Leonard never skipped Pryor.
Posted: 07 Jun 2014, 21:16
Let's end once and for all the beleived that Leonard was afraid of Pryor. Leonard was a business man. He was paid 10 million dollars to fight Duran and Duran was paid only 1 million dollars. After the second fight with Duran was asked if he wanted to fight Thomas Hearns. His response was. "When Thomas Hearns reach the popularity of Roberto Duran we will fight. 10 months later Leonard was paid 8 million dollars and Hearns 5 million dollars. In 1981 Leonard offered Pryor 500,000 dollars And Aaron Pryor turn it down. In 1982 before Leonard detach retina. Pryor was offered 750,000 dollars and signed a contract to fight Leonard. But the fight was cancelled for Leonard's surgery and temporary retirement. In 1981. Pryor was offered 750,000 dollars to fight Roberto Duran at 150 pounds catch weight. The fight never materialized because Pryor's problems with his manager Buddy Larossa. Aaron Pryor never had in the 1980-1985 any fight against any top welterweight in the world. Roberto Duran did not have a free fight with Leonard directly he fought 8 fights at welterweight and won all of them to have a chance at the welterweight title. Pryor wanted a big money fight without facing any 2 or 3 top welterweight contenders. He wanted a million dollars at the welterweight division without any fight against any top contender in that division. In that time there was not steroids involved like today in Pac Man and Marquez you can see their body looks like bodybuilders. Pryor would had to gain weight in fat not in muscle. He could had performe like he did well in the lightweight/jrwelterweight division. He was not a smart business man. He could had fought a couple of fights in the welterweight division to see how he could handle the additional weight. He was waiting and waiting for Ray Mancini a small lightweight that he could had beat in less than 10 rounds. Instead of fighting Donald Curry or Milton Mccrory. Or if he wanted the big names in the welterweight division he could had abandon the jr welterweight title and campaing in the welterweight division that he never did.
