Remembering Alexis and The Hawk

By Ron Kantowski

Wednesday, July 1, 2009 | 11:19 a.m.

NOW

They found the great Alexis Arguello dead this morning, apparently of a gunshot wound through the heart. You knew it would take something lethal to stop this man's heart from beating. Ask Aaron Pryor.

Arguello was one of boxing's first "pound for pound" champions, one of the first fighters to win championships in three divisions. He was extremely tall and angular, which set him apart from other lightweights. That, and his mustache. Throw a poncho over his head, and he would have looked exactly like one of those Mexican gunslingers in the movies.

He wasn't from Mexico, but from Nicaragua. He fought against the Sandinistas in the 1980s; later he switched sides and in November became the mayor of Managua, Nicaragua's biggest city. The authorities back there are still sorting out the details of Arguello's death. We'll have to see what they come up with.

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

Arguello never lost a fight at 130 pounds although he will be remembered more for his two losses in those classic fights against Pryor, the second of which was held at Caesars Palace in 1983. The first one was shrouded in controversy. There were widespread reports that trainer Panama Lewis put a secret potion in Pryor's water bottle between the 13th and 14th rounds.

A lot of people remember the reports about the secret potion.

A lot of people also remember how Arguello and The Hawk stood there toe to toe at the Orange Bowl, winging rights and lefts and lefts and rights, until, mercifully, one of them could punch and stand no more.

THEN

"A gentleman in all capacities, the Nicaraguan champion could methodically tear apart his opponents with organ-jolting left hooks and decapitating straight rights, and then kindly thank them for their efforts."

--- Boxing writer Aaron Tallent on Alexis Arguello.