“In different countries, he had different names,” Mike Tyson on Nicaraguan legendary boxer Alexis Arguello

On the Hotboxin' with Mike Tyson podcast, Tyson honors Alexis Arguello, highlighting his lethal skill and enduring impact across different eras and weight classes in boxing history.

“In different countries, he had different names,” Mike Tyson on Nicaraguan legendary boxer Alexis Arguello

Mike Tyson hails praise on Alexis Arguello (Image via: IMAGO, X)

Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson is an ardent student of boxing. After his foster father and coach Cus D’Amato took him up from the streets, Tyson dedicated his life to boxing. Tyson’s knowledge of boxers and boxing history is very extensive. Tyson is a fan of great fighters from different eras, irrespective of the weight class. The Nicaraguan legendary boxer Alexis Arguello is one of the boxers that Tyson admires the most.

Tyson spoke about Arguello’s greatness during the Hotboxin’ With Mike Tyson podcast that featured Ryan Garcia. Arguello’s son, Alexis Arguello Jr., also came on the podcast. Nonetheless, this is what Tyson said about Arguello.

The explosive Thin Man, he's only this big, but he'll kill you. And um, that's his name. In different countries, he had different names, and um, he's one of the greatest fighters. He's top-notch.
Mike Tyson via YT
YouTube video

Tyson stated that Arguello was one of the top 10 fighters to ever compete in the boxing ring. Arguello took his own life with a gunshot to the heart. Tyson was visibly emotional when he spoke about Arguello. His respect for Arguello was due to the Nicaraguan fighter’s ability to take in damage as much as give it.

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Arguello transitioned to a politician after the end of his boxing career. In addition to the nickname ‘The Explosive Thin Man,’ he also had the nickname ‘The Gentleman of the Ring.’ Many consider Arguello to be one of the best Latin American fighters ever. Moreover, he is arguably the greatest junior lightweight boxer of the 20th century.

Mike Tyson reveals the fighters who shaped him as a boxer

Mike Tyson is arguably the biggest Muhammad Ali fan. He reveres Ali and is a big fan of his style of boxing. Moreover, he considers Ali to be the greatest ever. However, during his early boxing career, Ali had retired. Nonetheless, Tyson found inspiration from other boxers who boxed at the time. Interestingly, these boxers were not heavyweights.

Boxers who shaped Mike Tyson
From left to right – Roberto Duran, Alexis Arguello, Salvador Sanchez, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Wilfredo Gomez (Image via: X)

Tyson revealed who these boxers were on Hotboxin’ With Mike Tyson podcast that featured Ryan Garcia. It was before Garcia fought Gervonta Davis. Nonetheless, the boxers named by Tyson were Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard, Wilfredo Gomez, Alexis Arguello, and Salvador Sanchez. Tyson considers Sanchez the best Mexican fighter of all time, ahead of Julio Cesar Chavez and Canelo Alvarez.

Wilfredo Gomez is one of the best boxers to come out of Puerto Rico, and Sugar Ray Leonard was the arguable king of the fabulous four boxers of the 1980s, the other three being Duran, Thomas Hearns, and the late Marvin Hagler.

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