Carmen Basillio against Aaron Pryor...Even weights...Fans get your Digitalis ready...Who survives?....
good fight! hmmm, it's tough. i'd say basillo has the better chin, better technique, much, much stronger and obviously more proven at the top level. pryor had the edge in mobility, speed and in a pound for pound sense, power. this is a ****ing war (obviously!) and pryor takes the 5 of the first 6 with workrate and faster hands. basillo though does some long term investing to the body which pays off by the 8th. pryor is still coming on fast and hard but basillo is getting more shots in and working him to the ropes more and more. by the 10th the tide has turned and, impossible to believe, pryor starts taking backward steps. by the 12th basillo has evened things up but has a serious cut over his eye. stepping on the gas, he sweeps the last 3 rounds as an exhausted pryor, without panama lewis, loses a close but clear decision
Aaron's aggression will cause problems for the Onion Farmer, but will also be his undoing in this one. Even at the same weight, Pryor is the smaller guy, and Basilio has the right combination of skills and power to prevail in the end, most likely by late KO/TKO.
I meant both fighters in the 140-145 pound range...I pick Basillio by late stoppage...I believe Carmine had by far much tougher opponents,in his career...In fact I think Tony Demarco,with his great punching power, would most likely been too much for Pryor...Pryor was very easy to hit, and Tony DeMarco hit much heavier than a smaller Alexis Arguello....
Gene Fullmer was the only one that really pounded on Basilio.....and that was up at MW. In 147 range Basilio would be the Favorite....unless he doesn't suffer a bad cut which is possible.
In that case I'd take Basilio by mid-round stoppage. He was too naturally big/strong and too precise a puncher; and Pryor never looked good with any added weight on him.
Basilio has all the advantages here. More skilled infighter, naturally bigger and stronger and has a more proven chin overall. Not sure he'd quite "Demarco" someone as tough as Pryor, but it's possible. I think he'd be bossing most of the exchanges after the early goings and break Pryor down comprehensively to a wide decision or late stoppage.
