How do you rank Aaron Pryor?

[incredibleman]

I think I'd rank him as either the 3rd or 4th greatest light welterweight of all-time.

He was an all action fighter that had great stamina. Sort of the second Henry Armstrong, in a way. I think he would clean out the division, today.

So how do you rank him?

[1SILVA]

I think I'd rank him as either the 3rd or 4th greatest light welterweight of all-time.

He was an all action fighter that had great stamina. Sort of the second Henry Armstrong, in a way. I think he would clean out the division, today.

So how do you rank him?

IMO he is the greatest 140 pounder to ever live. Purely unstoppable. he would have ko'd Chavez and Tszyu

[sonnyboyx2]

Pryor was a very good amateur and even better professional, But often on boxing forums it is claimed that Leonard, Hearns & Duran ducked Pryor, this is simply not true.. Pryor was never mooted as an opponent for those guys, Pryor was a light-welterweight and he remained a light-welterweight all his career, Leonard & Hearns started their career as a full welterweight and moved up in weight, Duran was light-weight King for 7yrs then moved up to fight welterweight King Ray Leonard by first fighting former champion Carlos Palomino... i was a hard-core fight-fan back in the late 70s early 80s and Pryor vs those guys was never mooted.. Pryor vs Hearns in the amateur ranks was when Pryor was 20yrs old and Hearns was 17yrs old.. Hearns never had punching power unto he turned pro

[Kiid Dynamite]

Aaron Pryor is easily a ATG

he ruled the 140 division but I would have liked him go up and down in weights..

The drug use was a bit of a low but hes a great fighter

[JFB629]

He's most certainly is one of the best Jr Welterweights Of All time. He made 8 defences of his WBA 140lb Title winning it from fellow great Antonio Cervantes in 1980.

All 8 defences of the title were won inside the distance wins included Alexis Arguello x2, Dujuan Johnson (17-0), and Akio Kameda. He was also IBF Jr Welterweight Champion making just one defence of that title.

Pryor at his peak was a ferocious fighter who overwhelmed and swamped opponents with punchers, showing amazing stamina, strentgh and workrate. Aswell as good hand and power, and a unbreakable will.

He had sound whiskers, was fast on his feet and had sharp reflexes and his bob-bing weaving and head movement made him hard to tag.

His prime years were cut short due to drug abuse.

He was never beat at his peak. His only loss coming when he decided to make a ill adivsed comeback when virtually blind in one eye and battiling drug addiction.

Aaron Pyor Resume Of Wins
-Antonio Cervantes
-Dujuan Johnson (17-0)
-Akio Kameda (17-0)
-Alexis Arguello x2
-Sang Hyun Kim
-Gary Hinton

Titles Held
-WBA Jr Welterweight
-IBF Jr Welterweight

Pryor's Amature Accomplishments
-1973 National AAU Champion (132 lbs)
-1975 National Golden Gloves (132 lbs) Champion
-1976 US Olympic Alternate
-1976 National Golden Gloves lightweight Champion(Defeated Thomas Hearns In Final)

But alot of his career is based of a myth that Ray Leonard ducked him. The myth of Leonard ducking him was created by the HBO Legendary Night series. To create drama, thus making the episodes more interesting so to speak.

By the time Pryor got his biggest win defeating Arguello, Leonard was already in retirement.

In 1981 when Leonard was the best Welterweight in the world and had just beaten top 154 fighter Ayub Kalule, Pyor's only real win of true significane was a faded Antonio Cervantes, and the 140lb Pryor only the previous year had been a top contender in the 135lb division.

But was denied his shot in the Lightweight division, thus moving up to 140lb.

Both fighters had some verbal banter and a rivalry, dating back to there amature days.

Here's a quote from Pryor's wife, Frankie Pryor on the situation.

''The fight between Ray and Aaron was one many people wanted to see.
Aaron and Ray have been friends since they were in the early teens and boxed on the same USA Boxing team together. Aaron used to go to Palmer Park, MD and stay with Ray and his family for months at a time when they were working through the amateur ranks. In fact, Ray’s mom advised both of them to not turn pro as she didn’t think they would be able to make a living in boxing! We still see Sugar Ray a couple times a year and I always enjoy hearing their stories about the “good old days”. But I think those “good old days” stopped short any match-up as pros because they were both so knowledgeable of each other’s styles from sparring together and being on the same boxing team. That is the one fighter Aaron does not flat out say he would have beaten but he always says he would have been one great fight no matter who won''

Both Ray and Aaron called out each other on different occasions. But lets not forget Pryor in 1981 said he doesn't expect to fight either Hearns or Leonard because they are "picking up weight''

Pryor also rejected a offer of $500 thousand dollars to fight Ray Leonard, and even confirmed this in his post interview after he had defeated Lennox Blackmore.

But to say Ray ran scared of Pryor and always ducked him are blowing things totally out of proportion as the facts prove, and that is mainly due to HBO.

If Leonard was willing to step up to the plate and fight, Hearns, Benitez, and Duran. I don't think he would of avoided Pryor.

Here's another quote from Leonard rearding a Pryor bout
''Aaron Pryor wants to get into the ring with me. He wants to be able to retire, and he will. For health reasons''

[rskumm21]

Aaron Pryor=Hawk Time!

[1SILVA]

He's most certainly is one of the best Jr Welterweights Of All time. He made 8 defences of his WBA 140lb Title winning it from fellow great Antonio Cervantes in 1980.

All 8 defences of the title were won inside the distance wins included Alexis Arguello x2, Dujuan Johnson (17-0), and Akio Kameda. He was also IBF Jr Welterweight Champion making just one defence of that title.

Pryor at his peak was a ferocious fighter who overwhelmed and swamped opponents with punchers, showing amazing stamina, strentgh and workrate. Aswell as good hand and power, and a unbreakable will.

He had sound whiskers, was fast on his feet and had sharp reflexes and his bob-bing weaving and head movement made him hard to tag.

His prime years were cut short due to drug abuse.

He was never beat at his peak. His only loss coming when he decided to make a ill adivsed comeback when virtually blind in one eye and battiling drug addiction.

Aaron Pyor Resume Of Wins
-Antonio Cervantes
-Dujuan Johnson (17-0)
-Akio Kameda (17-0)
-Alexis Arguello x2
-Sang Hyun Kim
-Gary Hinton

Titles Held
-WBA Jr Welterweight
-IBF Jr Welterweight

Pryor's Amature Accomplishments
-1973 National AAU Champion (132 lbs)
-1975 National Golden Gloves (132 lbs) Champion
-1976 US Olympic Alternate
-1976 National Golden Gloves lightweight Champion(Defeated Thomas Hearns In Final)

But alot of his career is based of a myth that Ray Leonard ducked him. The myth of Leonard ducking him was created by the HBO Legendary Night series. To create drama, thus making the episodes more interesting so to speak.

By the time Pryor got his biggest win defeating Arguello, Leonard was already in retirement.

In 1981 when Leonard was the best Welterweight in the world and had just beaten top 154 fighter Ayub Kalule, Pyor's only real win of true significane was a faded Antonio Cervantes, and the 140lb Pryor only the previous year had been a top contender in the 135lb division.

But was denied his shot in the Lightweight division, thus moving up to 140lb.

Both fighters had some verbal banter and a rivalry, dating back to there amature days.

Here's a quote from Pryor's wife, Frankie Pryor on the situation.


Both Ray and Aaron called out each other on different occasions. But lets not forget Pryor in 1981 said he doesn't expect to fight either Hearns or Leonard because they are "picking up weight''

Pryor also rejected a offer of $500 thousand dollars to fight Ray Leonard, and even confirmed this in his post interview after he had defeated Lennox Blackmore.

But to say Ray ran scared of Pryor and always ducked him are blowing things totally out of proportion as the facts prove, and that is mainly due to HBO.

If Leonard was willing to step up to the plate and fight, Hearns, Benitez, and Duran. I don't think he would of avoided Pryor.

Here's another quote from Leonard rearding a Pryor bout
''Aaron Pryor wants to get into the ring with me. He wants to be able to retire, and he will. For health reasons''

Aaron Pryor was in the audience the night of November 9, 1982 when SRL retired the first time. Hagler was there as well.

[#1Assassin]

IMO he is the greatest 140 pounder to ever live. Purely unstoppable. he would have ko'd Chavez and Tszyu

i agree. wouldve been competetive with any fighter in the history of boxing, easily the bset at 140.

[prinzmanspoper]

To argue that Pryor is more accomplished as a fighter or as a junior welterweight than Julio Cesar Chavez is just downright ******ity.Chavez made a career out of defeating world class opposition in their prime.I won't say that Arguello was washed up when Pryor beat him but he certainly wasn't at his peak and Cervantes was washed up.Outside of those three wins,he doesn't have a notable name to his resume,without those three names his resume is awful.I would rate Kostya Tszyu over Pryor also.

Most have only seen Pryor's one fight with Arguello and come off with the impression that he was an unbeatable beast who couldn't be hurt,when in truth he had struggled with many mediocre opposition and had been hurt.

[MBL]

I can only imagine how amazing a Pryor vs Duran fight would have been

Id pick Duran but man what a war it would have been