For me it was Aaron Pryor's inactivity after the Sept 1983 rematch against Alexis Arguello. In Pryor's IBF title defense against Nick Furlano on June 22 1984, he did not quite look and fight the same, his timing and killer instinct were off, more so in his next title defense against Gary Hinton in March 2 1985, both fights went the full 15 rounds. His heart was not in it anymore.
Guys like Fenech, Pryor, Marciano and Frazier all tend to hit a wall pretty hard. To get into the shape they do for there respective styles they’ve got to go on a death march and have to be very mentally convicted to execute. I imagine the fire in there chest gets dim after injuries, countless camps and drawn out fights. Fighters like that if they give anything less then 100% it looks a lot less subtle under the bright lights.
That's true. That fighting style has little margin for error. In Pryors case though he still was hungry to prove his worth even after Arguello. He walked into a crack house one day and it got ahold of him. He was done as a great fighter.
I think you answered your own question perfectly. Whether it was his desire, his work ethic, substance issues or some combination of the three, The Hawk was essentially done being elite after the Arguello rematch.
Gary Hinton fight showed me that Pryor would never beat Pernell Whitaker, I remember Pryor struggling badly with Hintons Southpaw style until he rallied late. But yeah I agree with everyone else, Pryor started to slowly decline after the 2nd Arguello fight.
After the 1st Arguello fight. Getting lost on cocaine binges on the streets of Overtown and Liberty City in the heart of the most most murderous area in the country for almost a year (Going off memory) will do that too you. Dade county was the Cocaine capitol of the world during those years. It's only by the grace of God he lived through it.
Possibly, but I wouldn't use the version of Pryor that fought Hinton as a guide to what he'd have done against Sweet Pea. I didn't think he was close to 80% his last 2 fights,
I agree that Pryor was starting to fade at that point, but i still think it was Hinton's Southpaw style and slick boxing that gave him trouble aswell. Did Pryor ever really meet a good southpaw let alone a slick one ? i only remember him fighting Kameda who to me wasn't that good.
At the end of round 13 against Arguello, thats why Panama Lewis had to give him that spiked water bottle.
Post Arguello drugs got Pryor, nothing else. The rumors were about in real time and they were spot on unfortunately.
What a shame and a sad story... Prior could have been so much more without the cocaine screwing him. He was poised to be the "5th fab"... I am still bitter we never saw a Prior vs Duran or a Prior vs Leonard.
