Friday, February 13th, 2009 | Posted by Pj De Best

Alexis Arguello – “El Flaco Explosivo”

Alexis Arguello vs Aaron Pryor

By Pj De Best

Alexis Arguello was born on the 19th of April, 1952 in Managua, Nicaragua. Arguello started his campaign as a professional boxer at the ripe age of 16 years old. He lost his first bout by TKO but like all great fighters, he bounced back and destroyed all of his opposition until his first bid for a world title in which he lost by decision to Ernesto Marcel.

Arguello wouldn’t give up and challenged Rubin Olivares, the successor of Marcel to a bout. He was successful this time by knocking out the champion in the 13th round. The new Featherweight champ defended multiple times before stepping up to the Super Featherweight division. Without a doubt, this rising star in the boxing world was fast becoming a major attraction as he won another title in another division from the champ Alfredo Escalera in yet again the 13th round.

Arguello continued his boxing rise by stepping up into the Lightweight division and dethroning Scotland’s Jim Watt for the WBC Lightweight Championship. The triple division champion now had his eyes set on another goal; to become the first boxer in history to win championships in 4 divisions. The only problem was; he had to face the talented Aaron Pryor.

Pryor knocked Arguello out in the 14th round and again in the 10th round when they had a scheduled rematch. A tearful Arguello was to retire from the sport he loved in a bout where tried his heart out. After a brief 2 year retirement, Arguello came back to fight another handful of opponents before retiring for good in 1995. He is an International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee and his ring record stands at 82 wins, 8 losses, with 65 knockouts to his name.