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UFC ON VERSUS

--THE SAVAGE SCIENCE will present live play by play coverage of UFC on VERSUS on March 21 live from the FirstBank Center in Broomfield, Colorado. Join us for the BEST live fight narrative in the world–the action begins 9 PM Eastern/6 PM Pacific!

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DREAM 13

--THE SAVAGE SCIENCE will present live play by play coverage of DREAM 13 coming to you from the Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan on March 22. Join us for the BEST live fight narrative in the world–the action begins 3 AM Eastern/12 AM Pacific!

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STRIKEFORCE: CHALLENGERS

--THE SAVAGE SCIENCE will present live play by play coverage of STRIKEFORCE: CHALLENGERS on March 26 live from the SavMart Center in Fresno, CA. Join us for the BEST live fight narrative in the world–the action begins 10 PM Eastern/7 PM Pacific!

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UFC 111: GSP VS. HARDY

--THE SAVAGE SCIENCE will present live play by play coverage of UFC 111: St. Pierre vs. Hardy live from the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ on March 27. The event will be headlined by a welterweight title fight between Georges St. Pierre vs. Dan Hardy and feature a heavyweight showdown between Frank Mir and Shane Carwin! Join us for the BEST live fight narrative in the world–the action begins 10 PM Eastern/7 PM Pacific!

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UFC FIGHT NIGHT: FLORIAN VS. GOMI

--THE SAVAGE SCIENCE will present live play by play coverage of UFC Fight Night: Florian vs. Gomi live from the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, NC on March 31. The event will be headlined by a lightweight battle between Kenny Florian and Takanori Gomi. Join us for the BEST live fight narrative in the world–the action begins 8:00 PM Eastern/5:00 PM Pacific!

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BELLATOR XIII

--THE SAVAGE SCIENCE will present live play by play coverage of Bellator Fighting XIII live from the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, Florida on April 8. Join us for the BEST live fight narrative in the world–the action begins 7:30 PM Eastern/4:30 PM Pacific!

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BELLATOR XIV

--THE SAVAGE SCIENCE will present live play by play coverage of Bellator Fighting XIV live from the Chicago Theatre in Chicago, Illinois on April 15. Join us for the BEST live fight narrative in the world–the action begins 7:30 PM Eastern/4:30 PM Pacific!

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STRIKEFORCE: NASHVILLE

--THE SAVAGE SCIENCE will present live play by play coverage of Strikeforce: Nashville live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN on April 17. The event will be headlined by a middleweight title fight between Jake Shields and Dan Henderson and feature the US debut of Japanese submission god Shinya Aoki! Join us for the BEST live fight narrative in the world–the action begins 10 PM Eastern/7 PM Pacific!

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MFC 25: VINDICATION

--THE SAVAGE SCIENCE will present live play by play coverage of MFC 25: Vindication live from the Edmonton Expo Center in Edmonton, Alberta on April 17. Join us for the BEST live fight narrative in the world–the action begins 10 PM Eastern/7 PM Pacific!

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“If you go by the rules, you end up being an accountant.”

Robert Evans

Boxing legend Arguello dead at 57

Written by Jim Murphy   |   Wednesday, July 01 2009

arguelloAlexis Arguello slugs Aaron Pryor during their epic first fight.  Arguello will be remembered as one of the best to ever campaign at junior lightweight and lightweight.
Alexis Arguello, one of the greatest boxers to ever compete at 130 pounds, was found dead in his Managua, Nicaragua home early Wednesday of an apparent suicide.  He was 57 years old.  Arguello was found with a gunshot wound to his chest, but his high political stature in the country meant that an investigation would be forthcoming to verify that it was indeed self inflected.  Arguello was the mayor of Nicaragua’s capital city at the time of his death.

Known for his class outside the ring as much for his tenacity inside the ring, he’s best known to casual fight fans for his epic war in 1982 with Aaron ‘The Hawk’ Pryor when he moved up in weight after dominating at lighter weight classes.  Though Arguello would lose via 14th round knockout (amid some controversy due to an apparent ‘mystery drink’ offered to Pryor by his trainer Panama Lewis) it was a thrilling toe to toe battle that even the most knowledgeable boxing experts remember fondly to this day.  ‘Ring Magazine’ not only named it ‘Fight of the Year’, but later would dub it ‘Fight of the Decade’.  Promoter Bob Arum offered these thoughts on Pryor/Arguello:

"It was a brutal, brutal fight. That was something I will never, ever forget as long as I live. That was one of the most memorable fights I ever did."

While the first Pryor fight may have brought him the most mainstream notoriety, boxing cognoscenti are aware that Arguello is arguably the best lightweight and junior lightweight in the history of the sport.  Arguello never lost a fight at 130 pounds and would end his career with an astounding 82-8 record with 65 knockouts and championships in three different weight classes.  At the time, he was only the sixth man in boxing history to hold title belts at three different weights.

Ironically, Arguello’s career didn’t get off to a good start and he lost his debut in 1968 via first round TKO.  He won his next three fights, before losing again via unanimous decision to another lower tier foe in his native country.  After that, he seldom lost again and would go on to be respected as one of the best ‘pound for pound’ fighters of his day.  He was at his best against his toughest adversaries including Ray Mancini, Bobby Chacon and Ruben Olivares.  Bob Arum remembered him not only as a great fighter, but as a great man:

"Not only was he one of the greatest fighters I've ever seen, he was the most intelligent fighter. He was a ring tactician. Every move was thought out. And he was a wonderful, wonderful person."

The articulate, intelligent Arguello was also a ‘quote machine’ on the fight game and how champions should conduct themselves.  Here, he speaks of his attitude toward his opponents:

“Of course after the fight you want to make sure that you’re okay and so is the other guy, it’s a brotherhood in there, so you want to make sure everyone is okay after the war is over.”

Arguello didn’t fight for his first title until he’d had 58 fights, and would frequently admonish boxers who didn’t show the same respect for the sport or their status as champion:

“When you won that title you should know now that you are representing a whole country or nation with your actions and you are now in a glass house or under a microscope and you better be ready to make your people proud.”

Most significantly, Arguello loved boxing and sought to protect it from those who would undermine its greatness:

“I respect boxing because it has given me so much and that’s why I will never allow anyone to mistreat the sport of boxing if I can help it.”

While the modest, dignified Arguello would never say it himself, that was for from a one sided debt—he also gave immeasurably to the sport of boxing with his grace, intelligence, talent and toughness.

THE SAVAGE SCIENCE will be featuring Alexis Arguello quotes as our 'quote of the day' for the next week to pay tribute to his impressive legacy and love for boxing.

For the best in boxing news and boxing commentary visit The Sweet Science:

BOXING NEWS AND OPINION @ THE SWEET SCIENCE
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