Why do people say Pryor ducked Leonard

Aaron Pryor was closer to being a lightweight than a welterweight, which means that Sugar Ray Leonard was too big. In addition, Ray was very quick and had plenty of talent. As a result, Pryor didn't match up well with Leonard.

By the way, I never heard that Pryor was ducking Leonard at the time. Moreover, I don't think that any knowledgeable boxing fan of the time would have held it against Pryor if he didn't want to fight Leonard because there was such a size difference.

- Chuck Johnston

 

You mean why do people say Leonard ducked Pryor?

Because HBO's Legendary Nights either didn't fact check, or lied/exaggerated about things to make it more dramatic.

 

Look kid, you leave this to me. I've been doing this for years and I know what I'm doing

If you all must know, Aaron walked up to Ry after the Hearns fight, challenged him man to man, face to face, and Leonard told him to go sit down


there's simply no denying

then adding insult to injury, offered Aaron 500 K - PEANUTS as an offer which is really just Ray's way of saving face

lenard is no promoter, deciding how much opponents can make

After Norris finished with him, he was no longer able to dictate what future opponents could make cuz as we all know, after you get your ass kicked, you gots to eat humble pie

 

Red, you may have done something for years but Chuck beat you hands down in this posting. Chuck your right in that there was no big push for them to meet because of the size difference though fans would have been intrigued. Aaron's slowing down could be seen while he was still champion and later we found out he was wrecking himself, none of which helped his case. Ray was a full welter who had everything, there was nothing for him to gain against the smaller Pryor.

 

Well said.

 

As a Pryor fan, I'm glad they never fought. The Hawk woulda gotten destroyed. Just outgunned by Leonard in EVERY WAY. Outgunned in size, speed, power, and chin.

I've heard a few DELUSIONAL people over the years say that Pryor could have duplicated what Duran did to Ray in Montreal, but the fact of the matter is, Pryor was no Duran.

Leonard would have knocked out Pryor in the mid rounds.

 

It's ridiculous to assume that either man ducked this fight. It was simply a case of Leonard's career interuption preventing the bout being made.

For the record,I reckon Leonard would have won the fight - big.

 

what are you talking bout? I'm talking in plain english and now you're trying to find another way to excuse him? Pryor slowing down came years later

Is there no end to the deceit?

I clearly mentioned the Leonard-Hearns postfight, Pryor challenged him Jack Johnson style, the way men would do in the old days

size difference? Duran came up two divisions and decisioned Leonard. why cant Pryor with his busy style, do the same?

sidenote: if you're going to be branded as the best you cant rest on your laurles and his fans cant keep using the same excuse "Leonard had nothing to prove at this point". Why are you people so concerned about protecting him? he's a full grown man

 

Pryor was an insignificant pissant to Leonard, nothing more than a nuisance - a yappy terrier, if you will. The fact that they wanted to use Pryor as essentially a tune up for Kalule (Larry Bonds ended up taking his place) pretty much tells you how much of a threat Leonard and his team regarded Pryor.


$500,000 is the often reported number that Pryor turned down, but that was just the first offer; he subsequently turned down a second offer of $750,000 and requested two million (more than what Benitez and Duran in Montreal made) instead.

 

Duran was no Pryor but didnt he annihilate Cervantes and Arguello? If you remember, Arguello was the man of the hour and favored to win

you have to give any man a fair chance to win against Leonard and if he wanted so badly to fight him, then let them fight. Dont tell another fighter "here's 500 K, take it or leave it". That's an insult.

what would Leonard have taken out of that fight, 8 - 10 million?

besides, Norris was also a huge underdog. "Too chinny" they said. "ray will walk him down, take him out early"

hell, he had problems with Kevin Howard, WAY smaller than Ray, but nowhere near what Pryor was

Leonard, 5 pounds heavier and cant put the fight together?

 

Now you're protecting him, trying to cover with more lies and play down Pryor's worth as an opponent you lying sack of **** "Pryor was a lap dog to leonard who had no time for him. He requested 2 mil which was more than Duran got. That's too much"


If that's the case they shouldve used him for Kalule. but instead they found a way to go around him, as they found a way to go around other serious threats ie; Hagler (an eye problem which sidelined him five years)

funny how there was no waiting period for lalonde, Howard, and all the other stiff legged mediocrities who werent worth his time

500k was the ONLY figure, and last to be offered. Now Ray's the promoter too? Does Larry Holmes, & Mike Tyson also dictate purse to opponents? Ali?

utter bull****. the an was coddled & protected plain and simple and all we get are excuses for these fights not taking place

and since when is 2 million too much to ask for a fight with the top dog of the sport? If anything, that's a steal. and besides, why would Ray have a problem with the money Pryor made? it's not digging into his earnings?

this is why I always say Ray leonard fans are a bunch of scared little disingenuous liars

 

I remember it the other way around...

 

CINCINNATI (AP) - Aaron Pryor, World Boxing Association junior welterweight champ, has rejected an offer to fight welterweight champion Sugar Ray Leonard because Pryor wants more money, according to Buddy LaRosa, Pryor's manager.

Instead, Pryor has signed to fight World Boxing Council junior welterweight champ Saoul Mamby, tentatively scheduled Feb. 7 in Las Vegas, Nev., LaRosa said.

LaRosa said Janks Morton, one of Leonard's handlers, had offered Pryor $500,000 and later increased that to $750,000.

 

Pryor was as someone mentioned here, a true lightweight. He went up to fight Kid Pambele, because he couldn,t get a shot at 135...I met him two years ago at Graziano,s during Hall of Fame week. Great guy and he lit up when I told him that he would have taken PBF to school ! he also got very animated when I shared with him and all of us at the bar how it was the `Hawk` who handed Hearns his last loss in the amateurs...