Can some one with a better memory than me shed some light on this question? How come Arguello never unified any of his titles?
Politics and his motivation to move up rather than hang around, especially 130 and 135lbs. His reigns there were brief.
Well from memory he always beat the best titleist to win his title then moved on pretty fast. e.g. He publically stated he would fight Pryor as Pryor was the real and best champ of the division.
Yes -- I'm aware that he said he wouldn't consider himself the real champ at 140 unless he beat Pryor. Arguello defended the WBA featherweight title for the final time on June 19th, 1976. Danny Lopez won the WBC version on November 6th, 1976. I've always thought it was our loss that these two missed each other! I'd take Arguello in about 10 or 11 rounds, but the first half would have been SMOKIN!!
Yeah, what a mouth watering prospect. The Lopez right hand would have been uber dangerous to the slow starting Arguello but i think he would have got thru and possibly won by late stoppage. Danny might have his followers tho as Alexis was undoubtably below his greatest at this weight.
I can see this thread going in a different direction than I intended, but that's OKAY! I certainly don't mind discussing a mythical matchup between my #1 and #2 all time favorites. The fact that Alexis was a bit green at 126 is probably the main reason I would give Danny a chance of pulling off an upset. However, I think that chance is a slim one. Considering the kind of thunder both these guys brought to the ring I would not be surprised to see both guys go down at various points in the early rounds. Arguello preferred to start slow normally, but he did not HAVE to start slow. Look at the first Pryor fight! I think Alexis would survive some scary moments in the early rounds, figure Lopez out by the middles rounds, and stop him around 10 or 11. This one would not go the distance. Both guys are just packing way to much fire power to bang each other for 15 rounds!
Sometime back, I'm not sure if I read it in a boxing magazine, or heard it on Rich Morrata's boxing radio show......but there was mention that Danny Lopez' handlers steered him clear from Alexis Arguello. They knew of Arguello's class, and knew of Lopez' limitations. I dont know for certain, but I do believe that someone in Lopez' own camp gave light to this. .....and lets get real here, who the hell did Arguello ever duck???? ....we're talking about a proud Champion that refused to fight for a then unprecedented 4th world title against anyone other than the best 140 lbs had to offer, and that was none other than Aaron Pryor! Unification imo is'nt all that its cracked up to be......I much more respect a fighter crash a division and dominate the best fighters in it. Unifying does'nt always mean you beat the best the division had to offer. In many instances, because of politics, the best in the division is'nt even a title holder! In Arguello case, his resume is beyond reproach. Its as clear as day that he was the dominant champion in each of the divisions he won titles in, unification or not is'nt going to change that.
I had a dream last night about Alexis coming to my workplace and being treated like a celebrity. I finally got the chance to ask him why he didn't unify the titles in the back, but then my manager come over and told me to get on with my work. I saw Alexis later that day down day where they were holding like a little sign autographs boot for him in town, but I never asked him again. Sorry.
When Arguello beat Escalera, Sammy Serrano was the WBA Champion, Not much money in that. When He defeated Jim Watt, shortly afterward the WBA Champion was Ray Mancini, Whom he already defeated convincingly. So Arguello went up to Challenge Pryor, the next logical choice.
The tone of your post indicates that you may have misundertood why I ask the question about unification. Alexis Arguello is my all time favorite. The man ducked no one. His resume' and his actions both in and out of the ring are the very definition of Boxing Legacy!
:good There is a boxing highlight on youtube. It doesn't do him justice, but it shows just what his strengths were. Brillant outside fighter who possessed knockout power in both hands. Threw straight sharp punches and mixed it to the body and head seamlessly. Special fighter. If he had defeated Pryor in their first bout, perhaps he'd be held in a lot higher regard than he is, but it wasn't meant to be. Some of the shots he hit Pryor with were unbelievable and it's a miracle that Pryor wasn't stopped.
Here's one of my favorite Arguello storys. Arguello's handlers wanted him to KO Mancinni quick. The world should not be allowed to see this pimple faced white kid with 20 fights go more than 2 rounds with the great Alexis Arguello. After the 1st round the corner got all over Alexis for being to cautious, and not taking Ray out in 1. They told him get out there and knock him out in this next round. As the story goes, Alexis calmly told his corner, "Guys, this is no easy knock out. I have to be careful with this kid." The man was pure class!
Didn't he go up to Ray Mancini after the fight and tell him he loves his father. Wasn't his father an ex world champion who was sitting ringside?
Lenny Mancini was the top Contender at Lightweight & was on the verge of getting a title shot. When he went into WWII. There was even talk of Lenny getting a delay so he could get the title shot. But Lenny wanted to serve his Country and was subsiquently Wounded in action. He tried to resume his career after the war, but wasn't the same & never did get a title shot. Ray always said he wanted to win the Championship for his Father.
Yes that's the story. After the Mancinni fight Alexis, in his broken english, said something like; "I love your father. He was good fighter. You good fighter too. You come see me again, 2 years."