Why did we never seen Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Aaron Pryor?

Hagler was of course much bigger and stronger than Pryor, so I don't really see that comparison. For a smaller man to really put Ray on the back foot it would take someone truly exceptional (i e Duran). Pryor could walk through Arguello's best punches, but I don't think he would walk through Leonard's.

 

*Pryor followed SRL for years... there's even video of it where Pryor calls Leonard out... there was rumor that Pror had also knocked Leonard down while sparring when they we just turning pro... Pryor was also putting it on Howard Davis and was turned down when he called Davis out in their first pro fight...
*There's alot of folks that were close to both fighters that said Leonard just didn't want to fight him... for whatever reason..
*Pryor beat Hearns in the amatuers as well...

 

Leonard's power bothered just about every one he met at WW and JMW. The Hearns' fight is another strange comparison from you. Hearns took a long time to put away because it was so hard to get inside his jab. When Leonard tagged him clean he hurt him just about every time.

Pryor was a totally different animal from Hearns, physically and stylewise. He would be coming in and be there to be hit. That is bad news against someone as strong, powerful and accurate as Leonard. Arguello was also much less technically skilled (much more open and unblanced) than Duran. It would be fireworks as long as it lasted, but Leonard takes him out early.

 

...re: howard davis and pryor...pryor did NOT call out davis. pryor actually turned down a fight with davis. pryor's promoter and the matchmaker involved. wanted to make the fight but pryor refused. as a previous poster here said...pryor turned down several fights...and not because he thought he was worth more money.

on his way up pryor would not fight a taller opponent or a guy who had won his last fight....pryor drove his management nuts with his refusal to fight anyone who might have a chance to beat him.

if there is anyone on this panel who was there a the time these discussions took place and wants to dispute what i have written just come on and do so. otherwise please don't bother.

 

Arguello hit no where near as hard as Leonard ... pound for pound he hit harder for sure .. straight up, no way ...

 

In a 10-Round Non-Title fight, this fight would be a toss-up.

Howard Davis fought Aaron Pryor, and sparred with Ray Leonard.
He called it a Draw if it was for 10-rounds.

Suprisingly, he thought Hector Camacho would fair better against Ray Leonard over
15 Rounds. This back in 1982.

 

.....aaron pryor and howard davis did NOT fight as pros and duce knows it.
i repeat....it was pryor's losing to davis in the amateurs that caused pryor to refuse to fight davis.

 

No, of course he didn't.

 

Calling out doesn't mean ****.

Signing contracts does.

Pryor had a chance to fight Leonard, but turned it down.

Pryor was an awesome 140 lb. fighter, but against an amazing WW like Leonard? I don't like his chances in that great WW era.

Pryor has himself to blame for not taking those fights against the bigger names at higher divisions. Or simply genetics for not making him that naturally big.

 

I think Pryor would've pushed Leonard to the limit. He would've kept on the ropes for much of the fight. Pryor had the tenacity to give SRL hell in much the same manner as Duran. What Aaron unfortunately didn't have was the defensive abilities to make Ray miss. Which is why Pryor would be winning for most of the fight...but not win the fight. As much hell as he would give Ray, Pryor would ultimately catch one too many punches. I see him gassing out somewhere in rounds 13-15.

 

You really like to muddle the waters with nonsensical things, don't you? As I've said Hearns and Pryor are such different animals that whatever happened in Leonard-Hearns has no bearing on this match-up. Many of Leonard's opponents had better chins than Hearns, but only one had Hearn's combination of skill, power, speed and reach: and that was Hearns.

Leonard-Duran is a more apt comparison. Maybe Pryor hit harder, but there's far more to boxing than punch. The big difference between Duran and Pryor was that Duran was more skilled and versatile. Duran was able to attack Leonard without leaving openings because of his supreme skill. As we all know Pryor (while very skilled as well in many ways) was much more open and unbalanced coming in. I personally can't see a peak Leonard not capitalising on this. He wouldn't be too concerned with Pryor's attack to mount his own effectively. He would be looking for those openings and be prepared to take a punch if need be to capitalise on them.

 

I can't see him taking those punches for 13-15 rds. I don't think this would go past 5.

 

+1

If Leonard had fought Pryor, he'd drive people even more bat**** insane.

As it is, he beat 3 Hall of Famers and a fourth lineal champion in a higher weight class over a span of 22 months. Combined record at time he beat them: 178-1-1.

Most fighters will spend careers failing to accomplish what Leonard did inside two years. Hagler's a cherry on top. Lalonde is almost insignifcant by comparison even though SRL had a signature comeback and beat the brakes off him.