R.I.P. Alexis Arguello

[duckdafraft]

Rest in peace to one of my motherland's Greatest athletes...

A gentleman and a champion will be missed

Wednesday, July 1, 2009 | Print Entry

It was a little past 9 a.m. on Wednesday when I went downstairs to my office and began my day, like I always do, by checking my e-mail. I had one from an editor in Bristol that contained an Associated Press urgent news bulletin that simply read:

MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) -- Managua Mayor Alexis Arguello, former boxing champion, found dead at his home.

An awful way to start the day, especially when it's the death of one of your favorite fighters. According to reports out of Nicaragua, Arguello, 57, had been suffering from depression and shot himself in the chest.

The horrible end to his life, however, won't change how millions felt about him. He was the favorite fighter of millions of Nicaraguans and others, like me, who appreciated his tremendous skill and crowd-pleasing style inside the ring and his friendly nature outside of it.

Arguello was truly a great fighter who could do it all. He was a master tactician, he could punch, he was tenacious and skilled. And his countrymen so loved him that he carried the Nicaraguan flag at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and was elected mayor of Managua, the capital of his country, later in the year.

Arguello had been a controversial figure in his country for fighting with the Contras against the Sandinista government in the 1980s, before eventually joining the party for his run for mayor.

Whatever the personal demons he fought -- Arguello struggled with alcohol and drugs, and had talked openly of his suicidal thoughts -- and whatever his political ideology, I admired him for what he did inside the ring and for how he behaved toward me the few times we met.

I was fortunate to have done so several times in recent years. Arguello was always a gentleman. When talking to him, it was sometimes hard to imagine this was the same killer I saw in the ring on television and on the tapes and DVDs I've watched over and over.

The last time I saw Arguello was in May 2008, ringside at the Oscar De La Hoya-Steve Forbes fight in Carson, Calif. Arguello walked over to the press area to mingle and chat before the fight. Afterward, he returned to offer his two cents on De La Hoya's performance, which he didn't think was particularly good despite De La Hoya's decision victory.

The tributes to Arguello came quickly.

Top Rank's Bob Arum, who promoted many Arguello fights: "We at Top Rank are very saddened to learn about the death of Alexis Arguello. Alexis was one of the world's greatest fighters and champions. More importantly, he was a real man, true gentleman and loyal friend. He will be greatly missed."

Edward Brophy, the executive director of the International Boxing Hall of Fame, where Arguello was enshrined in 1992: "Alexis Arguello was a first-class fighter and a first-class gentleman. The Hall of Fame joins the boxing community in mourning the loss of a great champion and friend."

The Hall of Fame in Canastota, N.Y., will fly its flags at half-mast in memory of the great champion.

If you made a list of the top 10 fights in boxing history, his epic first battle with rival Aaron Pryor would have to be on it. They waged 14 rounds of unforgettable warfare at the highest skill level the sport had to offer. Entering the Nov. 12, 1982 bout at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Arguello was the heavy fan favorite. A former featherweight and junior lightweight champion, and the reigning lightweight champion, Arguello was attempting to become the first fighter in boxing history to win titles in four weight divisions.

Standing in his way was Pryor, the undefeated junior welterweight champion. They produced an all-time classic, ending only when Arguello, slumped against the ropes and taking a pounding, could take no more, prompting the referee to jump in and stop the fight in the 14th round.

Ten months later, Pryor stopped Arguello in the 10th round of their rematch. Who could forget the scene of Arguello, a beaten man, sitting on the canvas and taking the full count, knowing he simply could not beat Pryor?

But Arguello, who finished his extraordinary 27-year career with a record of 82-8 (including 65 knockouts), should certainly be remembered for far more than his losses to Pryor, memorable though they were.

As a longtime collector of boxing videos, I have gone out of my way over the years to obtain a number of Arguello fights.

Of my many thousands of fights on tape and DVD, the first Pryor-Arguello fight -- a mint DVD of the original HBO telecast -- has been watched a lot. I said to a friend this morning, after hearing the news of Arguello's death, that if it were possible to wear out a DVD, that one would be. But there are others that I'm happy to have in my collection, including fights with Andy Ganigan, Rey Tam and the first fight with Alfredo Escalera, whom Arguello knocked out in the 13th round to win the junior lightweight title. Believe it or not, all three of those bouts I just mentioned were on network television. Arguello's regular fighting schedule and exposure on the broadcast networks are what helped him become such a fan favorite.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going back upstairs to pull out some of those videos.


link http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=4300110&name=rafael_dan

 

[abeautifulhaze]

Damn.

He was a true warrior in the ring.

Horrible way to go.

 

[ny41101]

R.I.P. Alexis Arguello you put Nicaragua on the map. My prayers go out to the Arguello family.

 

[gunner thirtytwo]

My pops told me about this this morning... RIP.

 

[duckdafraft]

yea...the way politics are in that country...don't think it was a suicide...

 

[sir rob a lot]

RIP Champ

 

[r0biiin]

Never heard of dude... But RIP.

An awful way to start the day, especially when it's the death of one of your favorite fighters. According to reports out of Nicaragua, Arguello, 57, had been suffering from depression and shot himself in the chest.

 

[stringer bell 32]

One the sports greatest

RIP

 

[jordanxi45]

Originally Posted by r0biiin

Never heard of dude... But RIP.

An awful way to start the day, especially when it's the death of one of your favorite fighters. According to reports out of Nicaragua, Arguello, 57, had been suffering from depression and shot himself in the chest.

Rest in Peace. And you'd think someone would shoot themselves in the head if they were to commit suicide. Like dude said a couple posts up, wouldn't besurprised if this wasn't a suicide.

 

[suckafree85]

RIP.... Where all the Nicoya Niketalkers at?

But yea he did put Nicaragua on the map boxing-wise.

I respected him as a fighter but not as a person.. He was a puppet for Ortega.. He joined the very "communist" organization he was against lateron.... But its whatever..... Hope things dont get more messed up over there. Ill probably be moving down there in like a year or two so I hope its not worse..

Nicaragua is one big corrupt country and I wouldnt be surprised to hear that somebody killed him...

 

[duckdafraft]

Originally Posted by SUCKAFREE85

RIP.... Where all the Nicoya Niketalkers at?

But yea he did put Nicaragua on the map boxing-wise.

I respected him as a fighter but not as a person.. He was a puppet for Ortega.. He joined the very "communist" organization he was against later on.... But its whatever..... Hope things dont get more messed up over there. Ill probably be moving down there in like a year or two so I hope its not worse..

Nicaragua is one big corrupt country and I wouldnt be surprised to hear that somebody killed him...

ahaha theres very few of us on here and you're right that place is very corrupt...my cousin was killed by a drunk driver out there but dudehad ties with sandinistas and guards at the cell he was being held at temporarily claimed he had escaped out of a window the size of a license plate...unlcewas going to put a hit out on him but my dad convinced him not to...I was just there last september...every mornign I would read the newspaper "laprensa" and "el nuevo diario" man they dont hold back on anything all kinds of things go down over there. Central America as a whole has verycorrupt countries according to some studies Guatemala is the most corrupt...cartels walk through there with cargo like they're walking a dog....

 

[mextra45]

All Time Great im sad to hear this . He was the man tall lanky crazy power truly great fighter , he had his demons but he was always thought of a great guy andnice person . Lets give it up one more time for "Flaco de explosivo"

 

[guerrilla warfare]

R.I.P.....

 

[suckafree85]

Originally Posted by duckdafraft

Originally Posted by SUCKAFREE85

RIP.... Where all the Nicoya Niketalkers at?

But yea he did put Nicaragua on the map boxing-wise.

I respected him as a fighter but not as a person.. He was a puppet for Ortega.. He joined the very "communist" organization he was against later on.... But its whatever..... Hope things dont get more messed up over there. Ill probably be moving down there in like a year or two so I hope its not worse..

Nicaragua is one big corrupt country and I wouldnt be surprised to hear that somebody killed him...

ahaha theres very few of us on here and you're right that place is very corrupt...my cousin was killed by a drunk driver out there but dude had ties with sandinistas and guards at the cell he was being held at temporarily claimed he had escaped out of a window the size of a license plate...unlce was going to put a hit out on him but my dad convinced him not to...I was just there last september...every mornign I would read the newspaper "la prensa" and "el nuevo diario" man they dont hold back on anything all kinds of things go down over there. Central America as a whole has very corrupt countries according to some studies Guatemala is the most corrupt...cartels walk through there with cargo like they're walking a dog....

Yea I just came back in May. But you see the news over there? They be showing dudes machetiados and dead folks after being hit by a busor something. Crazy stuff.

All Time Great im sad to hear this . He was the man tall lanky crazy power truly great fighter , he had his demons but he was always thought of a great guy and nice person . Lets give it up one more time for "Flaco de explosivo"
Yes, he was a nice guy. Its just that he was under control and they didnt let him do what he wanted as mayor.(even though it was robbed

)

What I hate is that he went back to the same people that robbed him of his property and money.

oh well..

RIP once again.

 

[ny41101]

Originally Posted by SUCKAFREE85

RIP.... Where all the Nicoya Niketalkers at?

But yea he did put Nicaragua on the map boxing-wise.

I respected him as a fighter but not as a person.. He was a puppet for Ortega.. He joined the very "communist" organization he was against later on.... But its whatever..... Hope things dont get more messed up over there. Ill probably be moving down there in like a year or two so I hope its not worse..

Nicaragua is one big corrupt country and I wouldnt be surprised to hear that somebody killed him...

Im one of the few on here Im from Rivas Nicaragua, where the rest of you Nica's from???

 

[tarvald drama chase]

its funny because i doubt any of you knew anything about him when he was alive... its so funny that when someone dies people are so quick to jump on thebandwagon....

 

[suckafree85]

Originally Posted by NY41101

Originally Posted by SUCKAFREE85

RIP.... Where all the Nicoya Niketalkers at?

But yea he did put Nicaragua on the map boxing-wise.

I respected him as a fighter but not as a person.. He was a puppet for Ortega.. He joined the very "communist" organization he was against later on.... But its whatever..... Hope things dont get more messed up over there. Ill probably be moving down there in like a year or two so I hope its not worse..

Nicaragua is one big corrupt country and I wouldnt be surprised to hear that somebody killed him...

Im one of the few on here Im from Rivas Nicaragua, where the rest of you Nica's from???

From SF. But both my parents are from Managua.. I go every year or two though.

I've only passed by Rivas once and that was on my way to Costa Rica. I was down in San Juan Del Sur for semana santa this past April tho. It was offthe hook.

 

[kicks off]

RIP. sad.

 

[ny41101]

Tarvald Drama Chase wrote:

---

its funny because i doubt any of you knew anything about him when he was alive... its so funny that when someone dies people are so quick to jump on the bandwagon....


Im sorry you feel this way but I dont think anyone is jumping on any bandwagons bro he meant a lot to our country and we take pride when anindividual from our neck of the woods succeeds. I dont know where you come from bro but when someone from my country excels at something I take pride in itdont you? Alexis Arguello, Dennis martinez, Ruben Dario, Luis Enrique etc... have all come at of Nicaragua & I take pride in all their accomplishmentsthere is nothing wrong with showing a little patriotism.

 

[ny41101]

Originally Posted by SUCKAFREE85

Originally Posted by NY41101

Originally Posted by SUCKAFREE85

RIP.... Where all the Nicoya Niketalkers at?

But yea he did put Nicaragua on the map boxing-wise.

I respected him as a fighter but not as a person.. He was a puppet for Ortega.. He joined the very "communist" organization he was against later on.... But its whatever..... Hope things dont get more messed up over there. Ill probably be moving down there in like a year or two so I hope its not worse..

Nicaragua is one big corrupt country and I wouldnt be surprised to hear that somebody killed him...

Im one of the few on here Im from Rivas Nicaragua, where the rest of you Nica's from???

From SF. But both my parents are from Managua.. I go every year or two though.

I've only passed by Rivas once and that was on my way to Costa Rica. I was down in San Juan Del Sur for semana santa this past April tho. It was off the hook.

My mom hasnt been back since she had to flee cause of the war in 1979 its a shame communism took over the country.

 

[onewearz]

that's the same kevin rooney who trained tyson right ? that punch sounded like a hammer

RIP ...........

 

[carlofromdapi]

R.I.P.

 

[kb8virginia]

Great boxer...tragic end....rest in peace.

 

[duckdafraft]

Originally Posted by Tarvald Drama Chase

its funny because i doubt any of you knew anything about him when he was alive... its so funny that when someone dies people are so quick to jump on the bandwagon....

If you were from Nicaragua you would understand...you hear about people like him and stories of him since a little kid...hes was one of our very few sporticons...dennis martinez is another great...but its people like Ricardo Mayorga that give us a bad image although im not gonna lie...some of the crap he doesmakes me

. and responding to SUCKAFREE85....you're right watching the news over there is like watcing facesof death sometimes...

.

 

[ca5perrr]

RIP to one of the greatest boxers of all time,
i know im late but i havent been on nt in a minute, been real busy ,
im nicaraguan and had the honor to meet Alexis several times, i was born in miami, raised in nicaragua
like some of yall said,i respected him as a boxer and what he did, but from there on he got caught up on drugs and later fell to be ortegas puppet,