Stylistically very difficult for Floyd, but the cunt had the ability to find ways to victory. Floyd was at his best at 130 but I'd make him a slight favorite at 140 too
One could argue that Floyd was at his best at 140. At 130 his power was more explosive, but at 140 he was still at his peak athletically, and more mature/polished than he was at 130.
Personally I don't see it. At 130 he was a very good puncher. Give 140 lbs Floyd more punching power and he'd be pretty much unbeatable, as of now I could see Pryor or some other buzzsaw fighter (who didn't have a tendency to quit) beating him
I'm torn to be honest. There was a time where I would have said Pryor, but maybe Pryor's style forces Floyd to open up and brings out the best in Floyd. Both have abilities that present problems for the other.
Was watching Pryor/Cervantes recently. Cervantes was old as hell in that fight and slow as shit. And he still managed to knock Pryor down. Pryor's shit defense and chin in the air is a huge problem against PBF.
Yeah, but consider that Pryor beat the Hell outta Cervantes for every other second of the fight minus the flash KD. Granted, it would have been a much more interesting if it was the Cervantes of the mid 70s.
That's not beside the point. One defensive slip doesn't mean fatally shitty defense and thus it doesn't necessarily decide the fight either
One? Have you seen any of his other fights? And it's not like beside the kncokdown Cervantes wasn't able to find him. Lol. "One defensive slip."
You yourself pointed that flash knockdown as evidence of Pryor's shit defense. Four posts ago, remember? The point is, a flash knockdown or even several of them don't matter much if you proceed beat the shit out of your opponents
Could go either way, honestly. Me thinks Floyd might just have the tools to win this one. He might not do it in super impressive fashion. It will probably depend on Floyd being able to make Pryor think about the incoming. If he can make Pryor hesitate with his feints and stinging counters, I can absolutely see him winning a decision.
I'm saying it's beside the point because beating up an old ass Cervantes in no way implies he could do the same against PBF. On the other hand, getting knocked down by him certainly hints at a defensive deficit that PBF could no doubt exploit. I agree that everyone gets knocked down at some point. So it's not necessarily indicative of weak defense. But in Pryor's case, he clearly had defense problems. And maybe the starkest example of that is that an old and slow Cervantes managed to knock him down.
I could see scenarios in which either guy wins. Floyd could be outworked, he selective with his punches, and Pryor would take rounds with his pressure and activity. I think Floyd is adaptable enough to win. He’d catch Pryor when he’s open and clinch at the right times to nullify Pryor’s activity and disrupt his rhythm. Mayweather wins a 7-5, 8-4 type fight
And I see it the other way: Pryor by a 7-5 type decision. I just don't think Floyd can keep him off or discourage Pryor for enough rounds. Arguello snapped Pryor's head back like a Pez dispenser and he kept coming. I don't see Floyd being able to put enough hurt on him.
I think Pryor is awful for Floyd. Extremely strong, fast footed and aggressive while also not giving a single fuck what's coming back at him. Mayweather isn't gonna be able to slow Pryor down and nor is he gonna be able to wear him out. If Cotto, Hatton, Chavez, Maidana and obviously Castillo can get to Mayweather how they did, Aaron is gonna be so much worse. In all of those fights against pressure fighters, Mayweather got past them by being either better on the inside or wearing them down. He stays on the inside with Aaron and he gets battered, and he isn't wearing Pryor down like he's Jesus Chavez. That said, Pryor was extremely easy to hit and could get very wild. Floyd would have moments, potentially rounds, where he boxes and counters perfectly and makes Pryor look like a clown. But I don't think it'd be enough. Pryor's volume is too much here. Pryor fairly clear decision. Like 8-4, or 9-6.
The only thing that I would add to that is this...Pryor isn't going to lose faith and doubt himself because he might miss a lot of punches because he didn't believe that he could lose. If Mayweather moves to stay away from him, Pryor wasn't slow and would see that as Floyd being weak and he would get on him and keep punching. When Floyd stands in front of him makes him miss and potshots him, Pryor will take advantage of him standing still and keep punching. No way Floyd potshots as hard as Arguello. And Pryor could box some too, he was a good amateur in his own right, came up in a better era. Mayweather may be better at it, but Pryor wouldn't be out of his depth. In my mind, a lot of these mythical fights come down to the same thing and that is who can impose himself on the other guy mentally, or physically, because the very best guys have one attribute in common; the belief that they will win and the belief that they will fight their fight, the opponent be damned. Floyd beat a lot of guys by making them doubt- he'd make them miss and they wouldn't know how to hit him. Then he'd make them miss and he'd counter and they would be hesitant to keep trying. He isn't going to do any of that to AAron Pryor. If he is going to impose himself on Pryor, there is only one way he is going to do so, and I don't think that Floyd can win that type of fight.
My heart wants to say Pryor, but I still dunno. I would ultimately say that Pryor is the favorite at 140, but not a big favorite.
