WHY ARGUELLO WAS THE GREATEST 130 POUNDER EVER...
On November 18, 1921 Johnny Dundee won on a fifth round disqualification
over George " KO " Chaney to become the first recognized champion of the
junior lightweight division.He would lose and then regain the title in a
pair of 1923 fifteen rounders against Jack Bernstein. Dundee would lose the
title for good in 1924 via a ten round points loss to Steve " Kid "
Sullivan. In 1925 Sullivan would lose the title to Mike Ballerino. Later
that year Ballerino would be stopped by Tod Morgan.
Morgan would reign for four years before he was halted in two rounds by
Benny Bass. In the summer of 1931 Bass would lose the title to the talented
Kid Chocolate.In 1933 Frankie Klick stopped the " Kid ". It would be sixteen
years before the title would resurface again. On December 6, 1949 in the
grand city of Cleveland, Ohio the great Sandy Saddler outscored the slick
Orlando Zulueta for the " vacant " title.
It would be nearly a decade before a fight for the " vacant " title would
take place. On July 20, 1959 Harold Gomes outscored Paul Jorgensen ane the
130 pound division has been with us ever since. Gomes would lose the title
in 1960 to a wonderful fighting machine from the Philippines named Flash
Elorde. Flash would go on to establish himself as one of the best little
fighters of that time period. Elorde would finally lose the title in 1967 to
Japan's Yoshiaki Numata. Later that year Numata would surrender the title to
fellow countryman Hiroshi Kobayashi.
A little over a year later the fledging World Boxing Council decided that
they would recognize the winner of a bout between Rene Barrientos and the
dangerous Ruben Navarro which was won by Barrientos. In 1970 Numata would "
regain " the crown with a points win over Barrientos. Over a year later
Kobayashi would lose the " real " title to rugged Alfredo Marcano. A few
months later Numata would be dethroned by Ricardo Arrendondo.
To try to keep up the the exchanging of belts between the WBA, WBC and
later IBF would be a waste of space. The division was graced by some fine
fighters. There was the power punching Ben Villaflor, the slick stylist
Sammy Serrano and the great Alfredo Escalera.On January 28, 1978 the game
Escalera would relinquish his title to possibly the greatest 130 pounder of
all time. The " Explosive Thin Man " himself; Alexis Arguello.
Why is Arguello a good choice as the best 130 pounder ever ? Rafael "
Bazooka " Limon, Boza Edwards, Rolando Navarette and Bobby Chacon were all
defeated by Alexis while he held the crown.All four would gain title
recognition after Alexis moved up go after the lightweight title.That is how
dominant Alexis was at 130.
The 1980's produced some fine titleholders such as Roger Mayweather,
Hector Camacho, Julio Cesar Chavez, Rocky Lockridge, Azumah Nelson, Brian
Mitchell and the popular Tony " Tiger " Lopez.
The 1990's gave us Genero Hernandez, Gabe Ruelas, Jesse James Leija,
Arturo Gatti, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Diego Corrales. The new millinium has
produced Acelino Frietas and Joel Casamayor for starters. Still no one with
the possible exception of Flash Elorde dominated the weight class like
Alexis Arguello, the greatest junior lightweight of all time !
On November 18, 1921 Johnny Dundee won on a fifth round disqualification
over George " KO " Chaney to become the first recognized champion of the
junior lightweight division.He would lose and then regain the title in a
pair of 1923 fifteen rounders against Jack Bernstein. Dundee would lose the
title for good in 1924 via a ten round points loss to Steve " Kid "
Sullivan. In 1925 Sullivan would lose the title to Mike Ballerino. Later
that year Ballerino would be stopped by Tod Morgan.
Morgan would reign for four years before he was halted in two rounds by
Benny Bass. In the summer of 1931 Bass would lose the title to the talented
Kid Chocolate.In 1933 Frankie Klick stopped the " Kid ". It would be sixteen
years before the title would resurface again. On December 6, 1949 in the
grand city of Cleveland, Ohio the great Sandy Saddler outscored the slick
Orlando Zulueta for the " vacant " title.
It would be nearly a decade before a fight for the " vacant " title would
take place. On July 20, 1959 Harold Gomes outscored Paul Jorgensen ane the
130 pound division has been with us ever since. Gomes would lose the title
in 1960 to a wonderful fighting machine from the Philippines named Flash
Elorde. Flash would go on to establish himself as one of the best little
fighters of that time period. Elorde would finally lose the title in 1967 to
Japan's Yoshiaki Numata. Later that year Numata would surrender the title to
fellow countryman Hiroshi Kobayashi.
A little over a year later the fledging World Boxing Council decided that
they would recognize the winner of a bout between Rene Barrientos and the
dangerous Ruben Navarro which was won by Barrientos. In 1970 Numata would "
regain " the crown with a points win over Barrientos. Over a year later
Kobayashi would lose the " real " title to rugged Alfredo Marcano. A few
months later Numata would be dethroned by Ricardo Arrendondo.
To try to keep up the the exchanging of belts between the WBA, WBC and
later IBF would be a waste of space. The division was graced by some fine
fighters. There was the power punching Ben Villaflor, the slick stylist
Sammy Serrano and the great Alfredo Escalera.On January 28, 1978 the game
Escalera would relinquish his title to possibly the greatest 130 pounder of
all time. The " Explosive Thin Man " himself; Alexis Arguello.
Why is Arguello a good choice as the best 130 pounder ever ? Rafael "
Bazooka " Limon, Boza Edwards, Rolando Navarette and Bobby Chacon were all
defeated by Alexis while he held the crown.All four would gain title
recognition after Alexis moved up go after the lightweight title.That is how
dominant Alexis was at 130.
The 1980's produced some fine titleholders such as Roger Mayweather,
Hector Camacho, Julio Cesar Chavez, Rocky Lockridge, Azumah Nelson, Brian
Mitchell and the popular Tony " Tiger " Lopez.
The 1990's gave us Genero Hernandez, Gabe Ruelas, Jesse James Leija,
Arturo Gatti, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Diego Corrales. The new millinium has
produced Acelino Frietas and Joel Casamayor for starters. Still no one with
the possible exception of Flash Elorde dominated the weight class like
Alexis Arguello, the greatest junior lightweight of all time !
Gran Campeon
The fight was at Lightweight: WBC.
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