Aaron Pryor and Ray Leonard.. what would've happened?

I've got Leonard. Pryor seems the sentimental favorite for a lot of fans that don't like SRL. He didn't duck Haggler, Hearns, Benitez, or Duran, so he must have ducked Pryor. I just don't buy it.

Pryor was a beast at 140lbs but what is he going to do to Ray at 147lbs that earns him the win? Ray was a real talent at 147lbs. Fast, accurate, tough, good power, smarts... to much for Pryor.

 

gotz to agree with abc i take lenord by a hair

 

As much as I love Pryor h2h I have to go with SRL. I think SRL would have too much movement for Pryor and would prove to be too slick and stuff his jab at Prior while also effectively countering (and thus negating Priors excellent workrate). Plus Pryor tended to "go for broke" at times; which is a horrible idea against the smart Sugar Man. SRL close UD

 

Sorry if I led you to believe I was putting you with that group, I wasn't. What I meant is that it has become the favorite tool of Leonard haters, because there is nothing else really to criticize him for, except for the Haggler "robbery".

 

A lot of people have only seen Pryor against Arguello, which is like watching Jordan play the knicks. Pryor was great, but he served as the stylistic foe to Arguello, and therefore looked inhumanly good.

I don't see him being able to use many of those angles against Leonard, like you said, because of his own movement.

 

great post I don't blame ray for not fighting pryor it would have been explosive but aqaron didn't do enough to push that the fight get made. pryor defeating fighters like hearns duran or even going to middle and fighting hagler would have made the fight very doable. but aaron's personal problems hindered this fight getting made.

would have been a war and I pick pryor

 

No disrespect at all to Pryor (who is one of my all time favs), but it didn't help that Arguello was above his best weight and past his prime also.....in my opinion anyways

 

agree 100%:good

 

However great Arguello was, he was somewhat of a stationary target. he had a lot of head movement earlier in his career and at his best weight, but by the time Pryor got to him, he was easier to hit.

Ray Leonard was bigger than Arguello, and had a lot more foot movement. Pryor would have had to walk Leonard down and try and get on the inside. This could be similar to the Hagler fight, only Leonard wouldn't be fighting someone bigger than him, and wouldn't have been fighting after a long lay off.

Leonard UD.

 

Leonard would have been too much for Pryor. He was naturally a little bigger, would be the first time Pryor fought someone with faster hands and feet, and also his mind games wouldnt do anything to faze Leonard. Both had great stamina. Pryor would have to press the whole way and had the endurance to do so, but would be eating clean shots from a larger fighter. I see this being a close but clear 15 round decision for Leonard.

 

Isn't it funny that perhaps the 2nd best WW ever (Top 5 for sure) gets underrated on this forum?

Leonard was a bit big for Pryor. And he was still faster and had better ring movement. That's a bad combination.

 

SRL takes a great fight:good

Love Pryor and he'd have a reasonable chance at the upset. But before SRL's detached retina vs Hearns? SRL wins at 147:good