Great point. Aaron Pryor was indeed great at 135-140. However, every fighter has that threshold where his abilities will suffer once he rises above a certain weight. Just as the case with Julio Cesar Chavez, I don't think Pryor would have been a great welterweight.
The Leonard that Pryor roughed was a young jr. welterweight. They didn't spar often after Leonard became a pro. When you're as successful as Leonard was, there are always the detractors. He fought the best available competition in Duran, Hearns, Benitez and Hagler. However, again with the territory, anyone missed is one he would be accused of ducking. Part of that was timing.
If you look at the time frame between the first Duran fight, when no one knew Pryor outside of mainstream boxing fans, and the Hearns fight, and Leonard's detached retina, you will see that Pryor was simply the least marketable of that bunch.
Great as he was, I don't think Pryor would have carried 147 very well. Add to that, he's 5'6" and not the defensive fighter that Duran is. Leonard would have landed much easier and would easily have matched or surpassed Pryor's speed, strength and power.
I could see Pryor visiting the canvas a few times. He has a huge heart and would never be seriously hurt. However, I could see the referee stopping it once he realizes Pryor doesn't have answers for Leonard's offensive attack.
Leonard by TKO in 11
My $0.02.I think Ray would have dominated Aaron.As great as Aaron was, you have to look at his competition.He beat some of the better fighters at 140, though, personally, I would have loved to see him take on a Bruce Curry, Johnny Bumphus, or Saoul Mamby.In all honesty, he probably could've beaten Hilmer Kenty, Sean O' Grady, and Howard Davis Jr, but the matches were never made.People have to realize that Alexis Arguello may have been a bit over his head when he went up against Aaron, who was too much for him.
I think the loss to Roberto Duran definitely helped Ray Leonard become a better fighter.He beat Ayub Kalue, Thomas Hearns, and later on, Marvin Hagler.At the time when both were pretty much prime, Pryor, as mentioned before, was only known to hardcore boxing fans while Ray was in superfight status.With his skill level, and when you considered that between 1979-1981, Ray fought Benitez, Duran, Kalue, and Hearns, Ray had nothing to fear from Aaron.And with his style of fighting, Ray would just tear him up inside 5 rounds.Also, it was a good thing that Aaron didn't move up immediately after Leonard's retirement.Guys like Bobby Joe Young, Donald curry, Milton McCrory, and Marlon Starling would've made Pryor's move up a nightmare.
Ray, Hearns nor Duran would fight Pryor. We can say - this fighter would have done this and this fighter would have done that. You don't really no till they fight. I know someone who was Hearns body guard and he stated, Hearns didn't want any part of Pryor. That is why he jumped up to 154 after the first fight with Ray. Even Benitez and Cuveas dodged Pryor. I just think it is a injustice Pryor never got to fight none of the individuals mention. He was a great boxer who could brawl and box!!!!
Styles makes fights, Pryor is a difficult matchup for Leonard
The way Duran beat SRL is the way Pryor fights, and he's always in great shape so you don't have to worry about him ballooning in-between fights.
Plus Pryor is quicker footed than Duran so it would be easier to track Leonard down.
Pryor had underrated defense, not as good as Duran, but he never keeps his head a sitting target, it's always moving. ?He also is so hard to defend against cause he's 2 fisted and very fast. So when Pryor closes the distance which is one of his strengths, he can force his type of fight and he has more power than Leonard and comparable speed to him
So Pryor had a very good chance at beating Leonard. Keep in mind, Pryor doesnt come straight forward with no defense like Chavez Jr does. He's more like Joe Frazier or Henry Armstrong or today's Roman Gonzalez. Even as he's coming forward he's hart to hit like these guys cause he can fight short
Actually, Ray admitted that he did indeed duck Pryor. He said it in two separate interviews, one with Burt Sugar, and the other guy I can't think of his name at the moment. I don't think Ray was really scared of Pryor, but Pryor wasn't that well known at that time like Duran and Hearns were and he was considered high risk, low reward for Ray. I've heard stories that Pryor used to beat Ray up in sparring and Ray even admitted that they once knocked each other down in a session, but you never really know unless you were there. There's always different sides to what happens in sparring.
As for your question though. I'm not sure if Ray would have dominated Pryor because Pryor had skills as well, he could box when he needed to, he was strong, and threw punches in bunches from different angles. I think Ray though, with his edge in speed, power, defense, and ring smarts would have definitely beat Pryor. I think it would have been a good tough fight with Ray mainly fighting from the outside and winning a close UD. I don't think Ray would have KO'ed Pryor. Pryor was a tough SOB.
Pryor was as relentless as they get, but if both were prime I have to lean towards Sugar. Sugar was too slick for him. Sugar fought much better competition. I would say Leonard would win 7-8 rounds, but no matter what it would of been an amazing match.
Aaron pryor is completely overrated and makes too many mistakes. He mostly got his fame by winning against two passed their best fighters. And there was talk about him being on some bottle. His trainer was a proven cheater. What great boxer did he beat in their prime after he stop taking the bottle? none. Sugar Ray Leonard is another story. I believe Leonard would of stopped him in less than 8 rounds.
I am not sure you want to use the amateurs as an example. Case in point, James Bonecrusher Smith beat up on a very young Mike Tyson...when they fought for his belt though James shouldnt have even walked into the ring, once he felt Tysons power he backed off.
If you want a more direct correlation, Aaron Pryor BEAT THE BRAKES off of Tommy Hearns in the amateurs. Now does that assure that since Tommy Hearns almost retired SRL, that Aaron Pryor would cripple him? Not likely, but it does say that Aaron Pryor would likely be no slouch in that department.
Its a disservice to SRL to say he "ran from him", but he did not want to fight him. I dont think in any way, shape or form he was afraid of him. I think he really just didnt have an answer for him. You have to remember this was a different time...you couldnt choose who you defended your belt against. The number one had ALL RIGHTS to demand to fight the champion..and at that time if he didnt the champion could have his belt stripped. Riddick Bowe knew his belt would be stripped and to avoid being ashamed of it (because he was ducking Lennox Lewis) he put on a production of putting the belt in the trash on TV. It was all for show though, he would have had to hand over the belt anyway.
When Pryor started showing up to public functions that SRL was speaking at and interrupting his speeches saying "When are you going to fight me?", the ruling bodies of the commmission took note and started trying to make that fight happen. In effect, SRL went up in weight to the loving arms of Tommy Hearns, RATHER than fight the number one in his division.
Leonard learned alot about himself from the debacle with the first fight with Duran. One, dont get baited into a brawl based on pride. Two, know your limitations. Do I think Pryor would have won? Not 100 percent. Do I think he COULD have knocked SRL on his butt? Absolutely.
And believe me, so did Ray.
i find pryor to be overrated as you said who did he beat a former feather weight , i think leonard would destroy pryor who was to wilde,to small ,to hittable to beat ray leonard plus he had more coke in him the night he first beat AA than ray did at his after party .
The myth of Aaron Pryor has been going on for years. Many boxing fans that don't know the game look at Pryor as this legend that Ray Leonard ducked. First of all as a professional who did Pryor beat? Arguello was a blown up 130 pounder who was tailor made for Pryor because he was a smaller straight forward fighter with average speed, no later movement. Just a plodder with power. It was basically power vs power and naturally Pryor was the bigger man.
The truth of their sparring battles as admitted by Pryor. He said Ray used to lump me up, but i got in a few good shots. Pryor balance issues and weak defense against a true 147 pounder would put him in position to get knocked out. Leonards left hook would catch Pryor flush time and time again.
Fans also use Duran as a example. Here is the difference. Duran could apply pressure, yet still make you miss. Great defensive fighter on the inside. The strategy of taking shots and coming in would not work at 147. He would get knocked out
No, that fight could go either way.
