Alexis Arguello, the former boxing world champion who in 2008 was elected mayor of his hometown of Managua, Nicaragua, was found dead on Wednesday. He was 57.
The newspaper El Nuevo Diario reported that Arguello's death appeared to be a suicide.
Arguello's boxing career began in Managua in the 1960s, and he quickly built up an impressive record and a reputation for knocking out his opponents quickly. His first fight outside Nicaragua was for the WBA featherweight title in 1974, and although he lost that fight, he got a second shot and won the title later that year.
Through the 1970s Arguello was considered one of the best boxers in the world. His most memorable matches of the decade were his two fights with Alfredo Escalera, both of which Arguello won. The first Arguello-Escalara fight, known as the Bloody Battle of Bayamon, took place on January 28, 1978, and ended in the 13th round when Escalara couldn't continue because of cuts. Their rematch took place on February 4, 1979, with Arguello knocking Escalara out, again in the 13th round.
Arguello had two memorable fights with Aaron Pryor in the 1980s, losing the first in 1982 and announcing his retirement after losing the second in 1983, but he would return to the ring and win another fight in 1985 and then one more in 1986. He then announced his retirement once again, only to return in 1994 and finally retire for good after losing a fight to Scott Walker in 1995, at the age of 42.
Arguello was considered one of the hardest punchers in history; here's one of his best-known highlights, a knockout of Kevin Rooney in 1982:
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