BoxRec

I am convinced this man is one of the ten best fighters who ever boxed. Missing the Olympics was a major setback but he was one of the best US amateurs of them all and Leonard wanted no part of him either with a vest on or without. The man was a fuckin monster and it such a shame cocaine shortened his career like it did. Nevertheless, best 140 fighter ever and I believe among the 10 best who ever drew breath. Thoughts?

Though he comes up #8 all time on Boxrec, I think a case could be made for him being #1.

Not sure about top ten of all who ever boxed, but I do admire him and rate him very highly.

That is #8 all-time at Super Light. Can't see where he comes up P4P, though
Alexis Arguello is #90 all-time P4P.

Great fighter but no way he beats Leonard as a pro.

How can you say "no way he beats Leonard as a pro" after his body of work against the likes of Cervantes and Arguello (among others). Ray it seems didn't share your confidence as its well known Leonard avoided Aaron. Pryor was an absolute beast. A living nightmare for any fighter between 140-147 in history.

@ top 10 ever.

TheGoods wrote:How can you say "no way he beats Leonard as a pro" after his body of work against the likes of Cervantes and Arguello (among others). Ray it seems didn't share your confidence as its well known Leonard avoided Aaron. Pryor was an absolute beast. A living nightmare for any fighter between 140-147 in history.

why would leonard avoid a wide open slugger like pryor yet fight duran and hearns it makes no sense

Pryor was brilliant at 140lbs but there's no saying he'd have been as effective at 147. The best wins were v Arguello, he could be hurt and could be dropped. He was fantastic for a brief period. Leonard and Hearns held it together better and didn't allow out of the ring habits destroy them. Pryor v Leonard or Hearns as pro welters would have been some fight and occasion - Pryor would have lost to both though.

Nonsense. He was brilliantly managed, well blue bottled in a pinch, and lucky.

He's good, no doubt, but the excitement in reflection around this guy is baloney.

Competes with Bowe for the fastest fade. So in that category he's nearly one of a kind.

I swear everytime someone watches that Pryor HBO special his p4p ranking sky rockets and he was ducked by Leonard despite not even campaigning at welterweight at the time.

TheGoods wrote:How can you say "no way he beats Leonard as a pro" after his body of work against the likes of Cervantes and Arguello (among others). Ray it seems didn't share your confidence as its well known Leonard avoided Aaron. Pryor was an absolute beast. A living nightmare for any fighter between 140-147 in history.

Do not agree with you he never campaing at welterweight. He was great at lightweight,jrwelterweight, the only time he fought at welterweight against a mediocre Bobby Joe Young he lost and Young was ko by Simon Brown in 2 rounds for the ibf welterweight title. Yes Pryor was past his prime. But his best years he 1982, 1984 waited and waited for boom boom Mancini a fighter he could had ko in less than 10 rounds. Sugar Ray Leonard sign a contract with him for 750,000 dollars but Leonard had a detach retina. He never fought any top welterweight. He could had challenge Donald Curry in 1983 or 1984. I have some doubts how he could had perform against any top welterweight, he defeated Arguello a lightweight coming for his 4th title do you beleive Arguello a "slow" fighter was superior to a best puncher boxer and fast fighter in Leonard? Thomas Hearns was now a full welterweight that punch harder than Arguello. Duran carried the welterweight division verywell. Pryor was offered 750,000 thousend dollars to fight Duran at 150 pounds. Do you beleive Pryor could be as strong as Duran with 10 pounds more of fat in his body? Yes he was great Pryor but will never know how he could had perform in a division he never was in his prime.

Pryor was a great fighter but Arguello was moving up in weight and what about that famous bottle---The one i mixed---words out of the wonderful Panama Lewis mouth---and we all know what he did to Collins----You cannot mix water with water---makes no sense---water is the only thing allowed in the corner-----something wrong there----Either way i feel Leonard was a bit too good for him----I do feel he was a terrific fighter----one of the best 140 pounders ever ---unfortunately he ruined himself---If he ran into Leonard like that he would have problems---he did go down on numerous occasions----Arguello was a statue compared to Leonard---He would not be able to pound on him with the speed and movement Leonard had

Arguello gave him hell, and while a great fighter he was coming up from feather originally. He never fought at welter. I can't see a reason for believing he would beat a bigger ATG in Leonard, when he went to hell to beat a smaller (and in my view lesser p4p) man.

julio ceasar chavez was better @light welter. pryor = overrated ......very good but not great

Pryor enjoys a pretty great reputation from some people, and gets a whole sh*t load of criticism from others as being completely overrated. I'm somewhere in the middle of these 2 extremes with my opinion of him.

I don't think he could've beaten Sugar Ray Leonard. I don't think Julio Cesar Chavez was a better 140 pounder.