Exclusive: A Tribute to Alexis Arguello

Reactions from fellow fighters and friends!

Boxing has lost another great legend: Three-time World Champion Alexis Arguello passed away yesterday at the age of 57 in his native Nicaragua.

It was reported that he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. One more shockingly painful, tragic story in the sport we love.

The 5’10” featherweight, nicknamed “The Explosive Thin Man,” was born on April 19, 1952 in Managua, the capital city of Nicaragua. In 2008, the Hall-of-Fame boxer was chosen to carry his country’s national flag in the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics. Since January of this year, Arguello ruled as Mayor of Managua, representing the Sandinista organization, the same group he had previously battled decades before. Just a few days ago, Arguello was seen placing flowers on the grave of baseball legend Roberto Clemente to honor the Pittsburgh Pirates star, who himself died tragically in 1972 while flying to Managua to deliver earthquake relief items.

Arguello had a stellar amateur career and was just 16 when he turned pro. During his reign, the popular fighter was an WBA Featherweight Champion, WBC Super Featherweight Champion, WBC Lightweight Champion, and the Ring Lightweight Champion. He retired in 1995 but not before amassing an impressive fight record of 82-8 and 65 KOs. Notable foes included Aaron Pryor, Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini, Bobby Chacon, Rafael “Bazooka” Limon, Ruben Castillo, Jim Watt, and Cornelius Boza Edwards. He ranks #20 on Ring magazine’s list of “100 Greatest Punchers of All Time.”

As the sad news traveled through phone and Internet, I had the honor of listening to personal anecdotes, and hearing the thoughts and feelings about the death of a boxing legend. He certainly had a historic career and his passing will leave a large void in the hearts and minds of many.

Amidst speculation and innuendo on how and why the boxer-turned-politician died–allegedly at his own hands–he details and reasons may not be known for a while, if ever.

In a tribute to the fighter, friends and associates in the boxing community opened up, sharing their recollections and favorite memories about Arguello.

He was a warrior in the ring, a gentleman out of the ring.

First and foremost is the reaction of Aaron Pryor. In recent years, whenever Alexis Arguello’s name came up, “The Hawk’s” name was almost always mentioned in the same breath.

In their epic war in ’82 , the two survived unbelievable toe-to-toe action until Arguello was defeated by a TKO in the 14th round. There was a well-documented Panama Lewis controversy in the bout, and the two boxers met again the following year. Pryor won this match by a KO in the tenth round. After their classic brawls, the fighters remained on friendly terms.

I spoke with Pryor’s wife, Frankie, yesterday afternoon; the couple and their family still reside in Ohio. Frankie told me that her husband is understandably “overwhelmed and inconsolable” about the untimely passing of his past nemesis in the ring.

Frankie then read me a heartfelt statement from Aaron, “Alexis and I shared a bond that began with our historic fight on November 12, 1982 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida. That bond will never be broken. I had the honor to help my friend campaign when he was seeking political office and I always enjoyed our many vists and phone conversations throughout the years. I am deeply saddened by his passing and boxing has lost one of the greatest champions to ever step in the ring!”

I chatted with Pryor’s gracious wife for a couple of minutes before her other phone began ringing off the hook. When I asked how “The Hawk” has been doing lately, she replied that Aaron is enjoying his retirement from the ring, but also helping out with his two sons who are both boxers.

News of the legendary fighter’s death has left the boxing world stunned, shocked and saddened. Some people had only met him briefly, others knew him very well, but all admired the man and the fighter. From his fellow champions, shock and disbelief set in; from his friends in boxing circles, sadness consumed them.

This morning I had the opportunity to speak with two of Alexis’ closest pals and compadres, fighters Carlos Palomino and Ruben Castillo, both in disbelief over the passing.

Former WBC Welterweight Champion Palomino knew Arguello well and even filmed a movie with the champ. He is still rocked by the news, “It’s unbelievable. He loved life, he was looking forward to a lot of things. It doesn’t fit his frame of mind to commit suicide…It doesn’t make any sense.” Palomino also wants everybody to know how charitable his friend was, “Alexis was always raising money, donating to charities and kids. When he was in L.A. the last time, he was raising money for a gym back home. That was him–always trying to help.”

Another of his buddies, Ruben Castillo, became very emotional throughout our interview. At times, his voice cracked and he choked back tears but wanted to still pay tribute to his beloved boxing brother, “We were close; Alexis called me ‘Flaco.’ I’m heartbroken,” said the former lightweight.

Castillo gets caught up in the emotion, voice quivering, “I cannot believed this happened. They say it was suicide; I refuse to believe it! He couldn’t, he wouldn’t. There are so many things that anger me about this. We all have issues, but I still refuse to believe he did this.”

Composing himself, he continues, “I wish everyone knew his story; the good he did. When he was in L.A., he wanted to raise money to help kids in the Nicaraguan community. Alexis told me the kids were so poor that they got an orange, bit into it and used the peels for mouthpieces! He was great and whenever I think of him, I see that smile and moustache.”

Switching gears, Castillo chuckles as he tells me, “I fought Alexis in 1980–he kicked my ass–he kicked everyone’s ass! I was 46 and 0 and he was my first defeat. But we became very good friends. Fighters–we’re different–there’s a camaraderie, even when we beat the crap out of each other. But we’re all tied to Alexis because he kicked all of our asses!”

One more opponent of Arguello’s, Bobby “Schoolboy” Chacon, former two-time World Champ, retells of his own fight against the Nicaraguan in 1979, “They stopped the fight in the seventh round because of a cut. He was a great fighter; I have great respect for him. I am saddened by the news, he was still so young. I loved him dearly; he had even invited me to Nicaragua. I can’t believe he’s gone.”

No one wants to imagine they will never see their friend again.

“It’s hard to believe he’s gone,” Genaro Hernandez said in a conversation Wednesday. The former WBC Junior Lightweight Champion is shocked by the tragedy. He tells me, “I idolized him! He was a great fighter, even when he got hurt. He was never afraid to fight nobody, he’d fight anyone! But he was also a gentleman, and he was always smiling.”

Then “Chicanito” reminisces about his brother, Rudy, getting in the ring with Arguello, “When Rudy was an amateur, he sparred with Alexis. And Alexis thought highly of my brother!”

An amigo and fellow fighter Mando Muñiz said the news has left him devastated. “I admired Alexis and had known him a number of years. He was a friend first, and a boxer second,” the former Olympian relayed to me. “We had a mutual respect for each other. I always ran into him at L.A. fights, in Cancun and even at the airport on the way to Hawaii. We socialized in Mexico together, and Arguello was always on the dance floor–he was a great dancer!”

“Alexis was Nicaraguan in his heart and soul,” explains Muñiz, about the conflict his friend had. “When the Sandinistas took his home and property, it must have been difficult. But he never talked a lot about politics to me. He was just a great human being, very straightforward. I don’t recall anyone ever saying anything negative about Alexis, ever! He was a kind man who helped others. And he never bragged about who he was. He didn’t have to–the fight fans were in awe when they met him.”

Paul Banke, former WBC Super Bantamweight Champion, “We’re all brothers through boxing. He fought my good friend, Ray Mancini (in Atlantic City). I remember the fight, Ray kept banging but Alexis just had his number.” (Arguello defeated Mancini by a TKO in the 14th round.) He must have been in a lot of pressure, it’s a tough country.”

Another boxer also touches on news reports of the shooting.

“To end his own life, it’s so, so sad,” says Rodolfo “El Gato” Gonzalez. The former WBC Lightweight Champion continues, “I saw him at boxing banquets and when I spoke to him, he was always very nice. And he was a good all-around fighter, well-disciplined, in shape and he had a lot of guts. May God rest his soul.”

For others in the boxing world, Arguello touched the souls of many.

Say what you will about boxing, but when a fighter goes down everyone rallies around each other.

From Jill Diamond, World Boxing Council’s (WBC) and NABF Chair, “I know from his compatriots living in the States how amazingly proud they were of him. I can’t believe this beautiful man, this champion, this hero killed himself. I can only wish him peace.” (Dr. José Suliamán and The World Boxing Council declared July 1 a day of world mourning “due to the tragic passing away of our former champion and International Ambassador, Alexis Arguello.”)

“Michele, I am deeply saddened by the death of one of my ring idols, “El Flaco Explosivo” Alexis Arguello,” expressed HBO’s “Unofficial” Ringside Scorer Harold Lederman. The veteran judge was very familiar with the Latin icon. “A huge figure, friendly, outgoing and always had the time to talk to fans, take a picture or sign an autograph. I saw him fight many times, and I was the judge when he knocked out Kevin Rooney in two rounds at Bally’s Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City,” Lederman recalls. “Arguello had a terrific straight right hand to go with a great left jab and huge left hook. He was skinny, yet he possessed the power to knock you out with one punch. His two fights with Aaron Pryor were legendary. But I guess what I remember most of all about Alexis was his friendly demeanor, the way he would never turn away from anyone who wanted to talk to him about boxing or his Hall of Fame career. He will be missed by everyone who loves boxing. Rest in Peace, Alexis. We will always love you.”

Photographer Carlos Baeza befriended Arguello at the revered Main Street Gym in L.A. His black-and-white photos of Alexis from that bygone era are special mementos the lensman cherishes. The evocative pictures were taken right before the Arguello vs. Pryor fight, “It was a great experience and the images I captured make a statement and represent how he actually was. To this day, I cannot watch the Pryor fight. It breaks my heart and I will never watch it again. Arguello was one of my greatest heroes, an icon in boxing.”

Baeza elaborates, “And he was always dressed to a ‘T’ in fine, fine suits! But when he took them off and went into the ring, he became something else. He was a dear friend to me, my idol who was kind enough to give me his friendship.”

“I have known Alexis Arguello since before he fought Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini in 1981,” says world-renowned boxing manager and promoter Jackie Kallen. “Although he started out in 1971 as a featherweight, he was fighting at 135 when I first met him. What a great guy! Handsome, gentlemanly, and very humble, I called him ‘Señor’ and he called me ‘Señora Jackie’ with his adorable accent.”

Kallen remembers the historic battles, “His fight with Ray was exciting, and he handed Ray his first defeat (via 14th round KO). And no one in boxing will ever forget his two WBA wars with Aaron Pryor, the first at the Orange Bowl in Florida and the second a year later in Vegas at Caesars. Alexis lost them both by KO. But what battles they were! One of the judges had him ahead in the first fight, but it didn’t matter since he was stopped in the 14th (they had 15 round title fights in 1982.) There are still rumors about what Panama Lewis put in Pryor’s water bottle that night. Alexis got stopped in ten rounds the following year and I remember him saying at the press conference that he was ‘through with boxing.’ Like many guys who retire, though, he ended up coming back and fought four more times before finally hanging them up at the age of 42. The last time I saw Alexis was at the Boxing Writers dinner last year. He looked as handsome as ever and we laughed together about how ‘old’ we were both getting. He was proud of his age (56 at the time) and we both agreed we felt pretty good for ‘old-timers.’ I will miss him.”

I, myself, was fortunate to have met the fallen warrior in recent years. While at the 2008 De La Hoya-Forbes fight in Carson, California, our group crossed paths with the Nicaraguan puncher and we stopped to say hello. Just like everyone else has previously echoed above, Arguello, ever the gentleman, was classy and dignified as he took time to talk with us. Decked out in a formal tuxedo, the champ brought an air of elegance and refinement to the fight game. His legacy in the sport will be remembered for years to come.

He was a gentleman out of the ring, a warrior in the ring.

Condolences to Alexis’ children and family in Managua.

May you rest in peace, Campeón!

Photos courtesy of Carlos Baeza and www.baezagallery.com, Michele Chong, World Boxing Council and AP Photos