Pryor turned down what would have been his career high purse. I know SRL loved to control all aspects of negotiations, but that is the base fact.
It would of been one hell of a fight. Leonard was a better boxer, but there was no quitting in Pryor. It Leonard stood toe to toe with him it would of been a toss up, but if he boxed he would of beat Pryor.
That Arron Pryor was just a rowdy individual in that square circle and I don't think Leonard wanted none. Pryor tried to get a fight with him at a press conference but SRL talked to him like he was crazy. It's reported that SRL did offer him some bull**** cash for a fight but Pryor turned it down as well he should have. The offer did what it was intended to do.
I think that's why Pryor is overlooked by historians, mate, cos he's tainted by that. He certainly had the ability to be up there with Leonard and co. Him and Leonard would have been a great fight!
Lot of bollocks getting talked here about the man who fought Benitiez, Duran, Hearns and Hagler being scared but the bottom line is that Leonard was a welterweight champ and Pryor never fought at welterweight while Leonard was active. The question should be "Why did Pryor never step up to welterweight?".
I heard later that Panama got caught crushing up asthma pills in the water. I guess the pills will open up air ways in the lungs allowing a fighter to take in more oxygen.
When confronted by Resto and Assault in the Ring director and producer Eric Drath, Lewis again denied any wrongdoing and said that it was cornerman Artie Curley who had wrapped Resto's hands. An agitated Lewis said that if Curley were alive today, "none of this would have happened to him." That's the classy Panama Lewis right there.