These are the 4th and 5th (and final) fights in the arch rivalry between Hammerin' Hank and Baby Arizmendi, which Armstrong ultimately won 3-2. The 4th fight is notable as one of the few (perhaps only?) films available of Armstrong before he won the WW and LW titles, when he was still considered basically a big FW/jr. LW. Notice that in this fight, he makes much more use of his jab and footwork than we typically see in subsequent fights and seems adept at fighting at both short- and mid-range. The 5th fight came after Armstrong had won the WW title, by which time he was a full-fledged 135-pounder. This time, Armstrong largely dispenses with the jab and distance fighting and simply manhandles Arizmendi fight start to finish. I've often thought Armstrong's ideal weight was probably jr. LW, but looking at how much stronger and more imposing he seems to be in this fight makes me rethink that. Which version of Armstrong would you say looks more impressive?
He looks more impressive as a lightweight and looks solidly built at the weight. Armstrong was some infighter. I would love to see Armstrong vs Duran, Chavez, and Pryor.
