Arguello interview once in lifetime opportunity

Who was the greatest boxer of all-time?
Take your pick: Rocky Marciano, Joe Louis, Joe Frazier, Muhammad Ali? How about Sugar Ray Robinson, Jack Dempsey, Billy Soose, or maybe John L. Sullivan?
It's a loaded question, because everyone has his favorite.
One guy who keeps coming back to me was a man in the lighter divisions -- Alexis Arguello, a Nicaraguan slugger who was smooth as silk and possessed a deadly punch. Outside of the ring, he was a gentleman.
Robinson, many contend, was the greatest fighter "pound for pound." I would have to rank Alexis in that same category. He didn't like to lose and rarely did. He fought like a winner in every one of his bouts.
A few years back, I had a close encounter with Arguello. It wasn't a slugfest; I'm smarter than that. We had coffee together.
I was assigned to find Arguello in Boardman and interview him for a story. I didn't think to ask if he could speak English -- it didn't even cross my mind. All I wanted to do was interview this guy, return to the office and write my story.
I found out in a hurry that he could speak fluent English. We chatted over coffee like two long-lost brothers. It turned out to be one of the finest and most rewarding interviews I've ever conducted. We hit it off right from the very first sip.
A real gentleman
It was evident that Arguello was a gentleman. He was soft-spoken and intelligent. When we didn't understand one another we would use body and sign language. I saw Arguello on television recently when he was in attendance at the Boxing Hall of Fame Banquet in New York.
Arguello, at the time of my interview, was in his prime. He was a puncher but his primary concern was returning to his homeland and doing another kind of fighting. Nicaragua was engaged in a bitter conflict at that time and he was highly concerned with the situation. He returned home, joined the fight and became a national hero.
In 1992 Arguello was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
His overall record was 80-8-0 and he was world champion in three divisions: WBA featherweight champion (1974-77), WBC super featherweight champion (1978-1980) and WBC lightweight champion (1981-83). Of his 80 victories, 64 were by knockout.
Arguello fought like a cobra. He would stalk his opponent, waiting patiently for an opening, then strike with a vengeance. He possessed a lightning-like right cross which mixed with devastating uppercuts. He was a ring tactician, a master offensive boxer and a textbook belter, all wrapped into one.
Battled with Mancini
Area fans will remember his battle with Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini Oct. 3, 1981 in Atlantic City. They waged a furious struggle with Arguello holding the upper hand. In the 14th round, Alexis sealed the issue by a TKO.
The Nicaraguan made 16 defenses of his three titles and never lost once. That is a remarkable accomplishment and one of the reasons for my selecting him as one of the greatest fighters ever.
He turned pro in 1968 at the age of 16. After retiring he returned to his homeland in 1990 and stayed close to the game by training amateurs.
Arguello made his mark in the ring when there were only a few titles to be had, unlike today when they are a dime a dozen. His championships were all legitimate as he battled some of the best the game had to offer. To mention a few that fell under Arguello's fists were Ernesto Marcal, Ruben Olivares, Alfredo Escalara, Jim Watt, Aaron Pryor and Mancini.
One of my most prized possessions is a photo of Arguello and myself enjoying that cup of coffee. It hangs in my den. After all, it isn't every day that one can enjoy a cup of coffee with one of the greatest fighters who ever lived.