By Jake Donovan
It’s tragic enough to hear about the loss of an iconic figure without learning that the sudden demise was self-inflicted.
So trickled out the news of the death of former triple-division world champion Alexis Arguello, who reportedly took his own life with a gunshot wound to the chest in his Managua, Nicaragua home during the wee hours of Wednesday morning.
He was 57 years old.
Boxing is forced to deal with the tragic tale just days after the entertainment world mourned the loss of three former stars, including quite possibly the most celebrated personality in the world in Michael Jackson.
Arguello’s name more than likely barely registers among those impacted by Jackson’s contributions in and outside of the music genre. But it doesn’t make his own accomplishments in and out of the ring any less significant.
Outside the ropes, a good portion of his life was an all-too common tale of ex-pugilists – failing to readjust to life after boxing, turning to drugs and booze after having avoided both throughout his storied career, and in the end succumbing to his own demons.
Irony seemed to follow him at every turn, as the end contradicts the journey he led, overcoming adversity to become one of the very best to ever lace ‘em up and often finding himself in exclusive and distinguished company.
Amidst his world titles in three weight classes and impressive 20-3 record in title fights, it’s easy to forget that a legendary career that spanned four decades began with a 1st round knockout loss when he turned pro at just 17 years of age. He could’ve went the way of oh so many journeyman who failed early, deciding to never take his career seriously and simply collect paydays on the club circuit to help pad the records of others.
Instead, he decided to join a group that included – among others - Henry Armstrong, Benny Leonard, Miguel Canto and Manuel Ortiz, fighters who would lose their pro debut but go on to lead Hall of Fame careers.
It was the first time but certainly not the last in which Arguello would be forced to try and then try again. After staggering out to a 3-2 start to his career, he would go on to win 20 straight and 33 out of 34 before earning his first world title shot, challenging featherweight king Ernesto Marcel in February 1974.
Marcel beat Arguello by decision in what would be the very last fight of the Panamanian’s career. It was just the beginning for the guy whose hand wasn’t raised in victory that night.
Arguello won the title nine months later with a 13th round knockout of Ruben Olivares in a sensational war befitting of the Great Western Forum arena that has hosted more than its share of classics. Olivares was the house fighter, which became the common theme for Arguello’s collection of championships – all three came on the champion’s turf, icing Alfredo Escalera in Puerto Rico for the 130 lb crown, and then traveling overseas to dethrone and subsequently retire Jim Watt in the United Kingdom.
His title-winning effort of Alfredo Escalera in 1978 is often referred by many as one of the most brutal fights in boxing history. Escalera was dropped and battered early, but rallied back in front of his hometown fans before Arguello forced a stoppage late in the 13th round.
More so than noted for its brutality, the fight served as the start of a historic run. His eight divisional title defenses weren’t even close to becoming a record – it didn’t even exceed the 10 made by Escalera. But the manner in which he defended and whom against – Escalera, Rafael Limon, Bobby Chacon and Ruben Castillo, among others – earned him the distinction of reigning as the greatest super featherweight in boxing history.
His last defense came in 1980 before setting his sights on the lightweight division. Wins over top contenders Cornelius Boza-Edwards and Jose Luis Ramirez earned – and in every sense of the word – a world title shot against Jim Watt in 1981.
Arguello took a unanimous decision, becoming just the sixth fighter in boxing history to win world titles in three weight classes. His subsequent reign paled in comparison to what he accomplished at lightweight, although it featured his instant classic with Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini, which happened to be Arguello’s very first title defense.
Between the triple-crown honors and amassing a record of 41-1 following the loss to Marcel, Arguello had firmly etched his place in boxing history. But there was more to be done.
The Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida became the setting for a November 1982 night that hosted one of the greatest fights in boxing history. It began with Arguello looking to make history of his own by attempting to become the first to capture world titles in a then-unprecedented four weight classes.
For the first time in eight years, his journey would end not by making history, but instead repeating it, becoming the latest to climb one division too many.
That’s not to say he wasn’t on his game in his epic first battle with Aaron Pryor. If it were any other fighter in there on that evening, Arguello becomes the first to claim belts in four weight classes. It’s been argued that no other fighter takes as many right hands as Pryor did that evening without bowing out.
The tone was set early, with Arguello flying off of his stool, forcing a quick pace that would see two legends – one confirmed, the other in the making – unload to the tune of more than 230 punches thrown in the opening round.
The twelve rounds that followed were pretty damn spectacular two-way action in their own right, with Arguello clawing from behind and threatening to take over after a huge 13th round.
Then came “the black bottle” incident. Pryor looked like a beaten man in his corner in between rounds when head trainer Panama Lewis asked for water. “No,” said the controversial trainer who would later earn a lifetime ban for his rule in the infamous Luis Resto-Billy Collins slaughter, “give him the other bottle. The one that I mixed.”
Whatever was or wasn't in the bottle, Pryor came out like a man possessed, throwing more than 30 unanswered punches - most of them landing flush - before the fight was mercifully stopped. Arguello’s night ended slumped on the canvas, a few right hands short of advancing from all-time great to inclusion amongst Robinson, Louis, Armstrong and Ali as the best there ever was.
Though he didn’t realize it at the time, the night was all but the end of a historic career. A 10th round knockout loss to Pryor in their one-sided rematch a year later was the proverbial nail in the coffin, with his only form of redemption coming in a win bookended by the losses – a 1983 points victory over Vilamor Fernandez, the only man to beat him over an eight-year stretch (1974-1982) that would see him collect 41 wins and three world championships.
In his prime and in fact for much of his career, Arguello was a walking instructional video, his textbook style of fighting might as well carrying the nickname “Boxing 101.” He played the game right and lived clean, which is what made the tale of his life after boxing so tragic, yet far too familiar.
While his career in the ring was though to be done in the mid-1980's, there was more fighting to be done - beyond the squared circle.
After having his property and bank account seized by the Sandinista Government, Arguello battled on the side of the Contras in the 1980’s political conflict that would claim his brother’s life. Two decades later he would join the party against he once literally waged war, going on to become Mayor of Managua, Nicaragua last November.
In between came the high and low points of his life. After a career of clean living, Arguello turned to alcohol and booze to soothe the inner demons that existed within him. He would later go on to admit his suicidal thoughts, which makes the circumstances of his death tragic though unfortunately not terribly shocking.
What was also of little surprise was his eventual induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. The honor came in 1992, just two years after the bungalow-sized museum opened its doors literally right off of the New York State Thruway in in Cansatota, New York.
The honor would have come sooner, only he had to wait five years after his last official prize fight, which came in 1986, marking the end of one of two separate financially-driven comebacks he would make. The second came in the 1990’s, when he was in his 40’s and down on his luck. His first fight in eight years marked the 82nd win of his historic career, only to show up as a shell of his former self for the final bout of his career, a decision loss to Scott “The Pink Cat” Walker in the January 1995 ESPN-televised match.
While coping with life’s everyday problems, Arguello refused to allow the worst of time to surface when in public.
A regular on Hall of Fame weekends, the classy ring legend was as known for his quick-witted wise-cracks to his legendary peers as he was for his willingness to shake the hand of and sign autographs for every last fan in sight.
Though a practice he would later have to employ while running for office, gripping and grinning was never an action Arguello had to force. While he could’ve done without the second ill-advised comeback, there was no question that being in a boxing setting made him whole. Whether it was appearances in Canastota, or serving at ringside for a major boxing event, sports luminaries and fans alike were made to feel like champions when in his presence.
For a time, he found success outside of the sport that made him a legend. Arguello’s life finally appeared to turn a corner in the past couple of years. 2008 in particular was as great a year as any for the Nicaraguan, serving as the flag bearer for his country in the Summer Games in Beijing, China, before ending the year with his mayoral election.
In the end, it wasn’t enough. On July 1, 2009, he would finally succumb to his inner demons, spelling a tragic and ironic end to a life accentuated by his ability to overcome adversity at every other turn.
Jake Donovan is the managing editor of Boxingscene.com and an award-winning member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Contact Jake at JakeNDaBox@gmail.com .
