Aaron Pryor
The greatest Junior Welterweight Boxing champion of all time is Aaron Pryor. From Cincinnati, Ohio Aaron Pryor fought in 2 weight divisions, as a Lightweight and a junior welterweight. Aaron Pryor was pound for pound one of the greatest boxing champions. He fought like the great Henry Armstrong of 1938, like a hurricane or whirlwind. The moment the bell sounded, Pryor charged his opponent and began a relentless assault that put the other fighter either on the defensive or on his back. Pryor had one of the greatest chins of all time.
Aaron Pryor had more versatility than Henry Armstong. Armstrong didn’t have a reverse gear, and he was seemingly programmed not to take a backward step. Aaron Pryor could change his fighting style and box his opponent.
Pryor, nicknamed The Hawk, hammered away at opponents in frenetic, three-minute bursts. As an amateur, he won all but 16 of 220 fights, 50 of which didn't last beyond the first round. Aaron Pryor participated in the 1976 Olympic games at Montreal as an alternate. That was the same Olympic Team that produced gold medals by Sugar Ray Leonard, the Spinks brothers (Michael and Leon), and Howard Davis Jr. Howard Davis was considered the best Amateur of the Gold medal winners. Pryor lost 2 controversial close decisions to Howard Davis in the Olympic Box offs. According to some Amateur Boxing Federation officials Aaron Pryor actually beat Howard Davis but U.S. Olympic Officials did not want Aaron Pryor to represent the U.S. at the Olympics.
Many folks felt that Pryor should have gotten the nod in the decision and represented the US.
Aaron Pryor turned professional on November 11, 1976, with a win over Larry Smith. In 1978, Pryor won five fights, and in 1979 he won six. But during '79, Pryor experienced a rise in competition level, and in his last fight that year, he was pitted for the first time ever against a former or future world champion, when he faced former Jr. Welterweight champion of the world Alfonso Fraser, Peppermint, of Panama, who lasted five rounds with The Hawk. After that fight, Pryor entered the WBA rankings.
In 1980 Aaron Pryor fought the great two time world champion Antonio Cervantes of Colombia at Cincinnati for the WBA world junior welter-weight title. Pryor was dropped in round one, but he rose and knocked out Cervantes in round four in front of a national television audience, becoming a world champion.
Aaron Pryor's 1981 all out war KO of the WBA number 2 rated undefeated power-punching Dujuan Johnson , out of the famous Kronk Gym in Detroit, Michigan was chosen as Fight of the Year by "KO" magazine. This may have been Pryor's hardest fight. Pryor rose from a knockdown to stop the Detroit banger in the seventh round.
In 1982 in what promoter Bob Arum nicknamed The Battle of The Champions, Pryor defeated the great Alexis Arguello by a knockout in 14 in front of an HBO audience. The fight was named Fight Of The Year and later the Fight Of The Decade by Ring Magazine. Aaron Pryor launched a busy attack that crumpled Arguello to the canvas and left him semi-conscious for a full four minutes. The defeated Arguello collapsed yet again on the way to his dressing room. He'd suffered a concussion and a cut under his eye that would require eight stitches. Pryor, with his prehistoric jaw and uncommunicative demeanor, seemed hardly fazed, even though he'd absorbed punches that "would have decapitated most people," as Arguello's agent said later.
The fight sparked controversy, however, because of allegations that Pryor's trainer had introduced a bottle to revive him after round 12 so Pryor had to defend against Arguello again, this time winning by a knockout in 10 rounds in Las Vegas on September 9, 1983. Pryor knocked Arguello down in the first, fouth, and 10th round. Pryor was never knocked down by the hard hitting Arguello. There was no suspicious bottle in this fight, no Panama Lewis and Pryor was drug tested before and after the fight. After the fight, Pryor announced his retirement. Pryor was 34-0 with 32 KOs. Aaron Pryor won 26 fights in a row by knockout, one of the longest knockout streaks in the history of boxing. Pryor remained unbeaten until 1987, by which time he was a full-fledged crack addict and 2 months shy of his 32nd birthday.
Bobby Joe Young had a heralded amateur boxing career, losing two very controversial decisions to future pro champion Thomas Hearns in both the Golden Gloves and National AAU welterweight finals. Many who saw those bouts thought Bobby Joe was the clear winner or at least agree that Young gave Hearns terrific fights both times. As a Pro Bobby Joe Young was a hard-punching welterweight contender in the mid to late '80s. Young never won a world title and was stopped by IBF welterweight champ Simon Brown in round 2 on September 20, 1989. Recently Bobby Joe Young was inducted into the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame.
Pryor went through some hard times due to drug addiction, but with the determination that made him a great fighter; “The Hawk" kicked his habit and is once again flying high.
In the 1990s, Aaron Pryor decided to stay away from drugs; opened a gym in his hometown where he helps kids learn boxing and get off the streets; and became a pastor. He is currently ministering at a church in Cincinnati.
Pryor has been honored with many awards, which include Ring Magazines 'Fighter of Year' in 1982, WBA Champ 1980-1983, IBF Champ 1983-1985, and being Inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1996 and the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 2001. Pryor was also named greatest Jr. Welterweight of the Century by Sports Writers Association of America in 1999. In 2002 Pryor was honored as a legend by the World Boxing Association. He retired with 39 wins, 1 loss and 35 wins by knockout.
Aaron Pryor was never beaten as a pro at 135 or 140 pounds (the Bobby Joe Young loss was later on at Welterweight). Pryor was 23-0 (21 KOs) as a pro lighweight. Aaron Pryor was ranked number three in the world as a lightweight, but he couldn’t get a title fight. Pryor was 11-0 (9 KOs) in championship fights at 140 lbs. Pryor was undefeated as a professional from 1976 to 1987, over 10 years. Aaron Pryor's KO 4 Cervantes, KO 14 Arguello, and KO 10 Arguello (at any stage of their careers) are MUCH better wins than any other junior-welterweight. Pryor beat Arguello at a time when Arguello was polled pound for pound the best in Boxing (and there was many great fighters in 1982).
Aaron Pryor had more versatility than Henry Armstong. Armstrong didn’t have a reverse gear, and he was seemingly programmed not to take a backward step. Aaron Pryor could change his fighting style and box his opponent.
Pryor, nicknamed The Hawk, hammered away at opponents in frenetic, three-minute bursts. As an amateur, he won all but 16 of 220 fights, 50 of which didn't last beyond the first round. Aaron Pryor participated in the 1976 Olympic games at Montreal as an alternate. That was the same Olympic Team that produced gold medals by Sugar Ray Leonard, the Spinks brothers (Michael and Leon), and Howard Davis Jr. Howard Davis was considered the best Amateur of the Gold medal winners. Pryor lost 2 controversial close decisions to Howard Davis in the Olympic Box offs. According to some Amateur Boxing Federation officials Aaron Pryor actually beat Howard Davis but U.S. Olympic Officials did not want Aaron Pryor to represent the U.S. at the Olympics.
Many folks felt that Pryor should have gotten the nod in the decision and represented the US.
Aaron Pryor turned professional on November 11, 1976, with a win over Larry Smith. In 1978, Pryor won five fights, and in 1979 he won six. But during '79, Pryor experienced a rise in competition level, and in his last fight that year, he was pitted for the first time ever against a former or future world champion, when he faced former Jr. Welterweight champion of the world Alfonso Fraser, Peppermint, of Panama, who lasted five rounds with The Hawk. After that fight, Pryor entered the WBA rankings.
In 1980 Aaron Pryor fought the great two time world champion Antonio Cervantes of Colombia at Cincinnati for the WBA world junior welter-weight title. Pryor was dropped in round one, but he rose and knocked out Cervantes in round four in front of a national television audience, becoming a world champion.
Aaron Pryor's 1981 all out war KO of the WBA number 2 rated undefeated power-punching Dujuan Johnson , out of the famous Kronk Gym in Detroit, Michigan was chosen as Fight of the Year by "KO" magazine. This may have been Pryor's hardest fight. Pryor rose from a knockdown to stop the Detroit banger in the seventh round.
In 1982 in what promoter Bob Arum nicknamed The Battle of The Champions, Pryor defeated the great Alexis Arguello by a knockout in 14 in front of an HBO audience. The fight was named Fight Of The Year and later the Fight Of The Decade by Ring Magazine. Aaron Pryor launched a busy attack that crumpled Arguello to the canvas and left him semi-conscious for a full four minutes. The defeated Arguello collapsed yet again on the way to his dressing room. He'd suffered a concussion and a cut under his eye that would require eight stitches. Pryor, with his prehistoric jaw and uncommunicative demeanor, seemed hardly fazed, even though he'd absorbed punches that "would have decapitated most people," as Arguello's agent said later.
The fight sparked controversy, however, because of allegations that Pryor's trainer had introduced a bottle to revive him after round 12 so Pryor had to defend against Arguello again, this time winning by a knockout in 10 rounds in Las Vegas on September 9, 1983. Pryor knocked Arguello down in the first, fouth, and 10th round. Pryor was never knocked down by the hard hitting Arguello. There was no suspicious bottle in this fight, no Panama Lewis and Pryor was drug tested before and after the fight. After the fight, Pryor announced his retirement. Pryor was 34-0 with 32 KOs. Aaron Pryor won 26 fights in a row by knockout, one of the longest knockout streaks in the history of boxing. Pryor remained unbeaten until 1987, by which time he was a full-fledged crack addict and 2 months shy of his 32nd birthday.
Bobby Joe Young had a heralded amateur boxing career, losing two very controversial decisions to future pro champion Thomas Hearns in both the Golden Gloves and National AAU welterweight finals. Many who saw those bouts thought Bobby Joe was the clear winner or at least agree that Young gave Hearns terrific fights both times. As a Pro Bobby Joe Young was a hard-punching welterweight contender in the mid to late '80s. Young never won a world title and was stopped by IBF welterweight champ Simon Brown in round 2 on September 20, 1989. Recently Bobby Joe Young was inducted into the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame.
Pryor went through some hard times due to drug addiction, but with the determination that made him a great fighter; “The Hawk" kicked his habit and is once again flying high.
In the 1990s, Aaron Pryor decided to stay away from drugs; opened a gym in his hometown where he helps kids learn boxing and get off the streets; and became a pastor. He is currently ministering at a church in Cincinnati.
Pryor has been honored with many awards, which include Ring Magazines 'Fighter of Year' in 1982, WBA Champ 1980-1983, IBF Champ 1983-1985, and being Inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1996 and the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 2001. Pryor was also named greatest Jr. Welterweight of the Century by Sports Writers Association of America in 1999. In 2002 Pryor was honored as a legend by the World Boxing Association. He retired with 39 wins, 1 loss and 35 wins by knockout.
Aaron Pryor was never beaten as a pro at 135 or 140 pounds (the Bobby Joe Young loss was later on at Welterweight). Pryor was 23-0 (21 KOs) as a pro lighweight. Aaron Pryor was ranked number three in the world as a lightweight, but he couldn’t get a title fight. Pryor was 11-0 (9 KOs) in championship fights at 140 lbs. Pryor was undefeated as a professional from 1976 to 1987, over 10 years. Aaron Pryor's KO 4 Cervantes, KO 14 Arguello, and KO 10 Arguello (at any stage of their careers) are MUCH better wins than any other junior-welterweight. Pryor beat Arguello at a time when Arguello was polled pound for pound the best in Boxing (and there was many great fighters in 1982).
posted by James at 5:36 PM
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