Alexis Arguello vs Ray Mancini 3.10.1981 - WBC World Lightweight Championship (14th Rd TKO)
4,083 views · Published 9 December 2018 · 3:07 · Indexed 23 September 2026
Channel: Classic Boxing Matches · 2018 · Sports
Follow me @classicboxing on Twitter! In anticipation for this weekends big WBA/WBO World Lightweight unification title fight between Vasiliy Lomachenko and Jose Pedraza, I've decided to upload an absolute classic, the finish to the WBC World Lightweight Championship fight from 1981 between Alexis Arguello and Ray Mancini. More info below... Alexis Arguello is one the best fighters to ever step foot in the ring, and certainly the best fighter to ever come out of Nicaragua. Over his 27 year career that started in 1968, he would win 3 world titles and have fought a total of 85 contests! Alexis won his first world title in 1974 by stopping former 2 x Bantamweight World Champion and then reigning WBA World Featherweight Champion, Ruben Olivares. Alexis would successfully defend the title 4 times before vacating it to win the WBC World Super Featherweight title in 1978 by stopping Alfredo Escalera on cuts in Rd 13. Alexis would successfully defend the World Super Featherweight title 8 times before once again vacating it in 1980 so he could compete as a lightweight and in 1981 he would win the WBC World Lightweight title by out boxing Jim Watt over 15 rounds and sending him into retirement. Ray Mancini would be Arguello's first defence of the WBC Lightweight title and he entered the contest with a 67-5 record. Ray Mancini was an undefeated fighter who had established himself as a tough and ready competitor who liked to knock his opponents out early. Although not the most technically sound he had heart, determination, a decent chin, relentless aggression and was a heavy hitter. Mancini turned pro in 1979 and all but 5 of his 20 wins were by way of KO, and 13 came within the first 3 rounds! In 1980 Mancini won the Ohio State Lightweight title by 1st Rd KO against Bobby Sparks, and in the following year he would win the NABF Lightweight title by forcing a doctors stoppage after 9 rounds against Jorge Morales. He successfully defended the title against Mexican Lightweight Champion, Jose Luis Ramirez, by a 12 round decision in a relatively one sided contest. After the win, Mancini was signed to face Arguello for the WBC Lightweight World title. Arguello was the heavy favourite by boxing experts going in but Mancini was a fan favourite due to his aggressive style. The consensus was however, is that the longer the fight went on the more it would favour Arguello as Mancini had never fought in a 15 round contest before and it was known his power also dropped off after a few rounds. The fight proved to be closer than most would have guessed, and it wasn't until the later rounds that Arguello truly started to pull ahead. Mancini had already been dropped by a right hand in Rd 12 and managed to survive Rd 13 but it obvious his punches lacked the snap they once had and he was starting to take a lot of punches. In Rd 14 Arguello kept his cool and stalked Mancini around the ring picking his shots and not looking too bothered by Mancini's offense. Just after the mid point of the round Arguello connected with a left hook to the jaw that wobbled Mancini, he followed it up with a small flurry and as Mancini tried to stagger away Arguello landed a flush straight in the jaw to finsih it that snapped Mancini's head back and sent him to the canvas. Mancini somehow got back to his feet but the ref called an end to the fight, although he could of continued the chances of Mancini being seriously hurt were very present. Arguello praised Mancini's performance and said it was the toughest fight he had in a while and although he had lost, Mancini had won even more fans with his gutsy effort.
