Aaron Pryor vs. Julio Cesar Chavez

PRYOR WAS LIKE MELDRICK TAYLOR IN MANY WAYS.

He had the speed and boxing abiliity. taylor was faster but pryor had more stamina, power and workrate,

Both share the same trait of always getting too emotional and macho in the ring. This could/would (in the case of taylor) prove their undoing. Though I believe that pryor could beat him over 12 rounds, i really fancy jc over 15

 

It's a coin flip for me.

 

LOL, of course, I forgot boxing did not start until 1980...

Pryor peaked in the late 70s as a 135lber IMO.

 

He peaked against a bunch of nobodies prior to winning any kind of title or facing any top notch comp? Get real.

 

Chavez was was faster, stronger, a better inside fighter and better defensively than Arguello. The few times Arguello went to theboddy seemed to bother Pryor.

Pryor will be tough in the early going but be in trouble when he settles down. Chavez decision.

 

Chavez wasn't exactly faster than Arguello.

 

He peaked while showing he was the finest Lightweight since Duran had moved up; and only moved up because Mamby was the only champion at 135/140 who had the balls to fight him and he refused to business with DKP. Even then thanks in part to Smith, Pryor fought for virtually nothing in that bout.

 

Nor better defensively! QAnd Arguello is NOW underrated as an inside body puncher..He was considered an elite body puncher. people probably see his build and don't excpect that...but it was and is a fact.

 

Pryor is overrated in terms of greatness. What accomplishments support that claim besides beating a way over the weight Arguello? However, head-to-head he is hell to beat. A magnificent spoiler -he wrote the book on ruining your boxing.

Meldrick was effective because of speed, speed, agility and speed. His problem was that he paid dearly by staying close for too long and Chavez did subtle damage with those short clipping shots that was telling. Very telling. Over 15 rounds, Taylor may have died.

Pryor was also very fast... but he was stronger than Taylor, more durable than Taylor, at least as conditioned as Taylor, and more unorthodox than Taylor. Chavez, like Arguello, is a damn good technician... but neither were stylists... they were what I call "textbook technicians" who were consistent and could be predictable. Icy technicians (it's snowing here so I'm inspired). Against the tropical storm of Pryor, that is a problem. He was capable of inflicting heavy damage from confusing angles that cannot be read easily. Systems overload. Chavez drops a decision over 12 or 15.

 

well written post:deal

i see point of if pryor is even so much as a hair stronger and more durable then taylor then it is a solid pick for him to win by evidence of chavez-taylor 1

did arugello intiate a strong body attack in their two fights?

if not did anyboxer fight a rough mugging fight with prior?

 

He most definitely was. His handspeed, especially his straight right was faster and Arguello's footspeed was atrocious. Chavez was much better at cutting off the ring.

 

Cutting off the ring has nothing to do with speed, rather timing. His straight right was pretty fast, but I think a some of it has to do with how much you've seen of Arguello. How much have you seen? Watch him in his later career and compare it to his earlier days and it's a pretty noticeable difference. His hand speed, especially in combos, was better than Chavez's, though Chaves's straight right was a very good punch, capable of landing on most opponents.

 

Arguello was better definsively than Chavez? Are you kidding me? Long body and too straight up. Chavez was much, much better at sliping punches.

 

This thread is about Pryor vs. Chavez so I thought the wise thing to do would be to reference the Arguello that fought Pryor. And that Arguello was slow.

Arguello was just plain slow afoot at any stage of his career.

 

Thanks.

Arguello started in with the left hooks to the body early and by the end of the first round was committed to the body. He couldn't sustain it as consistently as couch anaylsts think he should have and I'll tell you the reason why: Pryor forces you on the defensive. Arguello was trying to stay in the fight and disallow Pryor from taking over... Arguello, normally a slow starter, fought like he never fought before. He'd found a place for the 3-2 (left hook, right cross) but then Pryor would answer with a 3, 2, 2, 3, 2 and force Alexis backwards and off balance. Arguello had to try to give him a concussion to get him off.

Body work is an investment. Pryor puts you in a constant exigent circumstance. You can't think about 'later in the fight' when he's connecting on your skull 'right now' with 4 and 5 punch combinations every 3 seconds.

.......
You've heard the expression "don't hook with a hooker" and "don't punch with a puncher." Pryor's adage could be "don't try to mug a mugger." He was extremely difficult to outfight.