I haven't seen this match up before so Napoles-Pryor, 15 rounds, 140lbs, no cut stoppages. Napoles was pretty natural at 140 and in his prime at the weight. Napoles the silkier, smoother boxer, better sharper puncher, immensely talented. Pryor the underrated boxer who was obviously fast and relentless I go with Napoles UD, say 9-6
Yeah we have had to odd discussion on it. Truly intriguing bout...one of the ultimate 140 pound matchups. I tend to agree with ya PP..Napoles would take the decision, not a wide one but a clear one. But the interesting factor is his weak skin, the intense and unconventional style of Pryor could bring in this into play, his power, workrate and skill level are all at a level where they could burst open Jose's face.. Edit..Didnt see that no cuts rule..Well yeah I pretty much agree with your Power.
Napoles had over 80 fights and was stopped on cuts a couple times. I'd say the odds are good he wouldn't get stopped on cuts. This would be a rare fight where Pryor didn't hold a clear advantage in physical gifts. In that case, Napoles technical advantages would be the difference. The championship rounds would be wild because Pryor would not go queitly. I'll say the rounds are almost dead even but Napoles gets the nod because of a couple knockdowns.
Yeah we have done this one before, but it is definitely one of the harder ones to pick, both men are so good that you can make the choice simply on opinion. Mine is Napoles
i think Napoles can out box hm and is winning rounds till about the 12th about 7-5 where he decks Pryor as he starts to come in and then napoles wins the reamaining rounds for a UD or stops him late
Napoles the skilled technician vs. Pryor the relentless puncher...both had KO power...this is honestly a tossup, and would be one of the best fights in history IMO...I'll say Napoles by SD...that is, if the Hawk's "claws" don't draw too much blood. How fitting he called himself Mantequilla. Super slick... and super easy to cut.
Napoles might have the slight edge, and unless the cut factor kicks in, he beats Pryor by split decision.This is one guy Aaron is not going to rattle.
We are talking about this fight going down at 147 and not below right? I would most definitely have to go with Jose "Montequilla" Napoles over Aarron "The Hawk" Pryor in this one because I think anything over 140 for Pryor, who mind you was really a natural 135 lb'er who no one in that weight class at the time wanted no part of, would be as much a krptonite strength wise for him as it was for Wilfredo Gomez, strength wise, fighting above his best weight of 122lbs. Napoles would have to survive an early offensive onslaught from Pryor for the first 4-5 rounds but then it would be all Napoles basically with this fight following the same pattern at 147 in "Montequilla's" favor as was the actual case going against him at 160 in Monte Carlo against defending world Middleweight Champion Carlos Monzon who of course stopped Napoles in 7 rounds after feeling him out in just one round. End result: "Montequilla" Napoles over "The Hawk" Pryor by 9th round stoppage!
Jose "Montequilla" Napole's legacy I believe was based more as the defending 2-time Undisputed Welterweight Champion at 147, and in my opinion still in the top 10 PFP list of greatest Welterweight Champs, so I was pretty curious as to why this dream fight between Napoles-Aarron "The Hawk" Pryor was set up at 140. I never actually heard of Napoles campaigning at that weight or for that divisions title even.
Seconded. 9-6 type UD scoring for Jose is very plausible here at 140, a weight range Mantequilla competed at in his mid 20s during the mid 1960s. He looks very good as a LW for Alfredo Urbina II at age 24, and 135 may actually have been the preferred weights for both Pryor and Napoles at their athletic peaks. [Keep in mind that Jose was already 29 when he dethroned Cokes at 147.] I think no stoppage on cuts is realistic here, not recalling Aaron stopping anybody by that route. Napoles stood up to some huge bombs from Monzon. Pryor could stop former featherweight Arguello, but he's not coming close here. Jose was very controlled, and unlike Arguello would not feel the need to produce a stoppage to win. Pryor too wild, too wide open, and with his chin too far in the air. Mantequilla was too adept at slipping punches while coming forward for the Hawk's headhunting orientation to be successful at outscoring him, 100 punches a round or not. Jose scores points with a couple of knockdowns Aaron can not avenge. Accurate quality over wildly uncontrolled quantity here.
