BoxRec

Today is the 50th year anniversary of the WBA World Featherweight Championship fight between challenger Alexis Arguello, The Explosive Thin Man from Nicaragua and the world champion, the legendary Ruben Olivares of Mexico at the famous Inglewood Forum of Inglewood, CA.

This was one of the best fights of the year 1974. I don't know why The Ring Magazine didn't pick this fight as the Ring Magazine Fight of the Year. Instead, they picked Muhammad Ali's win over George Foreman as the fight of 1974.

In my opinion, this fight was way better and way more dramatic than Ali vs Foreman. There's no doubt about it in my view that this was 1974's greatest bout.

Ali vs Foreman was much more famous. Much more important. And it was one the most anticipated and biggest fights in boxing history. Plus, the heavyweight division is the most lucrative division of all.

But, when it came to boxing skills, drama, courage, will and determination, this fight, Arguello vs Olivares is one of boxing's greatest fight gems. A fight that every boxing fan alive, should have in their DVD collection.

They threw leather from the first round. Two of all time pound per pound boxing's all time greats and definitely all time pound per pound knockout artists went at it like real roosters of the farm.

Arguello at 22, was behind on points by the start of round 13. Early in the year, in February in Panama City, Panama, Arguello lost to champ Ernesto "Ñato" Marcel in 15 rounds by decision. Marcel retired after the fight as the only Panamanian undefeated world champion.

Then, Olivares age 27, won that same WBA crown that was vacant by Marcel. Arguello seeing that the opportunity to be champion was slipping again, put his punches together this time, and dropped Olivares in an exchange of punches with a terrific uppercut. Right on the money! Olivares, the warrior that he was, got up, but he was out, and Arguello gave him a one-two and Olivares went down again for good.

Arguello is the new WBA World Featherweight Champion! Nicaragua first world champion in history of boxing. It was the start of a new era. The lanky puncher then won 18 straight world title fights, never losing his 3 world championship belts in the ring until the year 1982. Eight years of total dominance in three weight classes of featherweight, Jr lightweight and lightweight. In total, Arguello's world title record was 19-3. In those 22 title fights, he only lost to two men, Marcel and Aaron Pryor (twice).

Olivares? Well, the next year he brought Mexico his fourth world championship

I just saw the fight again after a long time that I have not seen it in years. What a war this fight was. It should have been in my view, the Fight of the Year by The Ring Magazine.

Another thing that I found odd was the scoring of the fight. American judges Dick Young and Larry Rozadilla had Alexis Arguello winning by the scores of 8-3 and 6-5. George Latka had it 5-5 even. If the fight would have reached the limit of 15 rounds, probably Arguello would have won by decision if that was the case.

I thought that Arguello was losing this fight in my view. And he was losing big. I had it 6-3-3 in rounds and 117-114 on points in favor of Olivares.

But, anyway, thanks that Arguello didn't need the judges but his powerful fists. That controversial decision of the judges would have been very odd, according to the times.

I also had Olivares well ahead.