The ESB British Forum Encyclopedia

:think Introduction longer than anticipated. I started with the image of the push-up's in the Pascal fight, which has just reached it's conclusion at three paragraphs.

Taking y'know, trials and tribulations into account, I may be two parts in by the time I get to some actual fights at this rate.

 

Hopkins deserves it son:deal

 

B-Hop requires a lot! Can't wait! :good

 

B-hop prolly could be a 2 parter: pre taylor and post taylor.

can't wait to read it.

Just read the pieces on conteh and galindez; quality :good

 

I thought Conteh was just a Wikipedia insert? I'll have to have a look at that then.

 

Nah, forget about it.

 

I'll add to that post as well as including the other parts in the coming days, I'm too tired right now.

 

Nice start, and cinematic.

Can't wait for the bit about the Howard Eastman war :bbb

 

I like the format.

 

Warning! Not only is this next British Forum Encyclopedia entry humongous (it warrants it though, this will not be the norm for me unless I do something era spanning or with lots of twists and turns, as Marlon Starling had, don't think I've gone all pretentious ;-)) but it also features some of the most violent, savage and dramatic fights ever caught on film, so if you're of a nervous disposition, stop reading now ;-)

If you want to see courage, brutality, skill, power and have your jaw drop countless times, read/watch on.

The 70s and 80s were fiercely competitive times for the sport, and produced many great fighters. Here, I tried to retain some sort of narrative throughout, but as the stories veer off at different stages I found it hard to keep track, so hopefully it seamlessly ties together and doesn't end up all over the shop and hard to follow (apologies in advance for any grammatical errors or spelling mistakes I've missed, let me know so I can edit for clarity)

The fighters the next ESB British Forum Encyclopedia entry features were very closely matched, with vastly different styles with a few things in common; the will and desire to trade punches! Whilst the 80s is most famous for 'The Fabulous Four' up at 147, 154 and 160lbs, in the weightclasses below there was an equally legendary series of bouts taking place with a legend on the same level as Hearns, Leonard, Hagler and Duran, which accomodated fighters that would go on to have some absolute corkers with each other.

Even if you're not interested in the era or fighters involved (or ploughing through the probably excessive prose), if you're a fan of Castillo-Corrales, the Gatti-Ward Trilogy, Vasquez-Marquez series, Barrera-Morales trilogy, Concepcion-Marquez, Appleby-Walsh, any great action fights from recent history, then you owe it to yourself to watch the fights from the next few entries, especially those marked up as a must see.

Enjoy (edits due to character count permitting it should be up shortly) :good

Sorry Mand', gonna' be a nightmare to put on the index page!

 

PART ONE: The All-Time Great

Name: Alexis Arguello
Height: 5'10

Boxing record
Total fights 85
Wins 77
KO's 62
Losses 8 (4)

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Alexis Arguello is rightly regarded as one of the greatest pound-for-pound fighters of all time, one of the greatest punchers of all time, and one of the true Gentleman boxers. The Nicaraguan boxer-puncher was a tall man for the weights he fought at, and was a fan favourite revered for his charisma and manner outside of the ring as much as his brutal slayings and displays of machismo inside of it, retaining his qualities and ability to finish an opponent throughout the 15-round Championship distance, never losing in a title defence.

Arguello was a chilling finisher who threw every punch straight out of the textbook, and as well as being able to find room for ramrod singles or throw bone crunching combinations, he had devastating K.O power in either hand to both head and body, and made up for being slow on his feet by having excellent timing, accuracy and the knowledge of where to plant his feet whenever the opportunity to punch presented itself. Mainly revered for his pulverising straight right hand, Arguello was an expert at breaking an opponent down, had a superb jab and counter punched very well. He could pick off punches well with his gloves and had superb survival skills and powers of recovery, and could remain composed when under attack and would fire back when pressured. In short, he was one of the last fighters you'd want to get into a fire fight with, and the Matador to a number of aggresive Bulls. He was a Conquistador who fought in ten different countries (and some multiple times) and became a well-loved fan favourite in the United States.

But turning pro' in 1968 as a boxing mad 16 year old, the man who would be known as 'El Flaco Explosivo' (The Explosive Thin Man) Arguello had a less than promising start to his career, going 3-2 in his first five fights, and suffering back to-back losses. Arguello did as he did in the ring. Recovered quickly, and embarked on a destructive path to the top of the Featherweight division.

Going 28-1 (24) between '70-'74, including a very impressive 1st round K.O against great Featherweight (and very experienced) Jose Legra, who had extended Eder Jofre the full 15 just 6 months earlier, Arguello received a shot at the WBA Championship, and lost a 15 round decision to the great Ernesto Marcel in his first shot at a World title in a fight where both men acquitted themselves well and Arguello got a whole lot of top-class experience from.
Arguello rebounded with a dominant win over top contender Art Hafey (KO5) and got a shot against the great Ruben Olivares for the WBA title Marcel had relinquished after retiring after beating Arguello. Coming from behind, Arguello beat Olivares down in the 13th round to validate his position as one of the best punchers in the game.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5jRsV8MwOQ[/ame]

Between '74 and '78 he proved himself a real road warrior, going 21-0 (18) with 4 defences including wins over slick and skilled Venezualan Leonel Hernandez (TKO8 in Venezuala) and Jap' contender Royal Kobayashi (KO5 in Tokyo), before moving up to 130lbs and travelling to his opponents homeland again to fight the awkward and disjointed Puerto Rican puncher Alfredo Escalera for the WBC Super Featherweight Championship. Escalera was making his 10th defence of his title, and had reclaimed his position as the no.1 in the division after the untimely death of Tyrone Everett, who was robbed in a challenge to Escalera two years before (WBA champ Samuel Serrano had a lengthy but only decent couple of stints and was not regarded as the top man in the division). In a great fight and absolute bloodbath, Arguello forced a 13th round stoppage on cuts to become a two-weight World Champion and enhance his reputation as one of the best P4P fighters in boxing.

Vs Hernandez, very good styles clash between contrasting technicians, recommended
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbC19bUSgJE[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khukXLnzT5M[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UB9mNaNVBn0[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n63avwCIQkI[/ame]

Vs Kobayashi, Demolition job with body shots that lift the Jap' off the ground.
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoqYK7knkzA[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aBhG9Ny0r0[/ame]

Vs Escalera I
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZYHdbNPtvM[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omo8CZf8f34&feature=related[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4HVBnwZmlo&feature=related[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXRoa3gP154&feature=related[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co0pvscMyMw&feature=related[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObWu9R2nni8&feature=related[/ame]

After two defences, Arguello was outpointed by fleet-footed and evasive Vilomar Fernandez in a Lightweight contest, before making two more defences including another 13th TKO win against former champ' Escalera.

Vs Rey Tam (1st 130lb Defence for Arguello)
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJKBIYynK9s[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ParUOnMFkrY&feature=related[/ame]

Vs Vilomar Fernandez (L10, later avenged)
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyIwetAWBME[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03qdNZE9LOk[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXG33ji8Yb8[/ame]

130lbs is held in popular regard as Arguellos prime fighting weight, and he was about to get some game and dangerous foes to challenge him for superiority of the division.

 

PART 2: 'Schoolboy' Vs 'Bazooka'

Name: Bobby Chacon
Height: 5'5

Boxing record
Total fights 67
Wins 59
KO's 47
Losses 7 (5)
Draws 1

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Turning professional whilst still studying, Bobby 'Schoolboy' Chacon was a prominent and popular fighter who competed in the 1970s and '80s, and who suffered extreme tragedy outside the ring and fought exclusively with his heart inside it. With only regional experience as an amateur, the 21 year old Chacon was persuaded to turn pro' by his Wife, and he quickly became a staple of the legendary nights at the Inglewood Forum in California as a young, inexperienced, but undoubtedly talented 126lber.

Compiling a 20-0 (17) between his debut in '71 and his fight with Ruben Olivares in '72, with wins over Arturo Pineda, Frankie Crawford and great Bantam Chucho Castillo, forcing the Mexican great to wilt in the 10th and final round. Against Olivares, Chacon was soundly beaten, stopped on his feet but out thought as well as out fought, and decked twice in the final round.

Bouncing back, Chacon proved his fighting spirit with (IMO) a career-best performance, using his speed, full set of skills, counter punching and finishing ability, and putting it all together in a brutal and action-packed bout with arguably the hardest puncher in Featherweight history, future Featherweight Champion Danny 'Little Red' Lopez, finishing off the stiff stalker early in the 9th round with a frightening array of punches. A MUST SEE.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4k9LO_IigUs[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHvLsm6lUyY&feature=related[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIa9wKFZVE0&feature=related[/ame]

When Eder Jofre relinquished his WBC crown, the red-hot Chacon was given a chance to win the vacant strap against former 130lb Champion Alfredo Marcano. Despite being on the wrong end of the action in the 7th and 8th round, Chacon laid out a tiring Mercano out with a combination of uppercuts in the 10th, claiming his first belt.

Chacon struggled to maintain his love for fighting a few times as well as finding it hard to make the Featherweight limit due to cutting corners in training and a partying lifestyle, and he never sustained a fighting pace over 15 rounds until years later. In his second defence he looked completely lethargic, and was easily beaten again by ATG Olivares (another notorious party animal), this time inside two rounds.

Chacon was far happier when his opponent wanted to fight rather than chasing, and he relished fighting off the ropes, planting his feet, slipping (and taking) shots and firing back with both hands. He was about to meet a man who shared the same appreciation for taking two to land one, and they would embark on a savage journey together.

Name: Rafael Limon
Height: 5'6

Boxing record
Total fights 77
Wins 52
KO's 38
Losses 23 (11)
Draws 2

This content is protected

More recognisable by his apt ring moniker 'Bazooka', supposedly lifted from his time in the Army, this Mexican was a nasty slugger with no care for defence who winged punches from his waist and sent every shot with the intent of causing the most pain he could on his opponent. A natural righty who learned to fight southpaw, he was a relentless pressure fighter armed only with a granite chin and gravel fists, and possesed a soul-destroying body attack, making up for his lack of handspeed and slowing his opponent down. A horrible fighter to share a ring with, his lack of refinement and brutal fighting style (encompassing hard low blows) made him an awkward and painful night for everyone he shared the ring with at his best.

Coming up the hard way in the Mexican domestic scene, Limon learned on the job as he got into his 20s, suffering losses but getting a good winning streak going that included Saul Montana, a shopworn Lionel Rose, and a 10 round decision win over Chicano rival Bobby Chacon in 1975, who had made the permanent move to 130lbs, where he would go on to gain a win over old rival Olivares, now inconsistent, via ten round decision. In 1979, both in good form (Limon #1; Chacon #4 ranked contenders), they fought again, in an eliminator for a shot at Arguellos Championship. After a spirited battle which acted as a dry run for two future battles between the two, a clash of heads stopped proceedings in the 7th, and the fight was ruled a technical draw.

Chacon Vs Limon II
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5Zv_14o3BY[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPCvXlbwV8E[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dn6GR5so8H4[/ame]

Despite Chacon looking every bit Limon's equal in their rematch, the tough Mexican retained his no.1 contendership and got his shot at Arguello, but only gave his chin a chance to shine, falling off after some competitive early rounds with some quality exchanges, and being stopped on cuts (caused by early head clashes between the lanky Nicaraguan and the aggresive Mexican southpaw) in the 11th after absorbing the great Champions full arsenal.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nt3JcJfbmiI[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxyNM2-x88I&feature=related[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5empdD9jXSA&feature=related[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_6--AQfV1Q&feature=related[/ame]

Chacon received the next shot at Arguello, and had a chance to claim a title in a second weightclass. He made a concerted effort to box and throw in bursts, and it worked. Ahead on the cards and looking for more success, Chacon looked to bomb Arguello with a left hook, but was cracked with a picture perfect counter left by the Champion, which forced him to take a reprieve. Badly cut, Chacon absorbed a torrential beating for the rest of the 7th, and was pulled out by the Doctor before round 8.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pw5innmDTLs&feature=related[/ame]

Chacon seemed to have wilted in his last shot at the big time despite performing well early. He would get another chance to see how much he had left in a rubber match with Bazooka Limon. As for Arguello, he had aspirations of winning a title in a third weightclass. He would make just two more defences of his 130lb title. His final defence would be against a talented Filipino southpaw hailing from General Santos City with dynamite in his fists. Arguello was shutting up shop at the weight, but new owners were moving in already.

 

PART 3: 'The Bad Boy' and Boza

1980 would be a busy year for Alexis Arguello, going 5-0 (3), defending his title two more times, and making a permanent move to 135lbs. Arguello made the penultimate defence of his belt against the class (and IMO underrated) Ruben Castillo in a good fight, and a highly competitive defence. Castillo, who went on to drop decisions to Salvador Sanchez and Juan Laporte for the WBC 126lb title, was 46-0 and gave a very good showing of his skills before Arguello cut him down late.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lImPRVZ1B4g[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RitXo028iw&feature=related[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xU9HrPWelU&feature=related[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrpwIOkmmWE&feature=related[/ame]

Arguello would fight twice in the next 3 months, outpointing ridiculously matched trialhorse Gerald Hayes, and making the last defence of his title against an unheralded 23 year old Filipino who had already accumulated a 34-6-3 ring record.

Name: Rolando Navarette
Height: 5'6

Boxing record
Total fights 72
Wins 54
KO's 31
Losses 15 (8)
Draws 3

This content is protected

Rolando Navarette turned pro' at 16, and worked his way up from journeyman to Champion status at 130lbs. Known as 'The Bad Boy from Dadiangas', he was a left-handed boxer puncher, who counter punched well and knew when to pick his spots. He had wins over Fernando Cabanella, Rey Tam and Frankie Duarkie, and drew with Thanomchit Sukhothai as part of 13-0-1 undefeated streak that saw him in the fringes of the top ten.

Navarette would be the last man to challenge Arguello at 130lbs. Arguello used his reach well, honing in on damage to Navarettes right eye with his jab and ripping the wound apart to force a stoppage in 5 rounds. The unheralded 23 year old from the Phillipines (but fighting out of Hawaii) had yet to put it all together. But in the next era for the weight, he would have a chance to.
Having made 8 defences of his WBC title, Arguello was moving up. Arguello's first foray into the Lightweight division was, as aforementioned, disasterous, with the slippery Vilomar Fernandez outpointing him. For his second test at the weight, he took on an unknown proposition. A Ugandan Lightweight with British backing who came to fight.

Name: Cornelius Boza Edwards
Height: 5'10

Boxing record
Total fights 53
Wins 45
KO's 34
Losses 7 (4)
Draws 1

This content is protected

A well-schooled mid-range boxer puncher who was as tough as they come and who could dig deep in the trenches with a highly competent inside game, Cornelius Boza (he added Edwards in respect to the Englishman who helped him escape and took him in) was a softly-spoken and respectful boxer puncher who would become one of the most ballsy action fighters of the 1980s.

Sent away from his homeland of Uganda (where he was selected for the '76 Montreal Games) by his worried family after being beaten by dictator Idi Amin's thugs, he honed his trade under legendary trainer Mickey Duff in London, who himself had fled Poland from Hitlers Nazi regime during World War II. He brought Boza through the domestic and European Lightweight ranks, and when Boza got the call to take on Arguello, who, fearless as ever had scheduled to rematch Vilomar Fernandez, he saw his fighter put on one of the best showings of his career, and yet it was Duff who would have to save his brave young charge.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7WpEbwwV6A[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dw33uhJO660&feature=related[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK4WMYkJVrY[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOJHmXW08x8&feature=related[/ame]

A highly intriguing mid-range battle from two of the nicest guys in Boxing, with hard shots landed from both throughout, Boza showed his class from the get-go, disciplined in mid-range in a way his legs would not allow him to be in the years following this fight. Arguello, at last, looked to have filled his frame perfectly, and Boza looked a big Lightweight by the standards of any era. They traded jabs and crosses tit-for-tat until Arguello found his range in the middle rounds and threw sickening shots that snapped back Boza's head and crunched him in the body to force Duff to stop the fight after the 8th round. To sum Boza Edwards up in this fight; he was the last man throwing before it was stopped.

Later that year, Arguello took a highly controversial decision win over hard-punching Mexican Jose Luis Ramirez, and was floored for the first time his career in a fun fight with lots of punches exchanged. Less than a year later, he would be World Lightweight Champion, travelling again, this time to London, where he took the WBC title from Scot' Jim Watt, probably more known today (to newer fans of the sport for sure) as a Sky Sports pundit, but who was a solid Lightweight. Arguello won a dominant 15 round decision.
Vs Ramirez (I had it 6-4 to Ramirez + knockdown; bad decision IMO)

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAM6b3Rd20k[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj4mHIIIlGE&feature=related[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WX74WdsJSqk&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL87A9449098E28FA9[/ame]
Vs Watt for WBC Lightweight Championship

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xI-fzqUZbk[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXvm0icbpYM&feature=related[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI_wT89EIts&feature=related[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNvkuJ2AYZU&feature=related[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SS-Z5Vlu-Fs&feature=related[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASi_8xzRocg&feature=related[/ame]

With the looming spectre of Arguello no longer hanging over the Super Featherweight division, the brave contenders he had dealt with hoped to get in on Championship glory. Amazingly, another big guy would enter the picture.

Cornelius Boza Edwards was going to make the cut.

 

PART 4: The Ferocious Four

Whilst Arguello was finishing up at 130lbs and making the next natural progression in his career, running parallel the same year, it was business as usual for Bobby Chacon and Rafael Limon as they continued their heated and hateful Chicano-Mexicano rivalry. They had a rubber match, in which Chacon took a split decision win in a brawl.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=713qbUrw-d4[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6639ugj9L9g[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzO3YEiVqHs[/ame]

Limon and Chacon were now 1-1-1 after their trilogy, but at the time it was felt Chacon had put in his last gutsy performance at the top level. Dropped and battered late, Chacon, already a veteran of battle, was under increasing pressure from his Wife to retire and focus on their three children. Chacon felt he still had unfinished business with the sport, and continued.

With Arguello gone, Limon picked up the vacant WBC title shortly after, and made his first defence against the (now) big Super Featherweight Cornelius Boza Edwards. Before the fight, Limon made a distasteful remark about British boxers fighting Mexicans, in a horrible dig at Johnny Owens death at the hands of Lupe Pintor. A fired up Boza looked to prove the Mexican savage wrong. In a cracking fight, Boza Edwards took a clear decision in rounds in a great back-and-forth fight and showed his full range of skills, dropping the iron-jawed Limon in the 5th with a left cross and surviving the Mexican Champs late round fury (the 14th is an ATG round!) whilst shelling Limon with his own varied offence as both men finish strong. A MUST SEE.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsx1VuPJHoI[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86fZHttx9po[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UupGFqeAWYQ[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ao22PThqETA[/ame]

Boza looked to cement himself in the no.1 spot at 130lbs with his first defence, against 'Schoolboy' Chacon, again hungry to re-claim a portion of the World title.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rupas8Ebg4&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PLF7EE61D9C43D5E9F[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_i-oTMpT58Q&feature=related[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJq5hD66tUY&feature=related[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YgLz88KmzQ&feature=related[/ame]

You guessed it, another highly competitive and satisfying fight to watch, the 4th and 9th rounds in particular feature great back-and-forth action, and with Chacon pulling away with the fight going into the later rounds, it was up to Boza to impose his size, strength and engine on Chacon and he did, catching up to his faster foe, outpunching him and laying a beating on him. Chacon could not come out for the 14th round, and Cornelius Boza had retained his WBC title.

Bobby Chacons Wife could take no more. With her insistance that her beloved Husband retire for the sake of his health and for the good of their family falling on deaf ears, Valerie Chacon commited suicide. Way past his best and suffering immensely with grief, Chacon fought back from the brink the only way he knew how. He fought back.

With two impressive wins on the trot, Boza Edwards was looking to be a fighter of real quality, with skills, natural fighting ability, a fan friendly as well as technical style and a chin to boot. He was due to rematch Bazooka Limon in his 2nd defence, but Rolando Navarette stepped in as a late replacement for the ill Limon and got another chance to shine on the big stage.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro69OTOprOY[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Vf3T2esYgM&feature=related[/ame]

This time the Filipino didn't disappoint, putting in a career best performance and scoring a devastating knockout, taking the title in impressive fashion. Badly cut in the 3rd after some furious exchanges, Boza went for it in the 4th, only to be heavily dropped with a sweet and accurate right hook-left straight combo from his fellow southpaw. Just surviving the count, a groggy Boza was dropped with the same combo again, nigh on wiping him out, and this time beat the count in a way that would not be acceptable in this day and age. With Boza looking to get his legs under him by boxing in the 5th, Navarette remained patient, and caught Boza with a choppy right hand that convinced him not to get up again. The underdog Navarette had channeled all his experience into this all-southpaw clash, and destroyed a fighter who had previously looked very hard to finish (and would again) .Incredible!

But Navarette would not be able to relax after his amazing victory. Korean Olympian Chung-Il Choi was a straight punching swarmer with a heavy dig, and he nearly bested Navarette in a controversial and violent back-and-forth battle. With the challenger coming into his own, he stunned Navarette numerous times in the 5th with his thudding blows, and dropped him with a combo. Navarette groggily beat the count, but with Choi looking to follow up, the champ was given a reprieve when the bell rang ten seconds early. Navarette got his timing and range after that, and when Choi stunned him and tried to finish in the 10th, the Filipino countered him big and sent him sprawling to the floor. Barely making it into the 11th, the Korean still fired bursts of straight shots, but Navarette chopped into him with counter body shots, before finishing him with a thunderous overhand right counter from his southpaw stance, retaining his title in spectacular fashion. Navarette would become a massive star in his native Phillipines after this, even having a comic book based on him!

With momentum behind him, Navarette had a chance to solidify himself as the no.1 in the division, when he defended his WBC title against another fellow southpaw who could be hit, former champ Bazooka Limon, who had trained hard and labelled Navarette a weak champion beforehand.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ms0LK2zLbo[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdEgKh-geq0&feature=related[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7VEMnCa8ww&feature=related[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPDeA1GAhQE&feature=related[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-812sAGT5Bo&feature=related[/ame]

Navarette was patient, and picked his spots. Limon kept pushing forward, wanting to make it a fight, and down on the scorecards he made it a brawl in an electrifying 8th round! Navarette continued to get the better of the action right into the 12th, but in the dieing seconds of that round, Limon tore into the champion with both hands, and the Filipino slumped to the mat, exhausted, and broken. Limon had reclaimed the WBC title he had lost to Boza Edwards!

Coming from behind on the cards in his first defence to batter the talented but vulnerable Chung-Il Choi to the body and force a stoppage, 1982 had been a great year for Rafael Limon.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWH8c2TTYJE[/ame]

In December, he would defend his title for the second time, a fourth encounter with the ever popular Bobby Chacon that would be their most violent meeting yet.

 

PART FIVE: Alexis Arguello & 'The Battle of the Champions'

Whilst his former challengers were beating their primes out of each other a weight below, Arguello was looking to make the rest of his really count.

After winning his 3rd title in his 3rd weightclass, Arguello took on more strong and aggressive fighters and proved himself equally adept at Lightweight, taking care of undefeated Ray Mancini in the 14th round of a gruelling fight. In a touching display of respect afterwards, Arguello told Mancini of his respect for him and his Father, who had to cut short his own boxing career after World War II. The full fight is on youtube, but this excerpt from 'Latin Legends' details the night in interesting fashion; Arguello, the master boxer, recalls his side of events and explains what tactics he had to use against the gutsy Mancini, and the clip features some highlights from the bout, including the crushing combination that finished the bout.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaXa912AtzI[/ame]

Following up with rugged contender Roberto Elizondo (KO 7), Arguello had to get off the deck again in the 5th and final defence of his WBC Lightweight Championship. Hard-punching Hawaiian Andy Ganigan had a flicking jab, and he used this to set up his left hand, catching Arguello backing up and dropping him in the opening stanza. Arguello came back, in a fast-paced and highly enjoyable fight, stopping Ganigan in the 5th round with killer blows to the body.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcjRKdYF-EQ[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZklBebaMJY&feature=related[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncFrruq76U4&feature=related[/ame]

The fun fight with 'The Hawaiian Punch' would mark Arguellos last ever title defence, and the last time the great Champion would ever hold a title.
Arguello had been ousted from his homeland during the Civil War, where Arguello fought against the Sandinista! A massive star in his adopted homeland of the United States and at the peak of his recognition as the pound-for-pound best in the sport, Bob Arum had big plans in store for Arguello, and set upon pairing him up with 31-0 (29) WBA Light Welterweight champion Aaron Pryor in 1982.

No longer needing to move up because he was tight at the weight, Alexis was testing himself against yet another dangerous swarmer in a bid to win his fourth World Championship in four different weightclasses. Testing the waters at ten stone a few months before, Arguello scored a devastating shotgun blow right straight to the head of Mike Tysons future trainer and mentor Kevin Rooney, who was admittedly no great shakes as a fighter. A must see nonetheless, Arguello at his most deadly!

Arguello Vs Rooney K.O at 11:35
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjScsaz6NNI[/ame]

The super fight was on! Aaron Pryor, a quality amateur, had yearned for a big name fight and mass recognition, and against a man revered as an all time great by his contemporaries, 'The Hawk' would have a chance to earn both.
Arguello and Pryor were a complete contrast. Arguello was humble, respectful and a hero to many, a fan favourite in the boxing World, and a national hero in the homeland he couldn't return to. Pryor was brash, cocky and came with a loud entourage.

Pryor had moved up to 140lbs after no big opportunities had presented themselves at his natural weight of 135lbs, and had quickly punched his way to the top of the division against two faded legends of the weight, getting off the floor to stop ATG Light Welterweight Antonio Cervantes, and ex-champion Peppermint Frazer. A capable boxer who preferred to unleash a whirlwind attack, Pryor was a tough guy from the streets who promised to bring fireworks against the classy ring general from Nicaragua.

They fought on the 12th of November, 1982, the Worlds best at 135lbs and 140lbs. What transpired that night is regarded now as one of the greatest fights of all time, with an opening round to rival Hagler-Hearns for the best of the '80s. Arguello adjusted to Pryors attack and got his distance and timing down, and Pryor adjusted to that and made Arguello lead. The fight also retains an air of controversy to this day, which will no doubt be touched upon in a future Encyclopedia entry, as Pryors trainer 'Panama' Lewis requested a bottle he 'mixed', which seemed to give a lagging Pryor, behind in a close and competitive back-and-forth battle, a second wind which he used to unload a barrage of punches on the great Arguello, who could offer no more resistance to his younger foe. An oft-telled story told cinematically in HBOs 'Legendary Nights' series, I'll instead focus on the great action that took place that night. A must see. Fast-paced, highly technical, awe-inspiring exchanges, both men stunned numerous times. Simply magnificent action fight!

Arguello Vs Pryor I
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O39psaFgk_U[/ame]

In any other year, the above war would be a shoo-in for the prestigious Ring Magazine 'Fight Of The Year' award, as I've already touched on, the first fight between Arguello and Pryor is revered to this day as one of the greatest contests of all time, and received 'Fight of the Decade' from The Ring years later.

But it's hard to argue with the eventual recipient of the honour was a deserved one. Exactly a month later, Bobby Chacon received what would surely be his last chance at a World title. As promised, Chacon met Bazooka Limon, his great rival, for a fourth and final time. Madness ensued.