Arguello-Tunney: Who was Better?

[Ambling Alp II]

Thought this would be fun. Picked two guys from different eras and vastly different weight classes. Who was the better of the two?

[oogiebe]

Thought this would be fun. Picked two guys from different eras and vastly different weight classes. Who was the better of the two?

P4P...Tunney was master boxer. Arguello @ Feather was unbeatable. Can't really say. Too different to call.

[chrisjs1985]

Thought this would be fun. Picked two guys from different eras and vastly different weight classes. Who was the better of the two?

P4P...Tunney was master boxer. Arguello @ Feather was unbeatable. Can't really say. Too different to call.

I wouldn't call Arguello "unbeatable" at 126. He lost handily to Marcel and whilst it's true Arguello improved as he got more experience I don't think he'd have ever beaten Marcel at featherweight unless Marcel got old. Styles make fights. The number of fighters head-to-head who'd beat prime Marcel at 126 is very, very limited and Arguello doesn't make it.

Not to say Alexis wasn't great because he was incredible. What a fighter.

[oogiebe]

Thought this would be fun. Picked two guys from different eras and vastly different weight classes. Who was the better of the two?

P4P...Tunney was master boxer. Arguello @ Feather was unbeatable. Can't really say. Too different to call.

I wouldn't call Arguello "unbeatable" at 126. He lost handily to Marcel and whilst it's true Arguello improved as he got more experience I don't think he'd have ever beaten Marcel at featherweight unless Marcel got old. Styles make fights. The number of fighters head-to-head who'd beat prime Marcel at 126 is very, very limited and Arguello doesn't make it.

Not to say Alexis wasn't great because he was incredible. What a fighter.

The Marcel fight was a good one. I think Arguello could have beaten prime Ernesto. Their fight was at the end of Marcel's career (he was fairly young in age) and Arguello was no more than 21/22 y/o. Arguello wasn't he 'complete' fighter for another two or three years and got even better after that. I guess we'll really never know.

[oogiebe]

P4P...Tunney was master boxer. Arguello @ Feather was unbeatable. Can't really say. Too different to call.

I wouldn't call Arguello "unbeatable" at 126. He lost handily to Marcel and whilst it's true Arguello improved as he got more experience I don't think he'd have ever beaten Marcel at featherweight unless Marcel got old. Styles make fights. The number of fighters head-to-head who'd beat prime Marcel at 126 is very, very limited and Arguello doesn't make it.

Not to say Alexis wasn't great because he was incredible. What a fighter.

The Marcel fight was a good one. I think Arguello could have beaten prime Ernesto. Their fight was at the end of Marcel's career (he was fairly young in age) and Arguello was no more than 21/22 y/o. Arguello wasn't he 'complete' fighter for another two or three years and got even better after that. I guess we'll really never know.

In addition, maybe Marcel retired after the bout at age 26, as I looked it up, knowing he couldn't beat Arguello again!

[elmersalsa]

I ranked the Explosive Thin Man Alexis Arguello over the Fighting Marine Gene Tunney.

The reasons:
Arguello had more fights.
Alexis was the better champion. He reigned in two weight classes making over 8 title defenses in both weight classes.
Beat more world champions than Tunney.
More longevity.

I would give Tunney the edge that he beat better fighters:
Jack Dempsey twice
Harry Greb twice
Georges Carpentier.
Three top 100 pound per pound great boxers in my view.

But, Arguello is definitely one of the greatest champions in boxing history. His championship fight record thrashes Tunney's.

[chrisjs1985]

I wouldn't call Arguello "unbeatable" at 126. He lost handily to Marcel and whilst it's true Arguello improved as he got more experience I don't think he'd have ever beaten Marcel at featherweight unless Marcel got old. Styles make fights. The number of fighters head-to-head who'd beat prime Marcel at 126 is very, very limited and Arguello doesn't make it.

Not to say Alexis wasn't great because he was incredible. What a fighter.

The Marcel fight was a good one. I think Arguello could have beaten prime Ernesto. Their fight was at the end of Marcel's career (he was fairly young in age) and Arguello was no more than 21/22 y/o. Arguello wasn't he 'complete' fighter for another two or three years and got even better after that. I guess we'll really never know.

In addition, maybe Marcel retired after the bout at age 26, as I looked it up, knowing he couldn't beat Arguello again!

He announced before the fight he was retiring after the fight. I think his mother had been pressuring him to retire.

[oogiebe]

The Marcel fight was a good one. I think Arguello could have beaten prime Ernesto. Their fight was at the end of Marcel's career (he was fairly young in age) and Arguello was no more than 21/22 y/o. Arguello wasn't he 'complete' fighter for another two or three years and got even better after that. I guess we'll really never know.

In addition, maybe Marcel retired after the bout at age 26, as I looked it up, knowing he couldn't beat Arguello again!

He announced before the fight he was retiring after the fight. I think his mother had been pressuring him to retire.

Awww! How lovely! LOL! You get my point though, yes? I don't care if you agree or not, so long as you understand what I'm saying here.

[chrisjs1985]

In addition, maybe Marcel retired after the bout at age 26, as I looked it up, knowing he couldn't beat Arguello again!

He announced before the fight he was retiring after the fight. I think his mother had been pressuring him to retire.

Awww! How lovely! LOL! You get my point though, yes? I don't care if you agree or not, so long as you understand what I'm saying here.

I understand. Arguello was improving whilst Marcel was as good as he was going to get. I love Arguello but sort of feel that's a style he'd have trouble with always barring Marcel getting old.

[oogiebe]

He announced before the fight he was retiring after the fight. I think his mother had been pressuring him to retire.

Awww! How lovely! LOL! You get my point though, yes? I don't care if you agree or not, so long as you understand what I'm saying here.

I understand. Arguello was improving whilst Marcel was as good as he was going to get. I love Arguello but sort of feel that's a style he'd have trouble with always barring Marcel getting old.

Totally Cool! BTW: You may be right! We'll never know!

[elmersalsa]

Awww! How lovely! LOL! You get my point though, yes? I don't care if you agree or not, so long as you understand what I'm saying here.

I understand. Arguello was improving whilst Marcel was as good as he was going to get. I love Arguello but sort of feel that's a style he'd have trouble with always barring Marcel getting old.

Totally Cool! BTW: You may be right! We'll never know!

At one point during that fight, Arguello had Ernesto Marcel in queer street, though. It was around the 11th round, I believe. I got to see that fight again.