Mancini vs Arguello - If only every fight was like this

I just watched Mancini vs Arguello in its entirety for the first time. I had previously seen the ending, and the post-fight interview, but never from opening bell to last.

A great fight, fiercely competitive, with most of the early rounds belong to Mancini, with Arguello doing most of his best work in the mid to late rounds.

Arguello is just absolutely beautiful to watch when he puts his punches together. He picks his spot with that right hand, but once he throws it, it's with bad intentions and straight as an arrow. In fact, nearly every shot he throws, even in the late rounds, is with pin point accuracy and straight. He really showed himself to be a 15 round fighter in this fight, whereas the less experienced Mancini, couldn't quite keep up with Arguello late on.

Mancini showed true grit and a hell of a chin to take all of those hard shots for as long as he did. He only had like 20 fights at the time, so to go toe to toe with Arguello and look good doing it is quite an achievement for somebody with only 20 fights. Hell of an effort. Most lightweights in history would have been destroyed by that final combination Alexis put together to end matters. No shame.

All Boxing detractors need to sit through this affair. The sportsmanship was unbelievable, I don't think Gil Glancy could believe it either, when Mancini actually stopped to make sure Alexis was okay. This was from a supposed thumbing, Alexis winced, and Mancini stopped and apologized.

The post fight interview was equally as touching, with Arguello wishing Mancini the best in his career, and talking very complimentary about his father.

All Boxing detractors, watch Mancini vs Arguello, it encompasses everything we love about the sport.

 

Absolutely.

I don't think anybody has one bad word to say about Arguello. He fought the best in every division and with great sportsmanship. What a right hand, though.

 

Of course. That was on a different level to this fight, but I just enjoyed this one because of the great sportsmanship.

 

Perhaps I didn't give Mancini enough credit. He wasn't just there to get hit, he landed a lot early on and was right in there on the cards until the first knockdown. A credit to himself for not catching z's after that straight right hand, Alexis loaded it up, and Mancini added insult to injury by walking into it. A hell of a shot, and Mancini hung in there. Alexis may well have wanted it stopped after the first knockdown, but Mancini gave himself another chance and he just came up short. Referee wasn't at fault., just Alexis' heart is so big he didn't want to, as he words it, "lower more boom boom".

I'm trying to think back to another fighter who threw shots with the kind of technique that Alexis did. All of his shots, his left hook, the uppercut, and especially the right hand, are just so straight and smooth. He wasn't all that elusive, and this was proved early on in this fight, but his offensive skills cannot be faulted.

 

:goodThanks man.

Nobody has acknowledged either my Nunn avatar, or my Mijares sig. I was disappointed.

 

:good It's on youtube. Here it is.

[YT]jaXa912AtzI[/YT]

Devastating combination indeed. :good

 

:good They didn't know when he was going to shoot his right hand. Alexis was so composed, and had so much discipline, that he picked his spots. A guy with his sort of power could be winging, and looking to throw that right at every opportunity. Alexis controlled everything with his left, catching the fighter coming inwith left hooks, and soon as he saw an opening, then comes the right hand and in the case of Rooney, the fight is over.