Aaron Pryor 31-0 29 KO's vs Shane Mosley 31-0 29 KO's

[MMJoe]

Originally Posted by Kittikasem

People are underestimating the skill differential here. Pryor was a far more varied and versatile fighter than Shane. If Pryor was losing the fight one way, he could make adjustments to fight it another way. Shane couldn't.

His style changes sure worked against Arguello!
When the chips were down, Pryor turned boxer and lit Arguello up.

[Nate 2011]

As a 12-year old at the time I honestly admit to a man that I actually had to keep myself from crying after watching Aarron "The Hawk" Pryor put that vicious beatdown that he layed on my man/pound for pound latino favorite of all time Alexis Arguello on HBO back on November 12, 1982. Good thing the fight took place on a Friday night and that I didn't have to wake up for school the next day. But that said and with that particular fight being Pryor's front and center best performance of his career I still have to look back on his pro career and realize that as great a relentless fighter/warrior he was Pryor was prone to knockdowns against C-leveled fighters that he fought and defended his WBA/Ring Magazine Jr.Welterweight title against following his knockout over the previous champion Antonio Cervantes, who also put Aarron down at least once during their fight on August 2, 1980, and he didn't have the greatest defense either if any at all. "Sugar" Shane Mosley was a huge fireball of offense and high volume punching himself too but compared to the "Hawk" was a preserved/controlled work of fury at best creating a signature style called powerboxing that only few fighters knew how to counter or deal with during his prime and I honestly don't think the best of Aarron Pryor, a natural Lightweight(135) at best who fought at 140 and held the title twice at that weight because none of the elite fighters at 135 at the time from Sean O'Grady, Jim Watt, Hilmer Kenty, Ernesto Mangnana, Claude Noel, Arturo Frias and Howard Davis Jr., all wanted no part of Pryor at the time, would be able to deal with him either. It would eventually take more defensive skilled fighters at a higher weight of either 147 or 154 to be able to counter what was best known as Shane Mosley's powerboxing style from Vernon Forrest(twice), Winky Wright(twice), Miguel Cotto and Floyd "Money" Mayweather to stylistically dissect and beat the best of Shane Mosley. But like Pryor and maybe more "Sugar" Shane Mosley had his best days as well from his eight solid defenses of his IBF Lightweight belt that he won via decision from defending champion Philip Holliday to his sporadic yet successful jump in weight from 135 straight to 147 which was proceeded immediately with huge wins against veteran contender and 3-time challenger Wilfredo Rivera and then a June 17, 2000 HBO/PPV victory in his first fight with the great Oscar De LaHoya for the WBC/Ring Magazine Welterweight title, via 12-round split decision. Shane's other huge signature pro victories that took place at 147 & 154, where he was the unified WBC/WBA(Ring Magazine Jr.Middleweight champion) following another win over DeLaHoya albeit a close controversial one, were wins against former champions Fernando Vargas(twice), Ricardo Mayorga, Antonio Margarito and Luis Collazo. Adding all the intangibles up on this end between two great fighters/warriors in Pryor-Mosley I truly believe that the best of Shane Mosley beats the best of Aarron Pryor because of Mosley's quality of opposition against bigger opponents where Pryor's most notable wins against Arguello(twice) and Cervantes, both great fighters and H.O.F.'s definitely, were smaller. Mosley was a guy that would go to the body from time to time like Roberto Duran to wear his opponents down on a good day and at his best most importantly and a 147lb version of Mosley would definitely have that physical advantage on Pryor. The playing field in that category between both guys would be a little more even at 135 but the best of both fighters would eventually come above that weight class. Mosley by late tko or a majority decision in 12, or split decision in 15.

[DaveK]

Paragraphs.

You should use them.

[PhillyPhan69]

Originally Posted by Nate 2011

As a 12-year old at the time I honestly admit to a man that I actually had to keep myself from crying after watching Aarron "The Hawk" Pryor put that vicious beatdown that he layed on my man/pound for pound latino favorite of all time Alexis Arguello on HBO back on November 12, 1982. Good thing the fight took place on a Friday night and that I didn't have to wake up for school the next day. But that said and with that particular fight being Pryor's front and center best performance of his career I still have to look back on his pro career and realize that as great a relentless fighter/warrior he was Pryor was prone to knockdowns against C-leveled fighters that he fought and defended his WBA/Ring Magazine Jr.Welterweight title against following his knockout over the previous champion Antonio Cervantes, who also put Aarron down at least once during their fight on August 2, 1980, and he didn't have the greatest defense either if any at all. "Sugar" Shane Mosley was a huge fireball of offense and high volume punching himself too but compared to the "Hawk" was a preserved/controlled work of fury at best creating a signature style called powerboxing that only few fighters knew how to counter or deal with during his prime and I honestly don't think the best of Aarron Pryor, a natural Lightweight(135) at best who fought at 140 and held the title twice at that weight because none of the elite fighters at 135 at the time from Sean O'Grady, Jim Watt, Hilmer Kenty, Ernesto Mangnana, Claude Noel, Arturo Frias and Howard Davis Jr., all wanted no part of Pryor at the time, would be able to deal with him either. It would eventually take more defensive skilled fighters at a higher weight of either 147 or 154 to be able to counter what was best known as Shane Mosley's powerboxing style from Vernon Forrest(twice), Winky Wright(twice), Miguel Cotto and Floyd "Money" Mayweather to stylistically dissect and beat the best of Shane Mosley. But like Pryor and maybe more "Sugar" Shane Mosley had his best days as well from his eight solid defenses of his IBF Lightweight belt that he won via decision from defending champion Philip Holliday to his sporadic yet successful jump in weight from 135 straight to 147 which was proceeded immediately with huge wins against veteran contender and 3-time challenger Wilfredo Rivera and then a June 17, 2000 HBO/PPV victory in his first fight with the great Oscar De LaHoya for the WBC/Ring Magazine Welterweight title, via 12-round split decision. Shane's other huge signature pro victories that took place at 147 & 154, where he was the unified WBC/WBA(Ring Magazine Jr.Middleweight champion) following another win over DeLaHoya albeit a close controversial one, were wins against former champions Fernando Vargas(twice), Ricardo Mayorga, Antonio Margarito and Luis Collazo. Adding all the intangibles up on this end between two great fighters/warriors in Pryor-Mosley I truly believe that the best of Shane Mosley beats the best of Aarron Pryor because of Mosley's quality of opposition against bigger opponents where Pryor's most notable wins against Arguello(twice) and Cervantes, both great fighters and H.O.F.'s definitely, were smaller. Mosley was a guy that would go to the body from time to time like Roberto Duran to wear his opponents down on a good day and at his best most importantly and a 147lb version of Mosley would definitely have that physical advantage on Pryor. The playing field in that category between both guys would be a little more even at 135 but the best of both fighters would eventually come above that weight class. Mosley by late tko or a majority decision in 12, or split decision in 15.

Welcome to the forum, hope you will enjoy it here.....But I agree with Dave! Paragraphs are essential in getting your point across. You say some decent things, but it was very difficult working through your post. I hope this is not offensive as I did not intend it that way.

[DaveK]

I'll say that no matter how great what you have to say is, if people have to wade through a wall of words like that, they simply won't read it.

I'm all about reading, and especially learning about boxing and what others have to bring to the table, but be conscious of the guy who intends to read it.


And welcome to the forum.

[Nate 2011]

Originally Posted by PhillyPhan69

Welcome to the forum, hope you will enjoy it here.....But I agree with Dave! Paragraphs are essential in getting your point across. You say some decent things, but it was very difficult working through your post. I hope this is not offensive as I did not intend it that way.

No offense at all, thanks for recognizing. I'll be sure to start using them for future articles.

[round15]

To me it all boils down to who lands first and who lands more.

I lean towards Shane landing first on the inside and out. His overall speed was greater than Aaron's so he wins that battle. The question is whether he could keep it up, build enough points and slow Pryor down working towards a stoppage.

The Hawk lands more punches with a higher workrate and he's deadly on the inside. Aaron would make it hard for Shane to breath. I think this is the deciding factor in a split decision win for him or a close UD.

It could go either way though, with the probability of both men hitting the floor. I don't see homerun knockdowns from either men from clean shots. I see Aaron going down from a flash knockdown or an off-balance knockdown from a quick Mosely counter. Shane gets dropped to the floor because he might need a break.

12 and 15 rounds, I favour the Hawk to win.