How did Aaron Pryor not fight Duran or Leonard?

[TBear]

This has been discussed many times but by the time Pryor made it big by beating Arguello that first time, Leonard was already retired due to a detached retna. Between 82 and 84, everybody want Leonard to come back because he meant big money.

Another factor rarely brought up is that Pryor was not a big junior welterweight. He was a ranked lightweight when he challenged Cervantes and moved to 140 because a title shot wasn't appearing at lightweight.

[TheMexHurricane]

It's like Trinidad vs Mosley. 2 of the best fighters of the 2000's that both fought at welterweight and never fought. But flashback to the 80's I always see Pryor vs Arguello as one of the greatest fights that always gets mentioned. Yet it was in the 80's during the fab 4 Leonard, Duran, Hearns, and Hagler.

I know he was a junior welterweight but it just seems a fight like this could have easily been made. Why didn't they happen?

Duran showed he was willing to go all the way up 4 divisions to fight ATG Hagler. Why'd Pryor take on Arguello moving up 3 divisions but not Duran who was his size? Well, that's what makes Latinos the best fighters in the world.

[Pastrano]

Duran would beat Pryor, I have no doubt about that. Pryor's style wouldn't work against Roberto, who knew how to fight wild brawlers and was himself one. He'd just tie Pryor up and go to the body, something which Arguello didn't do. Pryor was good, but his power has been somewhat overated I think. Duran had heavier hands and could hit harder. Even at 160 his power was good enough to hurt and drop a guy like Iran Barkley! While Pryor got a beating at 147, he WAS past it but still his power was nothing above 140.

I can see Pryor starting strong and doing well for the first 6-7 rounds, but then Duran would take over and beat him up. Duran by UD or TKO14-15.

[The_Demon]

Duran just skipped the weight and Pryor turned down a fight with Leonard,he would have been beaten badly by both guys imo

[TBear]

Duran just skipped the weight and Pryor turned down a fight with Leonard,he would have been beaten badly by both guys imo

I agree.........

[Sallywynder]

FROM GROK.

Aaron Pryor and Ray Leonard never fought in an official amateur boxing match, as they were teammates on the U.S. Boxing Team during their amateur careers and traveled together to international competitions in places like Venezuela, Russia, Poland, and Germany. Since they were on the same team, they did not compete against each other in amateur bouts. Pryor was an alternate for the 1976 U.S. Olympic team, which included Leonard, who won gold at the Montreal Olympics.

However, Pryor and Leonard did spar together after both turned professional following the 1976 Olympics. Pryor would travel to Palmer Park, Maryland, and stay with Leonard and his family for months at a time, training and sparring together. These sessions were highly competitive, with differing opinions on who got the better of the other, but they were never formal fights, and no one was seriously hurt. A specific sparring session in spring 1979 at the Queen City Boxing Club in Cincinnati is well-documented. Leonard, already a rising star, controlled the first round with his jab and combinations, and knocked down Pryor in the second round. Pryor, however, came back strong in the third round, getting the better of Leonard before Leonard’s trainer, Janks Morton, stopped the session.


Additionally, a newspaper article from the time described three rounds of sparring between the two. In the first round, Leonard reportedly outboxed Pryor with his movement. In the second, Pryor turned up the pressure and was said to have done enough to win the round. In the third, Leonard landed a significant shot, leading to the session being halted.

These sparring sessions were intense and competitive, reflecting their close relationship and mutual respect, which began in their amateur days and continued into their professional careers. Despite plans for a professional fight in 1982, it never materialized due to Leonard’s detached retina injury, which led to his temporary retirement.

[Anomalocaris]

The story of Ray, Tommy and Roberto avoiding him is a myth.

They had bigger fish to fry, namely each other.

He would have lost to all three.

Bottle or no bottle.

[QueensburyRules]

This has been discussed many times but by the time Pryor made it big by beating Arguello that first time, Leonard was already retired due to a detached retna. Between 82 and 84, everybody want Leonard to come back because he meant big money.

Another factor rarely brought up is that Pryor was not a big junior welterweight. He was a ranked lightweight when he challenged Cervantes and moved to 140 because a title shot wasn't appearing at lightweight.

- - Exactly, but Pryor definitely wanted Ray but could never contain his wild side that ditched and otherwise had mgrs sometimes signed collectively by the scattered Pryor.

[Willie Pep 229]

- - Exactly, but Pryor definitely wanted Ray but could never contain his wild side that ditched and otherwise had mgrs sometimes signed collectively by the scattered Pryor.

If I was a judge and I had a pug in front of me accused of signing with multiple managers at the same time, I would be looking suspiciously at the managers not the boxer.