Aaron Pryor

[Explosivo]

He's talked about quite alot on this forum, and justifiably so. IMO, the greatest Jr. Welterweight who ever lived. Just a shame his career was cut so short.

This is a great clip,...except for the stupid, hiphop music background.

Enjoy!
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[StingerKarl]

Great observation, bro.:bears:
I agree wholeheartedly with your analysis of him as the best ever, and there have been some great ones to be sure at jr. welterweight.

[Explosivo]

If his prime existed today,..those young boxing fans who never witnessed him would be in awe.

Just imagine the ferocity of Tyson in a 140 pounder, with unlimited stamina, a concrete chin, great hand and footspeed, the unorthodoxy of a prime Hamed...with punching power O'Plenty.

And he averaged above 100 punches a round for his career.

Fun to watch.:eeeek:

[Joe King]

Yeah, seriously. If he did compete today, we would be enthralled with him and I can't see anyone beating him except maybe a Vernon Forrest type at 147.

[Rubio MHS]

Pryor ducked plenty of fighters, and while he did have heart, determination and an unrelenting attack, I'd have trouble ranking him above Niccolino Loche, Floyd Mayweather, Barney Ross, Henry Armstrong, Carlos Ortiz and a lot of fighters who competed under 140 pounds. I wouldn't pick a 140-pound Pryor to beat the 135-pound versions of Duran, Armstrong, Benny Leonard, Pernell Whitaker, Shane Mosley and Joe Gans.

Even if you threw out the multitude of 135-pound fighters who were better than the 140-pound Pryor, you still have him competing with all-time-great fighters who won titles and championships at 140, like Oscar de la Hoya and Julio Cesar Chavez. I doubt he'd beat a prime Antonio Cervantez. Wilfred Benitez would beat him both in a boxing match and a crack-smoking contest. Maybe on the same night.

[Explosivo]

Pryor ducked plenty of fighters, and while he did have heart, determination and an unrelenting attack, I'd have trouble ranking him above Niccolino Loche, Floyd Mayweather, Barney Ross, Henry Armstrong, Carlos Ortiz and a lot of fighters who competed under 140 pounds. I wouldn't pick a 140-pound Pryor to beat the 135-pound versions of Duran, Armstrong, Benny Leonard, Pernell Whitaker, Shane Mosley and Joe Gans.

Even if you threw out the multitude of 135-pound fighters who were better than the 140-pound Pryor, you still have him competing with all-time-great fighters who won titles and championships at 140, like Oscar de la Hoya and Julio Cesar Chavez. I doubt he'd beat a prime Antonio Cervantez. Wilfred Benitez would beat him both in a boxing match and a crack-smoking contest. Maybe on the same night.


Just outta curiosity,...who did Pryor duck??
It was HE who was ducked at 135 that forced him to move up to 140 to gain a shot at the great, although past his prime Cervantes.

Pryor would have smoked DLH and Benetez. Chavez would have given him hell, but his volume of punching would have imo won that fight.

As far as Duran?...great fight, and I can't call that one, but it is a close decision either way , imo.
Floyd?...Pryor does at least as well as Castillo, probably better and imo wins by late TKO or close decision.
Loche? Get fucking real. Pryor's punchrate and stamina overcome Loche's overall technical skills. Nothing to keep Pryor off of him, and Niccolino never faced someone as relentless as Pryor.

Ross, Armstrong and Ortiz? Pryor is too modern and too good for any of them. Pryor wins all threee.

[Tam Tam]

There are some great fighters whom I believe could have competed with Pryor and beaten him as well. I will also say, that one of them is NOT Shane Mosley. Pryor would have punched holes in him, IMO.

Shane got hit too much and would really struggle to find a way to slow the tempo down. He was never a 12 round, 180 seconds a round kind of fighter and if you weren't that, you needed some "trick" to hang with Pryor, IMO.

[Rubio MHS]

Just outta curiosity,...who did Pryor duck??I'll give you a hint. It starts with a "D" and it's bigger than a Panamanian breadbasket.

[slystaff]

Great fighter! Overrated fighter!

[Explosivo]

I'll give you a hint. It starts with a "D" and it's bigger than a Panamanian breadbasket.

Duran was outta the lightweight division before Pryor was there,....PLUS, his sights were set on Leonard. Duran wouldn't have taken that fight if Pryor had called him out in 1979........and I wouldn't have blamed him. He had bigger fish to fry.

Wrong O there, JackO.

[Explosivo]

and BTW, you stated that Pryor ducked "Plenty of fighters"


You are dumb, dude.

[Xplosive]

There are some great fighters whom I believe could have competed with Pryor and beaten him as well. I will also say, that one of them is NOT Shane Mosley. Pryor would have punched holes in him, IMO.

Shane got hit too much and would really struggle to find a way to slow the tempo down. He was never a 12 round, 180 seconds a round kind of fighter and if you weren't that, you needed some "trick" to hang with Pryor, IMO.

I agree. Pryor beats Mosley. Shane would put up a helluva fight though, but it wouldnt be enough to win.

In all honest, the ONLY fighter from 135-140 in history who I'd pick over Pryor is Duran. Ive never seen Armstrong so I cant speak for him.

POSSIBLY Sweet Pea beats him also. But other than Duran, and Whitaker, none is beating Pryor. Floyd has a pretty good chance at beating him also, but i'd make Pryor the favor.

Aaron woulda beat Chavez in all out war, he'd have outworked Benitez, ran DLH out the ring, beat a prime Cervantes by decision, overwhelmed the defensive Loche, and he woulda beat the shit outta Tszyu, and Taylor.

Aaron was a badass! The only one who coulda tamed him was Duran, who was a BIGGER badass.

[Explosivo]

I agree. Pryor beats Mosley. Shane would put up a helluva fight though, but it wouldnt be enough to win.

In all honest, the ONLY fighter from 135-140 in history who I'd pick over Pryor is Duran. Ive never seen Armstrong so I cant speak for him.

POSSIBLY Sweet Pea beats him also. But other than Duran, and Whitaker, none is beating Pryor. Floyd has a pretty good chance at beating him also, but i'd make Pryor the favor.

Aaron woulda beat Chavez in all out war, he'd have outworked Benitez, ran DLH out the ring, beat a prime Cervantes by decision, overwhelmed the defensive Loche, and he woulda beat the shit outta Tszyu, and Taylor.

Aaron was a badass! The only one who coulda tamed him was Duran, who was a BIGGER badass.


There are more than a couple knowledgable boxing fans on this board!!

Thank GOD.:bears:

[Explosivo]

I agree. Pryor beats Mosley. Shane would put up a helluva fight though, but it wouldnt be enough to win.

In all honest, the ONLY fighter from 135-140 in history who I'd pick over Pryor is Duran. Ive never seen Armstrong so I cant speak for him.

POSSIBLY Sweet Pea beats him also. But other than Duran, and Whitaker, none is beating Pryor. Floyd has a pretty good chance at beating him also, but i'd make Pryor the favor.

Aaron woulda beat Chavez in all out war, he'd have outworked Benitez, ran DLH out the ring, beat a prime Cervantes by decision, overwhelmed the defensive Loche, and he woulda beat the shit outta Tszyu, and Taylor.

Aaron was a badass! The only one who coulda tamed him was Duran, who was a BIGGER badass.

Right on. There is more than a couple of people who know how great Pryor was at his best.

[Rubio MHS]

Duran wouldn't have taken that fight if Pryor had called him out in 1979Duran offered him a fight. It didn't happen. Leonard offered him a fight. It didn't happen. DeJesus offered him a fight. It didn't happen. Saoul Mamby wanted a unification bout. It didn't happen. Jo Kimpuani, Leroy Haley... Pryor consistently avoided the top fighters at 140.

[Explosivo]

Duran offered him a fight. It didn't happen. Leonard offered him a fight. It didn't happen. DeJesus offered him a fight. It didn't happen. Saoul Mamby wanted a unification bout. It didn't happen. Jo Kimpuani, Leroy Haley... Pryor consistently avoided the top fighters at 140.


How bout providing proof? I don't believe any of that. DeJesus got KTFO by featherfisted Saoul Mamby only ONE MONTH prior to Pryor winning his title against Cervantes.

Get real brother.

[Rubio MHS]

How bout providing proof? I don't believe any of that. DeJesus got KTFO by featherfisted Saoul Mamby only ONE MONTH prior to Pryor winning his title against Cervantes.

Get real brother.Okay. Watch the fight between Pryor and Dujuan Johnson. Listen to the commentary by Sugar Ray Leonard. :nono: :slap: :lol:

[Explosivo]

Okay. Watch the fight between Pryor and Dujuan Johnson. Listen to the commentary by Sugar Ray Leonard. :nono: :slap: :lol:


That is like saying that any fighter who doesn't fight a guy who is calling him out, ...is ducking him.

Who the fuck wanted to see Pryor vs. Mamby at that time?

Come on dude, are you for real?


Aaron Pryor is one of the alltime greats, and if you don't acknowledge that you are either stupid, or you really don't like Pryor.

Simple as that.

[Rubio MHS]

That is like saying that any fighter who doesn't fight a guy who is calling him out, ...is ducking him.Pryor consistently ducked the best fighters at 140.Who the fuck wanted to see Pryor vs. Mamby at that time?I don't know... anyone who wanted to see the title unified? Anyone who wanted to see the two best jr. welterweights face off? Anyone who wanted to see the WBA champion fighting the WBC champion? It sucks that Leonard got injured right after offering Pryor a fight, and that he retired instead of fighting Pryor, but Pryor had plenty of top jr. welterweights and welterweights he could have taken on. He fought practically none of them.Aaron Pryor is one of the alltime greats, and if you don't acknowledge that you are either stupid, or you really don't like Pryor.

Simple as that. Oh, I'm not saying that Pryor isn't an all-time-great. I'm just saying that he's not the greatest jr. welterweight of all time. Top five? Maybe, if you're throwing out the mutitude of lightweights who were better than he was, and throwing out the people who only had a fight or two at 140, like Whitaker or De la Hoya. I just think that calling him the greatest jr. welterweight of all time is unfair to the great fighters who came before him.

[Explosivo]

Pryor consistently ducked the best fighters at 140.I don't know... anyone who wanted to see the title unified? Anyone who wanted to see the two best jr. welterweights face off? Anyone who wanted to see the WBA champion fighting the WBC champion? It sucks that Leonard got injured right after offering Pryor a fight, and that he retired instead of fighting Pryor, but Pryor had plenty of top jr. welterweights and welterweights he could have taken on. He fought practically none of them.Oh, I'm not saying that Pryor isn't an all-time-great. I'm just saying that he's not the greatest jr. welterweight of all time. Top five? Maybe, if you're throwing out the mutitude of lightweights who were better than he was, and throwing out the people who only had a fight or two at 140, like Whitaker or De la Hoya. I just think that calling him the greatest jr. welterweight of all time is unfair to the great fighters who came before him.


You are dumb.

[Explosivo]

Aaron Pryor CONSISTANTLY ducked fighters at 140.....is a dumb statement to make.

Pryor was ducked, until he had a title, and then mediocre fighters like Mamby, Haley and others called him out......and since he fought the great Arguello instead of them, he ducked them?


If you believe that, then you should probably post on the WWF board.
:lol:

[Rubio MHS]

Pryor was ducked, until he had a titleSounds like everything you know about Aaron Pryor comes from that episode of HBO's Legendary Nights. That was the show where he talked about moving up to 140 because he couldn't get a shot at 135 despite the fact that Duran offered him one. It was total crap, and that series was total crap.

So, why don't you show everyone here your deep and insightful knowledge of the great Aaron Pryor. Why did Leonard offer Pryor a match after the Dujuan Johnson fight? Oh, I'm sorry. Didn't they talk about that fight in your precious Legendary Nights? You haven't seen it? Awww... too bad.

[Erratic]

Great fighter! Overrated fighter!

Agreed.

[Rubio MHS]

Agreed.I have to agree. Sly is right on this one. No one would deny Pryor's greatness, but his resume was hardly impeccable.

[Erratic]

I have to agree. Sly is right on this one. No one would deny Pryor's greatness, but his resume was hardly impeccable.

Yeah, I see it the same way.

I think pretty highly of Pryor in talent/ability and in terms of how well I think he'd do head-to-head against a lot of other top 135/140 lb. fighters.

But mythical matchups are speculation and resume/achievements are considerably more important in ranking a fighter, IMO.

[Neil]

Why did Leonard offer Pryor a match after the Dujuan Johnson fight?

probably because he just watched a green kid nearly knock the hawks block off.

[StingerKarl]

I agree. Pryor beats Mosley. Shane would put up a helluva fight though, but it wouldnt be enough to win.

In all honest, the ONLY fighter from 135-140 in history who I'd pick over Pryor is Duran. Ive never seen Armstrong so I cant speak for him.

POSSIBLY Sweet Pea beats him also. But other than Duran, and Whitaker, none is beating Pryor. Floyd has a pretty good chance at beating him also, but i'd make Pryor the favor.

Aaron woulda beat Chavez in all out war, he'd have outworked Benitez, ran DLH out the ring, beat a prime Cervantes by decision, overwhelmed the defensive Loche, and he woulda beat the shit outta Tszyu, and Taylor.

Aaron was a badass! The only one who coulda tamed him was Duran, who was a BIGGER badass.

I agree, as great as those guys were, and I am a huge Benitez and Cervantes fan, I'd take Pryor over them all.
If anyone remembers, several years ago I actually had Kid Pambele as my top jr. welter but changed to Aaron as I studied them both extensively and then picking Pryor by a late round stoppage in a classic battle of attrition.
It would have been one of strength and stamina vs. technique and power, an epic battle with both at their peaks.
I spoke with former lightweight champion Rodolfo Gonzales who decked Cervantes and was on his way to stopping him when Pambele cut him badly and Gonzalez lost by TKO.

[ArturoGatti]

his fight against that guy from Detroit is a classic.

[ArturoGatti]

Dujuan Johnson, I believe.

[Rubio MHS]

probably because he just watched a green kid nearly knock the hawks block off.Green? Johnson'd been in the top 5 or so for a year. :doh: :lol: :laughing: :nono:

[StingerKarl]

Green? Johnson'd been in the top 5 or so for a year. :doh: :lol: :laughing: :nono:

Man, Johnson went out in a bad way.
Cat emptied a a clip into him while DuJuan was sitting in a car during a botched drug deal.

[Rubio MHS]

Man, Johnson went out in a bad way.
Cat emptied a a clip into him while DuJuan was sitting in a car during a botched drug deal.I heard that the drug deal was a setup, and he was killed over a debt. Any info?

[StingerKarl]

I heard that the drug deal was a setup, and he was killed over a debt. Any info?

You may be right.
DuJuan had taken to strong arming in Detroit for drug dealers, I know that much.

[StingerKarl]

You know thinking about that Rubio, several of Mr. Steward's kids wound up on the wrong side of the gun by their own hand or someone else's.
Ricky Womack, DuJuan Johnson, and Duane Thomas all died by gunfire.
Bernard "Superbad" Mays died of alcoholism and drug usage as well.
I guess you can take a kid out of the streets, but you can't always take the steets out of a kid.

[Rubio MHS]

You may be right.
DuJuan had taken to strong arming in Detroit for drug dealers, I know that much.Yeah. It isn't exactly the boxer-punchers who turn to strong-arming. I hadn't heard about his gang activity. It sucks.

[Rubio MHS]

You know thinking about that Rubio, several of Mr. Steward's kids wound up on the wrong side of the gun by their own hand or someone else's.
Ricky Womack, DuJuan Johnson, and Duane Thomas all died by gunfire.
Bernard "Superbad" Mays died of alcoholism and drug usage as well.
I guess you can take a kid out of the streets, but you can't always take the steets out of a kid.Well, now that you've got me depressed, think of these names:

Caveman Lee - Last I heard, he was in some shithole Texas prison
Gerald McClellan - Blind and brain dead
Aaron Pryor - Drugs
Sugar Ray Leonard - Drugs
Lennox Lewis - GaySorry, I needed to add some levity.

[StingerKarl]

Well, now that you've got me depressed, think of these names:

Caveman Lee - Last I heard, he was in some shithole Texas prison
Gerald McClellan - Blind and brain dead
Aaron Pryor - Drugs
Sugar Ray Leonard - Drugs
Lennox Lewis - GaySorry, I needed to add some levity.

I forgot all about Caveman, good call.
The day he was released from prison the first time, he attempted to rob a bank upon his release.
He is "Institutionalized" as Stephen King so aptly put it in the "Shawshank Redemption".
Most fight fans recall him for his first round KO loss to Marvin Hagler in a bid for the middleweight title, but those who watched it will never forget that war he had with John LoCicero on ESPN though, huh?

[Erratic]

:laughing: at the Lennox Lewis description.

[Rubio MHS]

I'll take Williams-Fletcher over Gatti-Ward any day. :cheer:

[ArturoGatti]

I forgot all about Caveman, good call.
The day he was released from prison the first time, he attempted to rob a bank upon his release.
He is "Institutionalized" as Stephen King so aptly put it in the "Shawshank Redemption".
Most fight fans recall him for his first round KO loss to Marvin Hagler in a bid for the middleweight title, but those who watched it will never forget that war he had with John LoCicero on ESPN though, huh?I ihave that fight on tape. The 5th round was amazing.