The former three-division world champion, Alexis Argüello (67-5, 54 KOs), had recently captured the WBC lightweight title by defeating Scotland’s Jim Watt. Feared for his punching power and technique, the Nicaraguan had become one of boxing’s most complete champions.
Ray Mancini (20-0, 15 KOs) had become one of boxing’s brightest attractions thanks to his aggressive, all-action style and emotional motivation. His father, former lightweight contender Lenny “Boom Boom” Mancini, had lost prime years of his career while serving in World War II and never received a world title opportunity. Ray was determined to win the championship his father never had the chance to fight for, with Lenny watching from ringside after recently undergoing heart surgery.
Argüello received a reported purse of $400,000, while Mancini earned approximately $100,000.
Mancini refused to be intimidated by the champion. From the opening bell, he charged forward, throwing combinations to the body and head while refusing to give Argüello any room to breathe. Crowding the taller champion and forcing exchanges at close range, Mancini’s relentless work rate allowed him to edge many of the opening rounds. Argüello never abandoned his game plan, waiting for Mancini to leave openings rather than matching the challenger’s pace.
By the sixth round, the pattern of the fight had begun to change.
The jab started catching Mancini before he could get inside, and the straight right soon followed. Although Mancini continued pressing the action, he was now absorbing clean punches just to reach the champion. Argüello gradually took control of the distance, making the younger fighter work harder for every exchange.
Late in the 12th, he landed a perfectly timed right hand that dropped Mancini to one knee for the fight’s first knockdown. The challenger rose immediately and insisted on continuing despite having absorbed his heaviest punishment of the night.
The 13th belonged almost entirely to the champion. Argüello repeatedly beat Mancini to the punch with sharp combinations as the younger fighter’s work rate began to slow. At one point, Mancini’s manager Dave Wolf reportedly considered stopping the fight before trainer Murphy Griffith convinced him to give his fighter another chance.
Midway through the 14th, Argüello pieced together a left-right-left combination before a crushing right hook sent Mancini to the canvas for the second time. Referee Tony Perez immediately stopped the fight at 1:44 of the round.
Argüello embraced the young challenger afer the fight, reportedly telling him, “You did beautifully,” before affectionately ruffling Mancini’s hair. Mancini, emotional after suffering the first defeat of his professional career, embraced his father and later called Argüello “a super fighter, just a super champion.”
The loss did little to slow Mancini’s rise. Less than a year later, he stopped Arturo Frias to capture the WBA lightweight title and became one of boxing’s biggest stars during the early 1980s. Argüello successfully defended his lightweight championship once more before moving up in pursuit of a fourth world title.
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