Arthur Benjamin Aragon (November 13, 1927 – March 25, 2008 ) was an American boxer in the

lightweight Lightweight is a weight class in combat sports and rowing. Boxing Professional boxing The lightweight division is over 130 pounds (59 kilograms) and up to 135 pounds (61.2 kilograms) weight class in the sport of boxing. Notable lightweight ...

class from

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ke ...

Early and later life

Aragon was a native of Belen, New Mexico, but grew up in East Los Angeles. His family was of Mexican descent. He was married four times and engaged a fifth time. He had six acknowledged children. After retiring from boxing, Aragon went into the bail bonds business and pursued acting roles. He converted to Judaism later in life and is buried in a Jewish cemetery in Los Angeles.

Professional boxing career

Aragon's first professional fight, a points win in May 1944, was against Frenchy Rene at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Aragon won his first eleven fights before dropping a decision to Bert White in October 1944. Aragon faced ever-tougher competition as his career progressed, eventually facing many of the great names from his era, including Tommy Campbell, Jesse Flores, Redtop Davis,

Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 76th governor of Georgia from 1 ...

and

Carmen Basilio Carmen Basilio (born Carmine Basilio, April 2, 1927 – November 7, 2012) was an American professional boxer who was the world champion in both the welterweight and middleweight divisions, beating Sugar Ray Robinson for the latter title. An ir ...

. Aragon also held victories over such men as Enrique Bolanos, Johnny Gonsalves, future lightweight champion Lauro Salas, future welterweight champion Don Jordan, Danny Giovanelli and Chico Vejar. In 1951, he defeated lightweight champion

in a non-title bout. Three months later he lost a rematch to Carter for the title in a bout in which he reportedly struggled to make weight. He defeated Carter once again five years later after Carter had been dethroned. Aragon retired in 1960 with a career record of 90 wins (61 by knockout), 20 losses, and 6 draws. Before his career ended, Aragon was dogged by accusations of conspiring to fix fights in his favor, including a conviction in California in February 1957. Similar allegations were made by other fighters afterwards but were never substantiated.

Career in Hollywood

Aragon enjoyed popularity among Hollywood circles. He was romantically linked to

Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe (; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; 1 June 1926 4 August 1962) was an American actress. Famous for playing comedic " blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, as wel ...

Jayne Mansfield Jayne Mansfield (born Vera Jayne Palmer; April 19, 1933 – June 29, 1967) was an American actress, singer, nightclub entertainer, and ''Playboy'' Playmate. A sex symbol of the 1950s and early 1960s while under contract at 20th Century Fox, Man ...

and other Hollywood starlets of the era. Another Hollywood connection was Aragon's friendship with

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

hero turned

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

star

Audie Murphy Audie Leon Murphy (20 June 1925 – 28 May 1971) was an American soldier, actor and songwriter. He was one of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II. He received every military combat award for valor available from t ...

. He had various film and television credits between the 1950s and 1970s, including appearances as himself in the boxing films '' The Ring'' and '' Off Limits'', and he played the role of Private Sanchez in the 1955 war film '' To Hell and Back''. He can be heard as a contestant on the 24th May 1950 radio episode of ''

You Bet Your Life ''You Bet Your Life'' is an American comedy quiz series that has aired on both radio and television. The original and best-known version was hosted by Groucho Marx of the Marx Brothers, with announcer and assistant George Fenneman. The show deb ...

''.

Filmography

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Aragon, Art 1927 births 2008 deaths American boxers of Mexican descent Boxers from New Mexico People from Belen, New Mexico Boxers from Los Angeles Burials at Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery American male boxers Jewish American boxers Converts to Judaism People from East Los Angeles, California Lightweight boxers 20th-century American Jews 21st-century American Jews