I was watching this again last night and am interested to know how highly people rate it as it's my favourite fight. I personally don't think it's ever been topped for sustained action in a long bout as well as in terms of the quality of the boxing. Of course, there's the controversy with the black bottle ('the one I mixed') and an emphatic conclusion that all adds to the legend. It usually makes most all-time top 10 lists of the greatest fights in boxing history but exactly where do you place it?
It`s as good a fight as I have ever seen. There wasn't the multiple knockdowns and fouls you see in some other wars {Tito/Vargas} comes to mind. The quality of the fighting though was uncommon. I agree that it was sustained action and fought at a brisk pace. The changes in momentum as well as the change in tactics mid fight by Pryor make it fascinating TV.
It was voted fight of the 80's, wasn't it? I don't think you'll meet many fans of the sport that don't rank this fight amongst the very best they've ever seen. It was that kind of exceptional fight.
Yes it was an awesome fight .. Corrales Castillo, as good. And for those who haven't seen the Marquez Vazquez wars, they are up there too
I think it was matched action wise the next day by Mancini-Kim and beaten overall by Gomez-Pintor and the greatest fight ever Limon-Chacon 4. But in order for me Limon-Chacon is 1. Gomez-Pintor is 3 best I ever saw. Pryor-Arguello is 5 6 or 7 in my life. Great month November 12-December 11, 1982. And don't forget within that month you had the great asskicking HAMSHO gave baby czyz, Holmes beating of Tex and Braxton vs. DAVIS. And of course, the first Weaver-Dokes fixed fight.
This legendary fight lived up to its billing as the Fight of Champions. However there will always be a * because of Pryor trainer Panama Lewis and the second water bottle. Another equally thrilling JW fight battle Thunder and Lighting ( Chavez vs Taylor ) also * because of the stoppage with two seconds to go in final round.
Damn the early '80s was an awesome time to be a boxing fan in the US. And don't forget The '82 NFL players' strike meant there was an abundance (even more than usual for the time) of boxing on free tv. - NBC, CBS had to fill the void for cancelled NFL games. The NFL season ended up being only 9 weeks, 7 weeks short of the scheduled 16. So there were NINE weeks where boxing filled up the schedule. Meanwhile, ABC only had Monday Night Football at the time. They still showed quite a bit of boxing, but not as much as NBC and CBS, during the strike.
what is missing in Corrales and Castillo is the quality of a Pryor/Arguello or Hagler vs. Hearns, which you can see in the quality of the punches landed.. and intensity. Early on I think Pryor proved he was too strong for Alexis.
it is like the Hagler vs. Hearns- Arguello and Pryor in that the guy moving up Hearns and Arguello , had they been stronger then Pryor or Hagler they would have walked through them easily.. But Hagler and Pryor were more natural at the weights and it helped.
Nothing was missing in the Corrales Castillo fight for me .. Both great boxers and champs with Corrales moving up and being the Top 5 most exciting fights in History ..imo, off the top of my head
