Neither Bowe nor Pryor ducked those guys. I have a radio interview with Bowe from 90s after that supposed and Lennox calls in. Bowe challenges him to sign a contract to fight and its Lewis who declines. Bowe didn't duck Lewis he just didn't take that match because of the promotional clauses binding him in it. When those were taken off the table he was perfectly willing to face Lewis and then it was Lewis' turn to say no.
I always though Lewis ducked Bowe not the other way around. Id have to go with leondard tho as he moved up to avoid Pryor
Around 1981 Leonard offered Pryor $500,000 for a fight which Pryor turned down. Pryor said he signed a contract to fight Leonard in the fall of 1982 for $750,000. Leonard was going to fight Roger Stafford in May and then Pryor Leonard had trouble with his eye while training for Stafford and was diagnosed with a detached retina, Pryor was driving to Buffalo where Leonard was to hype their bout when he heard the news on the radio about Leonard needing surgery, he said he pulled over and cried. Leonards eye surgery was successful, but he decided not to fight on and retired at the end of 82' Leonard came back against Howard in 84', didnt like how he felt in the ring and was disappointed with his performance and retired again. Leonard came back in the big fight at 160 vs Hagler in 87' and won At this time Pryor had been out for 2 years, he came back 4 months after Hagler-Leonard around 147 pounds and lost to Bobby Joe Young. There was no duck there.
I think it was Duran whom Pryor said he signed for $750,000 in 1982, at a catchweight of 150. I remember it being talked about in the recent biography of Duran by Christian Guidance. Pryor had also turned down a deal to fight Duran (as well as Leonard) because he had managerial issues. http://www.si.com/vault/1982/11/08/628035/the-champion-of-confusion