Lets say Pryor stays clean and decides to go for the welterweight title . Curry has beaten Marlon Starling in early 83 and takes on the Hawk that fall. Who takes it?
Curry maybe by stoppage for mine. He was sharp as a tack at this stage and would counter Pryor's more wild style quite well. He could fight inside too could Curry.
Curry is naturally bigger and the better technician with the better defence. He's also a puncher so I'd expect Curry to smash Pryor with big shots as he comes into range. Not a good match up for Pryor and in truth I don't like him above 140lbs
I actually think Pryor could take a decision , this would be the best welter Curry ever fought even though Aaron is probably a natural lightweight.
I think Starling is a cut above Pryor at any weight and he himself would carve him up and stop him. Curry even moreso. Just my opinion. Pryor could prove me wrong. He did have special qualities.
I pick Curry by decision, but it would be interesting to see how Pryor fights higher up against a top guy and if Curry really did have defensive liabilities when matched with someone aggressive. The key in this fight is how would Pryor handle the weight at 147. What is obvious is that Pryor passed his test when he fought elites more than Curry did when he fought elites yet Curry was bigger..
Donald Would have to be favored especially since Pryor doesn’t rank at welter and in 1984 Curry was prime.... but anything can happen when you place two undefeated greats together.
I like Curry here. Pryor was small framed, and short. I don't believe Pryor would've been effective at welterweight and above. It's the reason I believe Leonard would've destroyed him. Same with Hearns , though Pryor had win over Hearns in the amateurs. We all know theirs a hugh gap between amatuer and pro level with respective to world class boxing I believe Curry, bigger, stronger, faster, and just as skilled if not better, ko's Pryor with in 10rds.
Peak Curry sharpshoots a wild Pryor into a KO defeat. I think Pryor declined after the second Arguello fight. Drugs and inactivity. Furlano and Hilton went the distance with him at 140. Curry is too big and too sharp for him.
As talented that Aaron The Hawk Pryor was at 140 lbs, he was floored by a few fighters in his weight class, by an aged Antonio Kid Pambele Cervantes and Akio Kameda who were no way the caliber of a Donald Lone Star Cobra Curry. Donald was more of a tactician than Aaron was. I see Curry using head movement, combinations and a very snappy right hand to force Pryor into a retreating mode. Donald walks down Aaron , and scores a knockdown in round 5, Pryor cannot fend of a very accurate Curry forcing a stoppage by the referee.
Pryor from 1982 I would favor to be too dynamic for Curry. He would keep him off balance. He just fell off a cliff. I guess if he maintained the same level two years later he would be too much for Donald. Plus Aaron was crazy. Curry could do some things with counterpunching but at the end of the day Aaron would Impose his will on Donald. I would put my $ on Aaron's heart.