The fight game's lost...

10 bell salute to 2 boxing legends...Alexis Arguello and Arturo "Thunder" Gatti.

Alexis Arguello (April 19, 1952 - July 1, 2009) known in the fight world as El Flaco Explosivo - "The Explosive Thin Man", was a native of the Central American country of Nicaragua where in 2008 he was elected mayor of the capital city, Managua. He was a 3 times world champion and his fights with Aaron Pryor.

With a professional records of 82-8-0 with 65 Ko's, Arguello was a warrior in and out of the ring. Made his professional debut with a loss, (a first round TKO) and went on to win 36 of the next 38 fights, leading to his first title shot in the Featherweight division. (He lost to Marcel who later retired) He would later win the championship with a knockout of Ruben Olivares. He transitioned to the Super Featherweight and later to the Lightweight divisions, winning titles in both. His most memorable fights were with Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini and future boxing Hall of Famer Aaron Pryor. In the first fight with Pryor he was stopped in the 14th round, there was a contraversy surrounding a water bottle used by Pryor's corner and due to the carelessness of the Miami Boxing Commission, who didnt perform a post fight urinalysis, a rematch was ordered. This fight took place in Las Vegas and Arguello was KO'd in the tenth. He retired, but you know boxers, they always come back and he did...He needed the money. He and Pryor would remain friends and see each other several times a year until this month when he (Arguello) died.

He became active in politics when he returned to his native Nicaragua and was elected Mayor in 2007. He passed away on July 1, 2009 from an apparent suicide, but the authorities are suspicious, and investigating foul play...

Arturo "Thunder" Gatti also known as the "Ultimate Blood and Guts Warrior" and the "Human Highlight Film" was born April 15, 1972 in Italy, his family moved to Montral, Canada and he lived there until he turned pro in 1991, then moved to New Jersey. Thunder was in Ring Magazine's "Fight of the Year" 4 times, (1997, 1998, 2002, and 2003), but was best known for his epic battles with nemesis Micky Ward. Trust me these two cats refused to lose and fought like their momma's said "Don't come back in the house unless you win". Gatti was a member of the Canadian National Boxing team and was scheduled to participate in the 1992 Olympics, but turned pro instead. He has had fights that were called no less than "Legendary". The list is a mile long...Tracy Harris Patterson where he won the IBF Super Featherweight belt and scored a sweet deal with HBO Boxing (where most of his fights were televised). Wilson Rodriguez, 2 fights with Ivan Robinson, Reyes Munoz and Joey Gamache (who Arturo knocked out and was in a coma for a day), Oscar de la Hoya, Jesse James Leija, Floyd "Money" Mayweather, and Micky Ward.

The fights with Ward were so good, I want them to be released in a special dvd set, now that he has died maybe HBO will do that. They split the first two fights, Ward winning the first and Gatti winning the second. The third fight which was undoubtedly the best of the three. Gatti broke his hand (AGAIN) in the 4th round throwing an upper cut that landed on Ward's hip. He pretty much fought one handed the rest of the fight. Took an overhead right to the the head and was down with a second left in the round. He got up and continued the fight, and won by unanimous decision 96-93, 96-93 and 97-92 on the judge's scorecards. This was Ring Magazine's Fight of the Year.

After Ward he beat Leija, got demolished by Mayweather, knocked out by Carlos Baldomir, and his last fight was against Alfonso Gomez (which he lost). In the dressing room after the fight, Gatti announced his retirement saying that he was coming back, just to watch. Gatti was found dead today in a rented house in Brazil, by his wife. He, his wife, and child were in Brazil on their honeymoon. Authorities said that he was victim of a head injury and are investigating now.


Arguello and Gatti are both boxing legends and will truly be missed...The fight game was revolutionized by them and their careers are gonna be immortalized.
Posted from a neutral corner by the Insomniaq...8,9,10 and I'm OWT