Could Alexis emulate Pac Man's career path from 126-150 lbs? Barrera Marquez Morales Diaz DelaHoya Hatton Cotto Margarito (150) Mosely Marquez (144-147) Bradley Mayweather Alexis is great, carries dynamite in each hand, great technician...but Pac Man built one helluva resume. What kind of ups and downs do you see for Arguello? What would his record be?It would be a brutal gauntlet. But then again...Pac didn't run into an animal like Pryor either! Opinions please.
Arguello's challenges would have been with the younger fresher opponents, in the earlier parts of Pacquiao's path - at 126 and 130. Barrera, Marquez, Morales are all mighty foes, there - but, I think Alexis would prevail in what would have been some truly classic bouts. Diaz would be a good fight too but with Arguello never really in trouble. Remembering that Arguello took on the toughest 140 Champ around (and ATG Light Welterweight) in Pryor, I really don't see him having too much of an issue with Hatton. Anything after 140 is a bit of a guess really since Alexis only had a handful of bouts there. But, it's plausible that El Flaco Explosivo, after knocking Hatton out, could have gone on to face some of the heavier opponents listed. Bradley and Mayweather present the major challenges here; not 'Corpse of OdlH' or 'Reanimated Margo'. I think Arguello takes care of a truly blown-up featherweight Marquez, as well.
I don't think Arguello has the size to compete above 140 with his skills. He wasn't a master boxer, and that chin is only going to hold on for so long. That power will also be way less effective at 147.
While Pryor was certainly a great 140 champ, he is actually a "blown up" lightweight and only fought at 140 because he was feared too much at 135. Blown up is a big word, but he wasn't the biggest 140 pounder around.
He was feared at 140, as well. I am not sure what point you are making. Pryor was not exactly artificially inflated to 140 and he was the toughest challenge Arguello could have taken, at that weight, at the time.
Disagree but anyway, half of the men on this list would beat on a 5'5 125-lb Olivares like a little brother.
Not Barrera, not Morales, not Marquez at 126. Not sure which Diaz we are talking about, but none I can think of are better than Olivares. I will concede that a 147 Oscar would beat a 126 Olivares, likewise Mosely. But, p4p, Olivares is better.
Manny Pacquiao was incredibly quick and had good punching power during his prime years, all of which enabled him to complete in heavier weight divisions with a tremendous amount of success. Despite having a huge advantage in height over Pacquiao, Arguello was far from being as quick, which would make it more difficult for him to have that much success with fighters who weigh more than 140 pounds. - Chuck Johnston
