Is he really deserving of All-Time Great status? If you voted yes, then I would like for you to explain your reasoning in the thread. Let's discuss.
All-Time Great? Well everyone has their own criteria, I consider him a borderline case. H2H monster at 140, he ranks very highly all-time at 140, which has a good history as far as a junior division goes, but it's not exactly like being a top 3 all-time in a traditional weight class. For an ATG, he has a weak resume. He could/should have done more if he didn't have personal/managerial issues which prevented him from getting/accepting certain fights. I think he would've unified against Mamby at 140, but loses at 147 against Leonard and at 150 against Duran. He also would've lasted a little longer without the drug abuse, but fighters with his high energy style tend to burn out quicker, although there are exceptions.
Apart from his wins V Arguello, which by the way was not short of controversy. He dosent have the resume to be a ATG i dont think, lacks depth.
As evidenced by his life and death struggle with Johnson, or his life and death struggle with a past prime Alexis Arguello? I'm not trying to step on Aaron Pryor, the man showed a lot of terrific qualities during the time he was active, but I'm not convinced he achieved enough to warrant his current status. Let's have it clarified, the majority of Boxing fans seem to consider Aaron Pryor an ATG, despite him having a very thin resume, and not a long time at the top.
I meant more ATG around lightwelter, but I also think he could be put into ATG p4p status if being rather generous. Do you think Aron Pryor would have a shot at winning against almost any ATG light welter? Ali almost got killed by Henry Coopers left hook, Tyson got KOd by Buster Douglas, many ATGs have went life or death with lesser fighters at one time or another. When I watched Aaron Pryor fight at his best, I seen an ATG who had a shot at beating anyone around his weightclass.
I'd rather leave speculation out of the discussion. I'm asking people if based on what Aaron Pryor actually achieved during the time he was an active fighter, do they think he attained the status of an ATG. How he would have competed with other era's is purely speculation, and should have no baring on your answer to the question. Likewise, Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson both fought and beat a higher level of competition than Pryor. I don't think either of them are comparable, most notably Ali.
calm it, you want my opinion, based on who is considered ATGs p4p these days? yes based on who should be considered ATGs p4p? no
Is Pryor the only fighter who gets a boost in all-time standing lists for turning down career high paydays (against Leonard and Duran)??
I'm not so sure about Tyson having beaten a higher level of opposition than Pryor. If he did, it isn't by much. They both beat two great fighters on the downside. Larry Holmes & Michael Spinks for Tyson, Antonio Cervantes and Alexis Arguello for Pryor. Sure, Michael Spinks was more proven at HW than Alexis Arguello. But I'd say Arguello lost less going up to 140 than Spinks did going to HW. A much harder jump to go to HW. Spinks deserved to lose the rematch with Larry Holmes, and was a less active fighter than Arguello was when he faced Pryor. Arguello was also probably physically healthier, given Spinks's knee problems. Cervantes was still an a champ when Pryor beat him. He was more active than Spinks & Holmes. Holmes did go on to beat a ranked contender 4 years later in Ray Mercer, but then again, Arguello beat a ranked contender in Billy Costello after the losses to Pryor. Outside of those wins, both Pryor and Tyson beat a lot of the contenders around them at the time. Neither of them were standout eras in talent for those divisions. Maybe Tyson gets a slight edge as he beat all the other champs in the division at the time, and won a couple belts post-prison, but I think the opposition level they faced is comparable.
