(Photo by Getty Images)
With the shocking news on July 1 of Alexis Arguello's unfortunate and untimely death the world of boxing lost not only one of its greatest fighters but one of its nicest guys.
The history of boxing is and always has been a sport filled with brutality and bravado. The strongest and the loudest find a way to rise above the rest to get noticed, but every so often you get a fighter who possesses both the skill and personality which elevates them to a whole different level altogether.
Agruello was one of those few.
The boxer known as El Flaco Explosivo or The Explosive Thin Man was born in Nicaragua's capital city of Managua. It was there he would be introduced to boxing and eventually in 1968, at the age of 16, would make his professional debut which resulted in him getting TKO'd in the first round. Quite the humble start for such a humble man.
Arguello would continue to fight in his hometown and win 35 of his next 38 bouts there, most wins coming inside the distance. In 1974 Arguello would fight outside of his native Nicaragua for the chance to pick up the WBA world featherweight championship against Panama's Ernesto Marcel.
After 15 grueling rounds Marcel retained his title with a unanimous decision. Arguello would go back home to Managua with his held high and Marcel would go on to retire as he had promised.
Later that year Arguello would get another crack at the title against Ruben Olivares in what would be the first of many of his fights in America.
During 13 rounds of back and forth action in front of over 14,000 fans in Inglewood, CA, Arguello would survive some shaky moments to drop Olivares twice en route to a TKO victory. This time, the 22 year old would go back home to Nicaragua as a champion.
Over the next two years Arguello would successfully defend his title before moving up in weight to the super featherweight division where in 1978 he would travel to Puerto Rico to challenge for Alfredo Escalara's WBC championship.
The bout would end on a cut resulting in Arguello getting the TKO stoppage in the 13th round, thus making his a two division champ.
In 1979, once again Arguello would fight in Inglewood, CA where after six rounds he would find himself behind on the scorecards against local hero Bobby Chacon.
Arguello would open up a huge gash at the corner of Chacon's right eye. In the seventh and final round Chacon would have to take a standing eight count before the doctor stopped the fight.
After a few more defenses of that title Arguello would once again opt to move up in weight and in 1981 would pick up the WBC lightweight title against Jim Watt in London. The 15 round unanimous decision victory would make the Managua native a three-division world champion.
His initial defense would come at Bally's in Atlantic City against the crowd pleasing Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini where Mancini would find himself on the receiving end of a big right cross in the 12th and a barrage of punches in the 14th would bring an end to the bout.
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