Why is Aaron Pryor considered an atg?

Agreed great post , and I think there was a lot of great fighters who weighed there at 140 ,, McFarland, Napoles to name some others

 

Jose Napoles began his career at 140 lbs.

 

Yeah, no doubt there were greater fighters who fought there than Pryor - you mentioned two. You can add Carlos Ortiz as well as another. I also think there are some other very fine ones knocking on the door of that top 5 as well... but in terms of achievement and legacy in that division (and being the weight class where they established their rep) Pryor is a top 5 junior welter imo.

 

He fought there a lot and was a machine .. I don't the whole back story but I do not think Cervantes wanted him at 140 so Jose went up to 147 to get a title? .. @red cobra ??

 

Cervantes vs Napoles, what a fight that would have been.

 

I don't think it was Cervantes. Cervantes got his first shot in '71 against Niccolino Loche. Napoles moved up from 140 to 147 around 1968.

 

Ok cool thanks Jel ..

 

Another hypothetical fight would have been, Napoles vs Benitez at 147 lbs.

 

He was easily the world's best 140 lb fighter from 1980thru the end of 1983. Coke addiction caught up with him after that. It's too bad because he could have done more.

He was very versatile. He could box and slug. He had very fast hands and was quite unorthodox. He could he hurt but always recovered to win.

 

He was one of the best fighters of the 80s. I think that automatically makes you an all time great

 

He cheated against Arguello. He does not deserve credit for that win and he was not an ATG. He was basically Edwin Valero 1.0.

 

Pryor was great .. Mancini was not ... Camacho could have been but blew it ... Cervantes was great .. Arguello was great .. that does not sum top the entire 80's but it was a great era ..

 

He was an amazing fighter arguably one of the best jr welters of all time. Too bad his career took a slide when it did.

 

Pryor was very unique. A pressure fighter with a blend of speed, power, aggression, and inhuman endurance not seen since. Top that off, when he needed to he had the ability to adapt in the ring , fight strategically and behind the jab.
I remember thinking prior to their epic battle, Arguello would destroy him.
Before their fight Pryor was often reckless, got dropped multiple times by some decent, but in no way great punchers, it was a recipe to get his head taken off by a fighter as talented and powerful as Arguello.
But what I learned was Pryor was a very underrated talent, a chameleon, whom had the ability to fight a disciplined fight when it was required.
Those early knockdowns were a mirage, more about his recklessness than any issue with his chin.
Pryor was a lot like Roy Jones Jr a total unique talent, a skill set and ability that could make very good fighters look average.
For me I haven't seen many I'd pick again him at 140. He would simply overwhelm most Jr. Welters in history. What he did best, his relentlessness and endurance matches up well against all but a very few around that weight class. A Mayweather Jr, Whitaker, or Benitez, may survive him, but didn't punch hard enough to keep him honest. And would lose because he would keep them thinking defense.
He outworks Chavez Sr. ( Think of all the clean punches Taylor landed on him, Pryor had that ability, but with power)
He was too small for most great welterweights, who would overpower him, at lightweight, he was avoiding like the plague ( Smartly so) its the reason he fought at Jr.welter a less prestigious weight class. The only fighter around that weight class I believe beats him convincingly was Duran.
Duran had great upper body strength, and his ability to wrestle for position in close would nullify what Pryor did, also Duran had the firepower to get his attention.
Personally I don't think theirs any question about his greatness. He is the best Jr. Welter their been.

 

Both Pryor's mom and sister shot men in Pryor's life. Both were found not guilty by self defense. If Pryor wasn't home by 9 he slept else where. Usually under an overpass or park bench. My article on the Arguello fight is till one of my favorites I've written. https://imgur.com/gallery/0yOcHpX