Even so, I think I'd still lean toward Arguello on this one, based on his height/range and boxing skills.
Arguello would decision Chavez strong over 15, asserting his dominance in the championship rounds.Something like 10-5.
