My encounter with the classy Arguello

I meant to bring this up yesterday but I was shocked to learn of the death of Alexis Arguello, the sixth boxer to win championships in three weight classes. The first time I saw him fight was against my favorite growing up, Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini. It was October 3, 1981 when Mancini challenged Arguello for the WBC Lightweight Title. I didn't know anything about Arguello, all I knew was I was rooting hard for Mancini until Arguello knocked him out in Round 14 to hand "Boom Boom" the first loss of his career. After the bout was when I learned something about Arguello. He had the heart and the class of a true champion. He embraced a young and hurt Mancini, thanking him for the fight and telling him better days were ahead.

A year later Arguello met Aaron Pryor for the first time, losing a 14-round war dubbed the "Battle of the Champions" and one of the greatest I've ever seen. A couple of years after that I met Arguello at a Superstars competition in Key Biscayne, Fla. He was the absolute nicest guy who signed an autograph that read, "To Jon. From a friend. The Three Time World Champion."

Arguello was found with a gunshot wound to the chest. Initial reports have it as a suicide, but that remains under investigation. A terrible loss under terrible circumstances.

Today I share a mutual friend with Arguello, Howard Davis Jr., and he'll be honored next Friday in Glen Cove, N.Y., when the town will name a street after him. His father - Howard Davis Sr. - will also be honored for his services as the “Father of the Community” in Glen Cove. Before it became the Glen Cove Boys & Girls Club, Davis Sr. served as Director of what was called the Lincoln House in the 1960’s. Davis Sr. passed away earlier this year and was in his son’s corner as boxing trainer for nearly his entire career.

Today, Davis Jr. is President of Fight Time Promotions LLC, a Florida-based Sports Entertainment Company and his working on USA VS Brazil., his first MMA show as promoter to take place in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla, later this year. He's also Boxing Director for American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Fla., helping train the likes of WEC Featherweight Champion Mike Brown, UFC Welterweight contender Thiago Alves and many others.

A week from Saturday, Alves faces the biggest challenge of his life: a shot at champion Georges St. Pierre at UFC 100.