http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dr8A2CG1h88# In this first part of HBO's 'Legendary Nights - Pryor vs. Arguello' much is made of Pryor and Leonard's rivalry in both the amateur and pro ranks. Check 6:50, did Leanard dodge Pryor because he thought him too dangerous an opponent and who would have won had they met in the ring?
No. Pryor was at 140 and by the time he hit his prime and really started making a name for himself, Leonard was already retired (1st time). In retrospect, people try to argue this, but in no way did Leonard dodge Pryor. He might have been dodging Hagler at this time, but definitely not Pryor.
How can a champ at 147 really dodge a man who's never fought at the weight? Its a myth, if Pryor had of wanted the fight he only had to step up and take on a Top 10 guy at 147. He didn't.
I don't know about Leanord ducking pryor. I would like to hear from a hardcor fight fan from back then. But what I do know is that Pryor is the best 140 lb fighter I have every seen. And his fights with Arguello were amazing, definently must sees for any boxing fan.
This **** needs to STOP!!! I am not now, nor have I ever been an SRL fan, but this myth is ridiculous. At the time that Pryor was talking trash about Lenoard he was a little known guy fighting in a division very few people cared about. Furthermore, In the build up to Arguello/Pryor I Alexis was the FAVORITE. So, a natural junior lightweight, way past his best, and fighting 2 divisions above his best weight, was FAVORED TO BEAT PRYOR!! The idea that SRL ducked Pryor, but when on to fight Hearns and Duran again, and fight Haglar, is simply preposterous!
Of course. Leonard was so terrified of Pryor. He only had the guts to take on softies like Tommy Hearns, Roberto Duran, Wilfred Benitez, Ayub Kalule, and to come out of a 3 year retirement to fight Marvin Hagler. Legendary Nights is always 100% correct. Just like when Jim Lampley said Chavez-Taylor 2 was one-sided. Or implying that Teddy Atlas was a great trainer who willed Moorer to victory. Everything the show implies or says, is 100% correct.
You guys don't get what the documentary is saying, they were talking about the amateurs when SRL WAS at lightweight......they said that Pryor was so good, the one that beat Tommy Hearns in the olympic trials, that SRL moved up in weight to the jr. welterweight limit to avoid fighting Pryor at 135.
sorry Leonard moved up to the Jr. Lightweight division to avoid fighting Pryor in the olympic trials at Lightweight........my mistake
I can see it in the amateurs. Cause Leonard was always focused on that gold medal because what he wanted out of his amateur career was to get the endorsement money that a gold medal would bring him and then move on and go to college. He only turned pro after nearly a year of not getting enough endorsement money to set him up financially. So I can see him ducking Pryor in the amateurs because it was about the (money) gold medals. But in the pros its pretty much been proven that SRL as long as the money was there SRL would lance ‘em up against anyone.
