Arguello - Busceme

I love watching Arguello.Such a patient fighter.And his body attack is so underrated.

 

Bubba Busceme fought a very smart fight against Arguello, and I agreed with "Flash" Gordon that the southpaw was pitching a shutout going into the fatal round six.

The judges of course actually had Alexis leading, probably just because of who he was. Otherwise, the only reason I could see for them to be scoring the bout against Busceme was because his aggression might have been rendered ineffective by Arguello's diligent efforts to slip under the multiple jabs Bubba was flicking from his elbow.

Frankly, Busceme boxed Arguello much as I would have tried to do if I was in his shoes. Having finally seen some footage of Winky Wright, it seems to me that a similarity could be drawn between the two of them. Bubba continually rushed Alexis, then tried peppering him with his flicking right, but not expending enough force behind his blows to punch himself out. Busceme's obvious intention was to try stealing a hometown decision over El Flaco Explosivo, rather than try taking him out, or even attempt to hurt him. He'd watched Elizondo try to inflict serious damage on Arguello with his forceful aggression and dedicated body attack, and Alexis busted his jaw and nearly decapitated him fighting off the ropes. Busceme wisely kept the action in ring center (from what I recall anyway).

Unfortunately for James, Arguello knew exactly what he was trying to pull off, and Alex could write the book on how to handle a southpaw from an orthodox stance. (Did he actually set the record for most southpaw world title claimants defeated from the orthodox stance?)

James sure distinguished himself in front of his hometown fans with his dogged refusal to go down when Arguello finally caught up to him, a determination he affirmed in the post fight interview. I also found it interesting he described Alexis as being much like he expected in the ring, with the exception that he found Arguello to be a little quicker than he anticipated. Like his stylistic forerunner Louis, Alexis was awfully effective for a "mechanical" boxer.

 

Thanks JT. I tend to wax and wane a bit on my interest in boxing, but like most fair weather fans, my interest was sparked by Ali's recapture of the HW title from Foreman, the popularity of Stallone's first Rocky flick, then the unexpected excitement generated by the 1976 U.S. Olympic Boxing squad. Like many, I followed their progress as professionals.

Later, I saw many rebroadcasts of great fights and noted champions on the Nostalgia Cable network (which are now getting posted on-line), as well as several through the Calvacade of Boxing series syndicated by Steven Bass. (This programme, with color commentary by Harold Lederman, brought heretofore unseen luminaries like Yoko Gushiken and Miguel Canto into American homes.)

I previously made reference to a deceased friend of my father's who had been a top boxer in the U.S. Navy, and then a newspaper man, who provided me loans of classic boxing movies and literature. My brief but intense interest in boxing gradually faded out in the mid 1980s, but obviously one doesn't forget what is already learned. (I've moved completely on from a variety of other formerly intense interests.)

Eventually, my outpouring of commentary into ESB Classic will also subside as I move on to yet other different areas of concentration, but the purging process here is only now just underway. (With a site like this one though, plenty will always come along to add newer and fresher perspectives on familiar topics. I imagine I'll have long since proceeded to other passions before I were to ever reach 5,000 posts. Frankly, I'm startled to have posted over 1,000.)

When I've completely burned out my wavering concentration on these posts, I'll know it's time to fixate on a new, unrelated obsession. It will be very obvious when that happens, as I get consistently sloppy with my facts and posting form.

 

Ah yes .... El Flaco Explosivo ... My favorite fighter of all time. One of the really exciting things about watching Alexis was the anticipation ... Sometimes he seemed almost like he was just fiddling around, and then all of a sudden he'd get everything figured out they he wanted, step on the gas and close the show. Another really exciting thing about Arguello was that he could change the direction of a fight with a single punch, or the simplest combination.

boo

 

His punch placement was something that simply can't be taught. It's almost as if he was born with an innate understanding of the human anatomy's vital targets. If we were to define the term "sharpshooter" as it relates to boxing, a picture of Arguello would suffice nicely. When looking at the hook he used to knock out Escalera in Rimini, Dr. Eduardo Roman stated that he didn't see power in the punch, but that pinpoint accuracy incapacitated the Snake Man, who fell down three times from the punch. (Years before Tyson did the same to Berbick.)

 

Such an interesting fight. The whole final 3 rds you see Arguello trying to catch Bubba coming out and nailing him with a left hook. He finally does and caves the roof in on the pride of Beaumont. The last rt hand levels most 130-147. Lol

 

I read a lengthy piece on Busceme not too long ago- I think he works as a sports trainer on some Caribbean island now, and he spoke about not really loving boxing and how he approached it simply as a job and felt obligated to do it because he had talent and could make money at it. I think you can see this mindset in how strategic he was in Duodenum's excellent description of his tactical approach. I was impressed with his effort and Arguello's incredible patience. Very visibly a chess match played out in the ring.

 

Arguello is probably my favorite fighter. I remember watching this at my Grandmother's house and insisting we cant leave til the fight was over lol. Great posts regarding this fight and about Arguello as a fighter. I do honestly feel Alexis gets overlooked and underrated at times on this forum.

 

Arguello was fantastic. I would take him by KO over Whitaker Mayweather Mosely lomanchinko Chavez at 150-on down. Just a different level than others. Like Duran and Monzon and superbantam Gomez, just had it all.

 

Alexis was a great fighter. Though guys like Kenty, Davis Jr, and definitely Mamby all have a shot, and in Mamby case definitely, of beating him.