Aaron Pryor v Alexis Arguello Controversy...

[ArtOfWar]

I was just watching the documentary that HBO recently did about the Luis Resto/Billy Collins fight (Assault In The Ring) where Resto's gloves were tampered with by Panama Lewis, resulting in Collins taking a bad beating and ending his career.

Something Resto also mentions is the stuff Panama used in his 'special bottles' was a crushed up pill that asthma sufferers take. He said it opened up the lungs, allowing him to breathe better and made him feel good.

This definitely sheds new light on why Pryor came out blazing and stopped Arguello after drinking the mixed bottle. Lot's of debates have been had over the years about what was in the bottle and what effect it had on Pryor. It seems as if Resto has given us the answer. Whether or not Pryor would have won the fight anyway is irrevalent. I'm just wondering if it taints the victory for anyone else, because it does for me.

[TheGoods]

Not for me. Pryor won the fight of the 1980s against Arguello simply because he was the better man. Where was your black bottle in the return fight? Pryor is my favourite fighter of all-time. Avoided, under-rated, overlooked. He was the perfect fighting machine.

[Jon Saxon]

He's a 100% cheat.

[skelp]

Interesting, have always heard about this "little black bottle" but; have yet to see the fight. Theres no doubt something strange was going on. It's just a shame Pryor came back and lost his undefeated record and his credibility was damaged with the bottle incident.

[DIRT SUGAR]

I've heard it was sugar water, nothing that sinister and I tell you what if Pryor needed it it was in the 12th round when Arguello landed some cracking punches.

Pryor just turned it on and Arguello had nothing left in the 14th but obviously after Lewis's transgressions in the Resto fight it's a good boxing conspiracy story.

[Captain Hook]

It was mint schnapes (sp?). He'd used it before as he felt it opened up the airways and got the breathing sorted. Not sure about the science behind it but am sure of one thing, Pryor, not Lewis, brought about that win, he fought the same way from first to last bell.

Agreed......I have always heard it was Shnappes....

Pryor was awesome, he always had fantastic stamina and was the most underestimated fighter in history IMO.

[ArtOfWar]

The thing is if you watch the documentary when Resto finally starts letting it all out he pretty much knew exactly what Panama was up to with the gloves and what was in the bottle. He reckons it was some sort of asthma pill and you have to think Panama used the same stuff all the time. Pryor definitely came out hard in that 14th round and you can clearly hear Panama telling the other cornerman to give him the bottle he mixed. Tainted win for me.

[Phenomenal-Nutrition]

It was mint schnapes (sp?). He'd used it before as he felt it opened up the airways and got the breathing sorted. Not sure about the science behind it but am sure of one thing, Pryor, not Lewis, brought about that win, he fought the same way from first to last bell.

Agreed, that was a hell of a workrate from start to finnish and a real breaking down round on round of Arguello, some Arguello fans act like it was a 50-50 fight coming into the last 2, Pryor was outlanding him 4-1 by my estimates (although Arguellos were real equaliser types)

[forcefraser]

Panama Lewis is a disgrace to boxing. No doubt there was something in teh bottle, there had to be, as you don`t mix "Water" and water is all you are allowed in the corner.

It may have given Pyror a lift, but i think he would have gotten to Arguello anyway. Love the scenes of Pryor walking around with his crew shouting "What time is it".

[DIRT SUGAR]

I remember running on empty in a bout and fornicate me it'd take more than a bit of asthma pill to have got me going within a minute of taking the thing. It's a bullshit theory IMHO. Pryor just broke Arguello then knocked him out.

[MightyWarrior]

It was a legal mix by all accounts.

Yeah but the only inside accounts were from Lewis and Pryor, as the bottle was never tested.

That HBO account really sheds a bit of light, it shouldn't surprise anyone that Lewis was pretty much capable of anything.

I've always given Pryor the benefit of the doubt, he was just a monster, and would likely have beaten Alexis anytime they met, just near unbeatable in his prime.
The best fight I've ever seen, the first round rivals Hagler/Hearns round 1. probably my two favorite fighters too

[Phenomenal-Nutrition]

What I think is off, is people go crazy over this scandle that is far from proven and in actual fact most of what was around wouldnt do much to improve stamina back then, when it is proven Shane Mosley used EPO, which certainly does improve stamina, and thats completely ignored. All the steroid use is ignored and many clear roiders are beloved to many of us but Panama Lewis is seen as pure evil for finding a similarly unfair advantage for his fighter. Hypocritical? Personally I liked Panama when I saw him interviewed, thought he spoke allot of sense, he clearly cheated but most do try to bend/break the rules in this sport and was trying to do the best for his fighter, the demonification of him goes a bit far

[MightyWarrior]

he clearly cheated but most do try to bend/break the rules in this sport and was trying to do the best for his fighter, the demonification of him goes a bit far

Well it's due to the fact that his fighter almost beat Billy Collins to death, after Lewis took the padding out of his gloves, and he deserves all the scorn he gets for that act.

[TerribleTerry]

he clearly cheated but most do try to bend/break the rules in this sport and was trying to do the best for his fighter, the demonification of him goes a bit far

Well it's due to the fact that his fighter almost beat Billy Collins to death, after Lewis took the padding out of his gloves, and he deserves all the scorn he gets for that act.

Too true - Collins spiralled into depression after that savage beating and ended up taking his own life, as I understand it.

The fact that Panama Lewis was able to squirm his way back into the boxing community and continue to make a living from boxing after that event is disgusting...

[ERIC GUY]

I remember Panama when Lennox Boxed Tucker, he was in the Tucker team then, giving it the big'un....did not like him at all

[Wales]

What I think is off, is people go crazy over this scandle that is far from proven and in actual fact most of what was around wouldnt do much to improve stamina back then, when it is proven Shane Mosley used EPO, which certainly does improve stamina, and thats completely ignored. All the steroid use is ignored and many clear roiders are beloved to many of us but Panama Lewis is seen as pure evil for finding a similarly unfair advantage for his fighter. Hypocritical? Personally I liked Panama when I saw him interviewed, thought he spoke allot of sense, he clearly cheated but most do try to bend/break the rules in this sport and was trying to do the best for his fighter, the demonification of him goes a bit far

To be fair PN he all but murdered Billy Collins. Collins was told he couldnt box after the defeat, he became depressed, turned to drink, and veered his car off the road killing himself in the process.

The mixed bottle was one thing, but the padding from the gloves was another.

[SticknMove]

Alexis Arguello was one of my favourite fighters. Watched the highlights of both fights at that time and seen them a few times since. Pryor was too much for Arguello at that relatively late stage in his career and at a weight that was more natural for the Hawk.

[jamesmcdonnell]

I've heard it was sugar water, nothing that sinister and I tell you what if Pryor needed it it was in the 12th round when Arguello landed some cracking punches.

Pryor just turned it on and Arguello had nothing left in the 14th but obviously after Lewis's transgressions in the Resto fight it's a good boxing conspiracy story.

Sugar water is however illegal. It gives a fighter a surge of energy if administered between rounds.