Gary Smith of Sports Illustrated has long been one of my favorite writers. He writes on just about any sports topic better than anyone else.
When Smith would tackle boxing, it was always a special treat because he could paint a portrait of a man few others could.
So when I learned the sad news of the great Alexis Arguello’s death at 57 on Wednesday, possibly at his own hand, I remembered the wonderfully poignant story Smith wrote about him nearly a quarter of a century ago.
In particular, what came to mind …

In many circles, maybe yours, today’s welterweight division is being spoken of as another “Golden Era” at 147. There have been so many of those at this weight you could be forgiven for wondering what the hell it is with guys who weigh around 147 pounds, but that’s a question for another day.
Look at the guys currently campaigning at or around 147 pounds. Shane Mosley, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao are all locks for the Hall of Fame. Miguel Cotto is one of the best in the world. Antonio …