Arguello vs. Pacquiao @135lbs

Manny Pacquiao has had one fight as a Lightweight, and he looked very impressive against David Diaz.

His handspeed and lateral movement would offset Arguello early, getting himself into an early lead. Alexis wasn't the fastest starter in the world, it usually takes him a few rounds to get his timing right, and then he starts to let his hands go more. His uppercut is beautiful, and in fact, I'm not even going to go down the list. Every punch he threw was thrown with pin point accuracy, power, and speed.

The straight right was the shot that was most effective for Marquez against Pacquiao, in both fights. Alexis probably has the best straight right hand, or among the top 5, in Boxing history in my opinion. Just so straight and sharp, it knocked out Rooney soon as it landed, and that was at 140lb.

Pacquiao is above and beyond the Rooney's of this world, and he would be more than competitive early on, but Alexis was a 15 round fighter. He got stronger when his opponents slowed down, and I think he would land the straight right even more consistantly than Marquez did. I don't think many 135lb fighters in history could take to many of those right hands, and Manny is no exception.

Arguello tko late.

 

Arguello beats him in my mind

Pac really comes in and bounces in and commits to his straight punches as he comes in i seee him eating a right hand and getting KOd/KDd then TKOd

thats how i see the end happening

 

I agree. I also think if Manny tried to stand his ground too often that right uppercut to the body of Arguello's would start his eventual demise.

 

A man with fairness in mind. Most importantly, brains.

 

Well -- you guys have already said pretty much everything that needs to be said. The only thing I'd like to comment on is that Arguello would obviously KNOW that it was a 12 rounder. Therefore, he'd probably step on the gas a bit earlier than he would in a 15 rounder. Arguello TKO 10-11, for all the reasons that you guys already pointed out.

 

i think pac would do well over 15 rounds. he's still pretty sharp at round 12 and there's no indication he couldn't go another 3. he's probably one of the most gifted athlete among boxers.

 

Pac over 12. Arguello over 15.

 

Pac has too much speed of hand and foot for Arguello all day, although I wonder if Arguello would be able to time and counter Pac the same way Marquez did. I don't think he can and I don't think the duration of the fight is an issue with a fighter as well conditioned and strong as Pacquaio. Although Arguello did show he can time and counter Pryor with some amazing shots I don't think he lands as much on Pacquaio and I think when Pac gets his rythm, which I feel he would, he's coming out on top

Pacquaio by late rounds KO

 

Sub question. What's the better punch; Pacquiao's Straight Left or Arguello's Straight Right?

 

id say arguello would definitely be heavily favored in a 15 rd fight. I see arguello dominating either way though with his right hand, neutralizing pac's output. wide UD for arguello over 12, good chance for a ko over 15 i feel like.

 

i think Arguello would take him out in around 11th or 12th in either a 12 or a 15 rounder

i think Pac would be winning on points but it would be a close competitve fight

 

There is more than a fighter's conditioning involed when you consider the difference between 12 and 15 rounds. Arguello was an absolute master at finding an opponent's flaws and exploiting them.

Mancinni said Alexis fought like a safekrakur looking for that just right combination, and that even when he was doing well, he felt like Alexis was studying him so he could set him up for something later.

A 15 round fight gives the master safekrakur an additional 3 rounds to find that just right combination.

 

Why are we judging Arguello on his performance against Aaron Pryor, which was at 140lb for starters. That was not him at his peak.

Manny Pacquiao gets caught in the crossfire when he is fighting a worthy opponent. The only time he hasn't been hit is when he has either knocked them out early (Hatton), has fought a weight drained opponent (Oscar), or is in there against someone who couldn't hold his jockstrap (Diaz). No disrespect to Manny, I rate his last win very highly and I think he is an established elite.

Fighting Arguello is a whole different story. Manny was getting hit against Marquez, and I think comparisons can be made between both Marquez and Arguello. Both are great counterpunchers, very effective when staying in the pocket, and when they throw their shots, they are accurate, fast, and sharp. Arguello hit harder than Marquez, and I think his technique was even more flawless. It's in the films.

If Marquez has that kind of success, I think Alexis has all of the same qualities to land on Pacquiao. Manny is not a runner, he isn't an elusive target when he is fighting elite oppoisition. He'll land his shots because he is fast and dynamic, but Arguello took Pryor's best shots for 13 rounds at 140lb, and had proved over a long career that he could take shots.

I believe both fighters get hit in this fight. But I think Arguello hit so hard mainly because nobody delivered better shots than he did. It was textbook. I don't envision Manny, or many 135lb in history taking Arguello's best shots over the course of a 12 round fight. I expect Manny to look good early, but as the rounds go past, Manny is notorious for making himself a target. Arguello would find the target with his right hand, his left counter, and the uppercut.

Manny is not standing up to Arguello's firepower over 12 or 15, in my opinion.

 

I agree completely, and I like Pacman allot. AA just was also such a great thinker in the ring as others have referenced, and that would contribute to his winning inj my opinion also.

Pac's problem now from a legacy of greatness standpoint, is that LW and JWW is lacking talent. He has to go to WW, and sustain himself there winning, to build into what could be considered an ATG.

Time will tell on that.

 

Arguello's straight right. Bar Hatton I can't think of a time Pac has genuinely sparked someone with it, though he has knocked people over with it numerous times. When Arguello landed with his right it sounded like a shotgun going off, and had a simialr effect on his opponent.