AARON PRYOR VS ROBERTO DURAN CATCH WEIGHT 150 POUNDS 1981

[marchegianorock]

Hi everybody i read in some of teh old news papers that Aaron Pryor was offered $750.000 dollars to fight Roberto Duran in a catch weight of 150 pounds. The scheduled for the fight was late 1981 or early 1982. I do not know what to think about it Duran was already a jr middleweight and this stage of his career was sometimes cold like the Kirland lost do not remember exactly the name of the guy he lost in 1982 or in a 2 winning fight in 1983 tko Cuevas and Moore. Also as great Aaron Pryor was is still in my mind how he can handle a weight above the welterweight division. He never had a fight at welterweight and when he did with a top ten rated fighter lost with Young. So is a fight unclear. For all the people there that claims that Pryor would had whipped Leonard i beleived they forgot that Leonard was a natural welterweight , taller, faster than Pryor. Yes he beat Tommy Hearns when Hearns was 17 years old. Not in the pros when Hearns was a devastating ko puncher. Yes he did beat Arguello that was raising in weight for the 4 time with more than 80 fights in his flesh. The somehow "slow" Arguello got beat 2 times with and without the black bottle. So actually we will never know how good could had been Aaron Pryor he could had jump in weight and face after the second Arguello fight Donald Curry or Macrory. Even thought this post is about that fight was never made. The people that says that Leonard did not give a chance to Pryor he offered Aaron $500.000 dollars and Aaron di not accept it he could had accepted but did not want to take a risk for half a million dollars. and lose against Leonard. Duran if in shaped and motivated would had in my opinion ko Pryor at 150 pounds if not motivaded maybe Aaron even with 10 pounds of fat would had somehow win a decision.

[BoxBuzz]

I stand by Jaclem or my (I forget who said it first) statement that we have made over and over again through the years on this one.

"The only fight that would have ever broke out anywhere near Duran and Pryor would be between Pryor and the four guys it would have taken to carry Aaron into a ring to face Robero Duran."

Here's a cut and paste from the past from me on this one....and yeah, I'm still standin' by all of it.

I've always thought Aaron Pryor gets too much of a boost for his absolutely terrific televised fights with Arguello. He took out an over the Hill Cervantes who would have easily beaten him in his prime...carefully selected his opponents which peaked with a blue bottle and Arguello....and then was exposed at the over the hill age of 29 by Bobby Joe Young....not just for his less than elite boxing skill in the ring but for his inability to handle "life" itself. I only wish he would have fought Benitez, Duran, Leonard and a few others in that era so that I could be better validated on this one. That "hand picked" career can really plant some serious mythological seeds that can not easily be rooted out of the general public's consciousness.

Who else......eh Foreman was perhaps overated until he fought with Ali...I remember many many people saying he was the Greatest of all time and no one could even come close to George, this after Joe and Kenny, these words all spoken in the days leading to Zaire.

Willie the Worm Monroe was crowned the future MW champion of the world a bit too soon. I'd love to take you back into a time machine where you could talk to almost every boxing fan, they were all buying that one.

Does Marlon Starling fit this script?

Gerry Cooney....big in the Over Rated dept. Duane Bobick at one time fills that slot as well.

Oh and though no one seemed to think it in the 60's 70's 80's or 90's somehow Primo Carnera name has risen from peaceful slumber and is considered worthy of serious praise 70 years later. How that has come to fruition is perhaps the greatest mystery of all of boxing mysteries.

Anyway who were we talkin about? Oh yeah Aaron Pryor.....Lucky uh I mean "masterfully managed" fella.

By the way...your lucky Goodnight Irene isn't here to pick on your syntax. But we all pay enough in taxes...so forget about it.

[Rover]

Duran. No doubt, especially at 150.

[Ambling Alp]

I do agree with some of what Boxbuzz said about Pryor. He didn't fight as good of competition as he could have. He probably could have had fights with Sauol Mamby, Leroy Haley and Billy Costello during his title reign. They were all in the division for quite a while when Pryor was on top. They were better than the fighters that Pryor defended his title against with the exception of Arguello.
I believe Pryor would have beaten them but the fact is he never took them on. (Supposedly he was about to sign to fight Mamby but the fight fell apart when Pryor's wife shot him in a domestic dispute.)

What I disagree with Buzz about-First The Bobby Joe Young fight. Pryor was actually 31, not 29 for that fight. Much more importantly, he had not had a fight in more than two years. I don't think you can hold that fight too much against him.

No, he didn't beat a prime Cervantes. However, Cervantes was still a pretty good fighter and Pryor blew him out. I don't think too many other jr welterweights in boxing history would have been able to stop even that version of Cervantes in just 4 rounds. Pryor should get a little credit for this fight.

Arguello was also (to a lesser extent than Cervantes) was past his best when he fought Pryor. However, he was still a great fighter. Pryor looked great in both fights.

As for the original question of him fighting at 150 vs Duran, you would have to with Duran. Duran was the better fighter and would have been much more comfortable at 150 than Pryor.

[Seamus]

I would have preferred seeing Duran come down to 140 to face Pryor.

Pryor would have destroyed Costello and Haley, but Mamby was one durable fighter. Pryor would have won that by a landslide decision.

[BoxBuzz]

I would have preferred seeing Duran come down to 140 to butcher Pryor.


.

Fixed!

(Seamus please forgive...this has become a running joke, and I'm just havin' some fun here)

[The End]

I stand by Jaclem or my (I forget who said it first) statement that we have made over and over again through the years on this one.

"The only fight that would have ever broke out anywhere near Duran and Pryor would be between Pryor and the four guys it would have taken to carry Aaron into a ring to face Robero Duran."

Here's a cut and paste from the past from me on this one....and yeah, I'm still standin' by all of it.

I've always thought Aaron Pryor gets too much of a boost for his absolutely terrific televised fights with Arguello. He took out an over the Hill Cervantes who would have easily beaten him in his prime...carefully selected his opponents which peaked with a blue bottle and Arguello....and then was exposed at the over the hill age of 29 by Bobby Joe Young....not just for his less than elite boxing skill in the ring but for his inability to handle "life" itself. I only wish he would have fought Benitez, Duran, Leonard and a few others in that era so that I could be better validated on this one. That "hand picked" career can really plant some serious mythological seeds that can not easily be rooted out of the general public's consciousness.

Who else......eh Foreman was perhaps overated until he fought with Ali...I remember many many people saying he was the Greatest of all time and no one could even come close to George, this after Joe and Kenny, these words all spoken in the days leading to Zaire.

Willie the Worm Monroe was crowned the future MW champion of the world a bit too soon. I'd love to take you back into a time machine where you could talk to almost every boxing fan, they were all buying that one.

Does Marlon Starling fit this script?

Gerry Cooney....big in the Over Rated dept. Duane Bobick at one time fills that slot as well.

Oh and though no one seemed to think it in the 60's 70's 80's or 90's somehow Primo Carnera name has risen from peaceful slumber and is considered worthy of serious praise 70 years later. How that has come to fruition is perhaps the greatest mystery of all of boxing mysteries.

Anyway who were we talkin about? Oh yeah Aaron Pryor.....Lucky uh I mean "masterfully managed" fella.

By the way...your lucky Goodnight Irene isn't here to pick on your syntax. But we all pay enough in taxes...so forget about it.

[AngryGoon38]

Lightening Lonnie Smith vs Pryor would've been very entertaining.

[Rover]

Lightening Lonnie Smith vs Pryor would've been very entertaining.

In 85 or so, yes. Pryor was a bit past it by then.

[scallum]

I stand by Jaclem or my (I forget who said it first) statement that we have made over and over again through the years on this one.

"The only fight that would have ever broke out anywhere near Duran and Pryor would be between Pryor and the four guys it would have taken to carry Aaron into a ring to face Robero Duran."

Here's a cut and paste from the past from me on this one....and yeah, I'm still standin' by all of it.

I've always thought Aaron Pryor gets too much of a boost for his absolutely terrific televised fights with Arguello. He took out an over the Hill Cervantes who would have easily beaten him in his prime...carefully selected his opponents which peaked with a blue bottle and Arguello....and then was exposed at the over the hill age of 29 by Bobby Joe Young....not just for his less than elite boxing skill in the ring but for his inability to handle "life" itself. I only wish he would have fought Benitez, Duran, Leonard and a few others in that era so that I could be better validated on this one. That "hand picked" career can really plant some serious mythological seeds that can not easily be rooted out of the general public's consciousness.

Who else......eh Foreman was perhaps overated until he fought with Ali...I remember many many people saying he was the Greatest of all time and no one could even come close to George, this after Joe and Kenny, these words all spoken in the days leading to Zaire.

Willie the Worm Monroe was crowned the future MW champion of the world a bit too soon. I'd love to take you back into a time machine where you could talk to almost every boxing fan, they were all buying that one.

Does Marlon Starling fit this script?

Gerry Cooney....big in the Over Rated dept. Duane Bobick at one time fills that slot as well.

Oh and though no one seemed to think it in the 60's 70's 80's or 90's somehow Primo Carnera name has risen from peaceful slumber and is considered worthy of serious praise 70 years later. How that has come to fruition is perhaps the greatest mystery of all of boxing mysteries.

Anyway who were we talkin about? Oh yeah Aaron Pryor.....Lucky uh I mean "masterfully managed" fella.

By the way...your lucky Goodnight Irene isn't here to pick on your syntax. But we all pay enough in taxes...so forget about it.

I could be wrong but didn't Pryor retire for a few years before facing Young and I he was in his 30s when he Came back.

[Rover]

I stand by Jaclem or my (I forget who said it first) statement that we have made over and over again through the years on this one.

"The only fight that would have ever broke out anywhere near Duran and Pryor would be between Pryor and the four guys it would have taken to carry Aaron into a ring to face Robero Duran."

Here's a cut and paste from the past from me on this one....and yeah, I'm still standin' by all of it.

I've always thought Aaron Pryor gets too much of a boost for his absolutely terrific televised fights with Arguello. He took out an over the Hill Cervantes who would have easily beaten him in his prime...carefully selected his opponents which peaked with a blue bottle and Arguello....and then was exposed at the over the hill age of 29 by Bobby Joe Young....not just for his less than elite boxing skill in the ring but for his inability to handle "life" itself. I only wish he would have fought Benitez, Duran, Leonard and a few others in that era so that I could be better validated on this one. That "hand picked" career can really plant some serious mythological seeds that can not easily be rooted out of the general public's consciousness.

Who else......eh Foreman was perhaps overated until he fought with Ali...I remember many many people saying he was the Greatest of all time and no one could even come close to George, this after Joe and Kenny, these words all spoken in the days leading to Zaire.

Willie the Worm Monroe was crowned the future MW champion of the world a bit too soon. I'd love to take you back into a time machine where you could talk to almost every boxing fan, they were all buying that one.

Does Marlon Starling fit this script?

Gerry Cooney....big in the Over Rated dept. Duane Bobick at one time fills that slot as well.

Oh and though no one seemed to think it in the 60's 70's 80's or 90's somehow Primo Carnera name has risen from peaceful slumber and is considered worthy of serious praise 70 years later. How that has come to fruition is perhaps the greatest mystery of all of boxing mysteries.

Anyway who were we talkin about? Oh yeah Aaron Pryor.....Lucky uh I mean "masterfully managed" fella.

By the way...your lucky Goodnight Irene isn't here to pick on your syntax. But we all pay enough in taxes...so forget about it.

I could be wrong but didn't Pryor retire for a few years before facing Young and I he was in his 30s when he Came back.

Pryor was inactive from March 1985 through August 1987. He was 31 when he came back.

[Bricks]

The bobby joe young jibe is a cheap one. Pryor had been a crack addict since the end of his reign backin 84-85. That last title defence in 85 he already looked a shot fighter. 2 more years of crack and inactivity and he loses to Young than fast fwd 3 years and hes fighting with 1 eye against the worst kind of bums and struggling....FACT and bottom line.....pryor was declining fast since 84.

The Arguello wins he did so with the aid of coke. Those wins should be scratched. And sure he didnt fight much of a level of competition like he should have but Aaron was 5ft 2 he had no business at 147. If he had fought Duran in 81, I think Pryor would have beaten him much the way Laing did.Moving in and out quickly.

[Ezzard]

Pryor was great entertainment.

But Leonard and Hearns would have spanked him. And if we have to put him up against the Duran who fought Laing…well that just about sums it up.

[BoxBuzz]

The age of his "return" is interesting. I always thought he was late 29, but if it was 366 days later and he was actually early 31 when he was totally shot, well that explains it. I'm 31....,and a few other numbers, and I recognize just how old that really is.

And yes...it was his life choices that led to his downfall as a fighter. But that puts him on an even playing with....hmm....with just about everybody.

[Ambling Alp]

I agree that he is to blame for his drug problem that cut short his prime. He could have had a longer and better career.

At the same time, you have to take it consideration when looking at specific fights. For example, you can't say that the Pryor that beat Arguello (and several decent fighters) was just as good as the one that fought Young. If you are, then you have to give Bobby Jo Young a lot credit which he really doesn't deserve.

To some extent, the Young fight should count against Pryor when rating his entire career. However, it should be thrown out when rating him in his prime and/or how guessing how he would have fared against someone else during his prime.

[BoxBuzz]

Well then if HIS prime includes a "blue bottle" then I'm thinkin we have to give a bottle to everybody, so's we're not biased in our callibration.


...(typed with humor)

[Rover]

The bobby joe young jibe is a cheap one. Pryor had been a crack addict since the end of his reign backin 84-85. That last title defence in 85 he already looked a shot fighter. 2 more years of crack and inactivity and he loses to Young than fast fwd 3 years and hes fighting with 1 eye against the worst kind of bums and struggling....FACT and bottom line.....pryor was declining fast since 84.

The Arguello wins he did so with the aid of coke. Those wins should be scratched. And sure he didnt fight much of a level of competition like he should have but Aaron was 5ft 2 he had no business at 147. If he had fought Duran in 81, I think Pryor would have beaten him much the way Laing did.Moving in and out quickly.

Pryor was 5'2?

[BoxBuzz]

The bobby joe young jibe is a cheap one. Pryor had been a crack addict since the end of his reign backin 84-85. That last title defence in 85 he already looked a shot fighter. 2 more years of crack and inactivity and he loses to Young than fast fwd 3 years and hes fighting with 1 eye against the worst kind of bums and struggling....FACT and bottom line.....pryor was declining fast since 84.

The Arguello wins he did so with the aid of coke. Those wins should be scratched. And sure he didnt fight much of a level of competition like he should have but Aaron was 5ft 2 he had no business at 147. If he had fought Duran in 81, I think Pryor would have beaten him much the way Laing did.Moving in and out quickly.

Pryor was 5'2?

Nah, I heard he was 4'11, and nearly 70 years old when he whupped Alexis. That blue bottle? That was Geritol.

Quit dissin' the man.

[Rover]

I heard he was 4'2, and he's shrunk to 3'2.

[marchegianorock]

The bobby joe young jibe is a cheap one. Pryor had been a crack addict since the end of his reign backin 84-85. That last title defence in 85 he already looked a shot fighter. 2 more years of crack and inactivity and he loses to Young than fast fwd 3 years and hes fighting with 1 eye against the worst kind of bums and struggling....FACT and bottom line.....pryor was declining fast since 84.

The Arguello wins he did so with the aid of coke. Those wins should be scratched. And sure he didnt fight much of a level of competition like he should have but Aaron was 5ft 2 he had no business at 147. If he had fought Duran in 81, I think Pryor would have beaten him much the way Laing did.Moving in and out quickly.

He was 5 ft 6 and a half inches tall.

[marchegianorock]

I agree that he is to blame for his drug problem that cut short his prime. He could have had a longer and better career.

At the same time, you have to take it consideration when looking at specific fights. For example, you can't say that the Pryor that beat Arguello (and several decent fighters) was just as good as the one that fought Young. If you are, then you have to give Bobby Jo Young a lot credit which he really doesn't deserve.

To some extent, the Young fight should count against Pryor when rating his entire career. However, it should be thrown out when rating him in his prime and/or how guessing how he would have fared against someone else during his prime.

A fighter like Pryor that takes to much punishment like in the first Arguello fight would had a short career even though he manage to stay away from the "slow" Arguello , Alex defenitely manage to scored tremendous single right hand shots. The retina problem i have no doubt came in the Arguello. Fight. Alexis problems was like Eddi Futch say trying to ko Pryor with one shot. He never target the Pryor eyes just the jaw.