Aaron Pryor Vs Donald Curry 1986?

Well didn't Pryor lose to Bobby Joe Young at Welterweight in his comeback fight ? I'm not sure of the timeline without looking it up. But I know Pryor was pretty much already fading after the 2nd Arguello fight, going the distance with Hinton, Furlano, in unimpressive performances.

My prediction is unless Curry has issues like he did vs Honeyghan, where he looked flat because of the weight ? He should KO Pryor who was done as a top level fighter at that point, because of his drug problems outside the ring.

 

Pryor was cooked by 1984, let alone 1986.

 

I think Aaron Pryor was also one of those guys that was super close to top 5 all time great, but needed a FEW little things. Those few little things could have cost him v the bigger Curry at 147 and by 1986 Curry was rated as the No.1 fighter in the world compared to Pryor not even being rated in the top 10.

 

If they met in 1986 Curry would win but oh boy what a fight if both were prime

 

In 1986 I doubt Pryor lasts 5 rounds, he was completely finished. Now both in their primes? I don't know if Pryors power, speed and volume punching would carry the day at 147 as it did at 140 and there'd be a distinct size advantage for Curry , I'd expect Donald to catch him coming in at some point. Aaron was prone to getting dropped early and Curry had legitimate power at welterweight. Since Pryor's abilities are unknown at 147 pounds I'd make Curry the favorite .

 

Look what it took Pryor to do to take out Arguello. I know styles makes fights and all but Curry would very clinically and quickly destroy Pryor. Don’t forget Curry was a fighter melting down to 147 and Pryor would be bulking up. Curry too precise and powerful and Pryor too wild. Even if Pryor had the power he would walk into a beautiful counter while trying to land one of his haymakers and if that one counter didn’t flatten him the following combination from Curry would.

 

Prior I think was kinda done.

 

Fantastic thread. Donald Curry was a technician in the ring, threw solid combinations, a really good right hand. But when he fought challenger Lloyd Honeyghan on Sept 27 1986, Curry underestimated Lloyd's movement and skill, he looked intimidated at ring center during the referees instructions. I feel that though Aaron Pryor is the smaller man in weight, 140 lbs to Curry's 147 lbs, the movement of Pryor's style and the fact that Pryor could be just as intimidating as Honeyghan was on the night he broke the Curry magic. I think an upset is possible, Pryor by TKO 12 but a knockdown scored by Curry early, could prove possible. Remember Pryor like Felix Trinidad much later on became inspired if knocked down by his adversary

 

Aaron Pryor was a full blown coke addict in 1986. He was in no condition to fight anyone

https://vault.si.com/vault/1985/09/09/kod-by-his-demons

 

So true, But maybe I should have posted a 1982 Aaron Pryor vs 1985 Donald Curry, Pryor was done by 1986, the year that Curry lost his title to Lloyd Honeyghan.

 

Looking at their records so I could refresh my memory as to the timelines of their respective careers, it seems to me that the only time this match would have been competitive is if they’d fought in ‘83 or ‘84. Pryor-Arguello II was in ‘83, then Pryor only fought twice more - once in ‘84, once in ‘85, then he retired, before coming back and losing to Bobby Joe Young in ‘87. Imo, the only way a competitive fight occurs is if Pryor had fought Curry immediately after the first Arguello fight. I’m sure the first fight took a lot out of Pryor but he had enough left to beat Arguello a second time.

Curry was arguably the top p4p boxer already by late ‘84. What is arguably his signature win - KO’ing Milton McCrory to unify the 147 belts - was still ahead, in ‘85, and he was so impressive (KO2) that he was surely recognized as top P4p afterwards, but he was still rising in ‘84, while Pryor, thanks to a few factors, was in decline.

even if they fought in ‘83, though, I can’t see any way Pryor wins. Arguello was a banger, but he started as a 130-pounder. If Curry ever hit Pryor with a punch like Arguello hit him with in the first fight, Pryor would have had “ten” counted over him. Curry was the naturally larger man, and he wasn’t yet struggling to make weight - which is what really cost him against Honeyghan, at least as much as underestimating him - at 147.

unthought i had come up with a great “what if?!?” matchup in Curry-Pryor, but there’s almost no time when it could’ve taken once and actually been competitive.