Suppose Duran had bothered to take the jr. welterweight title before Leanord and Pryor was born a little earlier. Does pryor have a chance, or Does Duran do him in? I'll say Duran by Ko in 9.

This is a hard one to pick but I'll say Duran wins

Duran by decision.

Body punching would be the big difference.

Duran by decision.

Body punching would be the big difference.

Duran has many advantages over Pryor, including being a better body puncher. He's also a much better defensive fighter, counter puncher, has better outside skills, much more accurate with his punches, and quicker of both hand and foot.

Personally, I think the only advantage Pryor would have over Duran, would be in the workrate dept.(I see them being pretty even in stamina, power and toughness). But considering Pryor missed with about 80% of his punches against the fairly easy to hit, Alexis Arguello, I don't think that would be a factor at all in this matchup, considering Duran's defensive skills.

Duran may not throw as many punches as Pryor in this matchup, but I have no doubts he's going to be the one landing a lot more of them and with much better accuracy.

I'll take Duran by either a late round's stoppage, or by a pretty convincing decision.

Duran has many advantages over Pryor, including being a better body puncher. He's also a much better defensive fighter, counter puncher, has better outside skills, much more accurate with his punches, and quicker of both hand and foot.

Personally, I think the only advantage Pryor would have over Duran, would be in the workrate dept.(I see them being pretty even in stamina, power and toughness). But considering Pryor missed with about 80% of his punches against the fairly easy to hit, Alexis Arguello, I don't think that would be a factor at all in this matchup, considering Duran's defensive skills.

Duran may not throw as many punches as Pryor in this matchup, but I have no doubts he's going to be the one landing a lot more of them and with much better accuracy.

I'll take Duran by either a late round's stoppage, or by a pretty convincing decision.


Though Pryor was more of a whirlwind....he'd have to box Duran, like he did the middle rounds against Arguello.
I just don't see him coming out on top during the exchanges. He let his chin out too much, & was off balance quite a bit.

I agree with you.....Duran was just too complete for him.
& unlike in his fight with Arguello...Pryor would not be the stronger guy.

you guys are crazy, pryor had a granite chin and dogged determination, arguello would have kayoed duran with the punches he was hitting pryor with in the first fight, pryor in his prime could not be stopped, too much power and speed

you guys are crazy, pryor had a granite chin and dogged determination, arguello would have kayoed duran with the punches he was hitting pryor with in the first fight, pryor in his prime could not be stopped, too much power and speed


Duran at 140, would be better than the Arguello that Pryor fought.
Stronger, younger, faster....

Yeah....Arguello hit Pryor with some incredible punches....but Duran would work Pryor over, & wouldn't rely on his power.

man i luv readen u old timers discuss old fighters
paints good picture of these guys with your good not only opinions but reasons why theyd win
u guys seem to know what your talkin bout
or atleast think ya know

i think pryor if not for his drug habit had the all the makings of possibly a top 10 fighter all time, sugar ray wanted no part of him, it would have been a hell of a matchup though

i think pryor if not for his drug habit had the all the makings of possibly a top 10 fighter all time, sugar ray wanted no part of him, it would have been a hell of a matchup though


You've HEARD that Leonard wanted no part of him, but it wasn't the case. That's become a myth.
"Not interested", is more like it. Ray had bigger fish to fry.

Why would Ray Leonard have the balls to face guys like Hearns & Hagler, but not Pryor ?
Truth is, Ray Leonard would have easily handled Pryor.

Pryor was a great, unique fighter....but has become overrated over time.

To me, what separates Duran from all the other great pressure fighters like Armstrong, Chavez, and Pryor is defense. While the aforementioned fighters were no slouches in that department, Duran is miles ahead. When watching Duran, people are usually captivated by his pressure, intensity, and fury, which overshadow his incredible boxing skill and defense. He mastered the art of slipping and parrying punches, then he would make his opponents pay with beautiful counter punches.

Regarding a Duran-Pryor matchup, i generally agree with the rest of you guys. Duran is too complete a boxer. Attempting to rush and slug it out with a fighter like Roberto would play into his hands. Duran by late stoppage.

Roberto by KO in second half fight.

Even though The Hawk is one of my favorite fighters, I can't seem him winning this matchup. As many have stated, Duran was a complete fighter. This would have been some fight to watch though. ;)

another top class bout. i reckon duran by decision.

Roberto Duran by UD

its duran for me

I favor Duran over Pryor by decision or perhaps a TKO after the 9th round. Duran would not be cowed by Pryor's attack and I don't believe Pryor can hurt him with one shot. Also, I can't recall ever seeing Pryor fight a methodical grind 'em down type of battle. One possibility that sticks in my mind every time Pryor comes up in fantasy fight scenarios; Pryor had balance issues and was often floored but not hurt. Against a Duran I could see that earning him a quick three knock-down TKO as Pryor had a tendency to double the ferocity of his attack after such trips to the canvas.

Gotta go with Duran

Hard Fought Fight But I see Duran wearing Pryor down with body punches to set up hard punches to the head
TKO 8

Akio Kameda, Antonio Cervantez, Dujuan Johnson, Bobby Joe Young, they all had something in common, they all dropped Pryor. The thing is, Pryor got up and beat almost all of them except for Young.

Duran only fought once at Jr. Welter, against light-hitting Saoul Mamby. But he had a granite chin.

Even if a punch misses, it might impress the judges as part of a lightning combination ala Pryor.

I say Pryor by decision or Duran by 14th or 15th round KO. What a fight!!

Akio Kameda, Antonio Cervantez, Dujuan Johnson, Bobby Joe Young, they all had something in common, they all dropped Pryor. The thing is, Pryor got up and beat almost all of them except for Young.

Duran only fought once at Jr. Welter, against light-hitting Saoul Mamby. But he had a granite chin.

Even if a punch misses, it might impress the judges as part of a lightning combination ala Pryor.

I say Pryor by decision or Duran by 14th or 15th round KO. What a fight!!

Pryor would decision Duran in a very close UD over 15.Very close.

This is truly a dream bout. Both guys with chins of steel at that weight and hearts of freaking lions. (sorry for the cliche)

I see it as a semi slugfest. Pryor would box from the outside, but wouldn't be shy to mix it up abit. I think Duran pushes the action, but Pryor's superior speed and accuracy makes the difference. I say this is a great bout but Pryor wins the decision.

I assume we are talking 140

Pryor was a bad man, he had a hell of a chin and alot more power than Duran, the problem with Pryor was his speed and accuracy, he wasnt a great counter puncher nor was he a very accurate puncher anyway but his output was great. I dont see him being able to handle 15 rounds of Duran accurate punching and body shots! If anything this is a win for Duran, I dont know if Pryor would be KO'd but I dont think he would win.

I attended both Pryor-Arguello fights and was quite a fan of The Cincinnati Cyclone. He was an AWSOME force when he was on his game. Watching him dismantle Arguello, who couldn't believe he had been beaten the first time, was something I'll remember the rest of my life. My Dad went with me for the first fight, but wouldn't bother with the second; he told me AA couldn't beat The Hawk in a thousand years of trying, but I went to the second fight just to confirm what I had seen in the first.

A preview shown before the first fight showed Pryor, knocked off his feet by (I think) a Korean fight, bounce back up without missing a beat and literally devestate the guy with his patented rapid-fire delivery. He was a freak of nature, with a peculiar, straight-up style that mystifies me to this day.

All that said, Duran was easily one of the 4 or 5 best fighters, pound for pound, of all time. In fact, it would be hard to argue that he wasn't the best of all time. I think he would win against Pryor because of his completeness and intelligence, but... I wouldn't bet on the fight either way. Pryor, in his prime, had a predatory instinct about him, and the man did everything at three or four times the speed of a normal human being. What a fight it would have been, but if I would HAVE to make a choice, I would have to go with my head, not my heart. Duran would win...

i think pryor if not for his drug habit had the all the makings of possibly a top 10 fighter all time, sugar ray wanted no part of him, it would have been a hell of a matchup though

I Don't Know About That, It Was Drugz In That Bottle That Gave Pryor His Second Wind And Wearing Arguello Down. Note Arguello At His Right Weight Gives Pryor A Beating, In Boxing A Couple Of Pounds Means Everything. Duran Ko's Pryor In The 10th Round.

Suppose Duran had bothered to take the jr. welterweight title before Leanord and Pryor was born a little earlier. Does pryor have a chance, or Does Duran do him in? I'll say Duran by Ko in 9.

Duran would win.

Duran. His defensive skills remain to this day one of the most incredible things i've ever seen a boxer do. And he made it look so ****ing easy.

You've HEARD that Leonard wanted no part of him, but it wasn't the case. That's become a myth.
"Not interested", is more like it. Ray had bigger fish to fry.

Why would Ray Leonard have the balls to face guys like Hearns & Hagler, but not Pryor ?
Truth is, Ray Leonard would have easily handled Pryor.

Pryor was a great, unique fighter....but has become overrated over time.

Actually SRL HIMSELF said he didn't want to fight Pryor because he was just to hungry and a different type of animal than ANYONE he has ever faced. Yeah I know it was 3 years ago but I saw it and couldn't help but respond.

Pryor's chin was also examined and it was shwn it was 2 times thicker then the average human, seriously. I have no clue who would win, so much will and so much skill between the both of them.

I would go with Duran but certainly not by KO as many think. The only time Pryor was ever stopped was the weird technical KO in his last fight when he was just spun out, not really even hurt. Very strange. Too many drugs by that point. I don't even think he knew what he was doing exactly.

Duran was much faster than Arguello and obviously much harder to hit as well. He would be able to go the fifteen in the same fashion that Pryor would which was non stop. I think sometimes while Pryor did get hit a fair bit his defensive skills were a bit underrated. I see it being a vicious non stop battle with Duran winning the inside exchanges after which Pryor would try to fight more from the outside but would still be outfought across a tough fifteen rounds with Duran taking a close UD.

There is no fight in the history of the sport that I would rather see than this!:boxing:

i have duran in this one.

I'd say Duran by late stoppage.:fing02:

This would be a great fight! Pryor stopped all eight challengers to his crown inside the distance and cemented his place in the sport’s upper echelon with two epic stoppage wins over fellow legend Alexis Arguello. In his prime years, he was quite literally unbeatable. The guy also had a tungsten chin. Emanuel Steward said: 'Pryor did everything wrong but still got away with it in the ring due to his natural ability." Duran is Duran though and would stop Pryor in the late rounds.

are you kidding me theres no way that alexis arguello could have stood a chance against duran arguello was to stand in your face type of fighter duran would have mauled arguello and pryor had no defense for the hard hitting and slick boxer duran. by ko over both arguello and pryor.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

are you kidding me theres no way that alexis arguello could have stood a chance against duran arguello was to stand in your face type of fighter duran would have mauled arguello and pryor had no defense for the hard hitting and slick boxer duran. by ko over both arguello and pryor.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i think pryor if not for his drug habit had the all the makings of possibly a top 10 fighter all time, sugar ray wanted no part of him, it would have been a hell of a matchup though
Sugar Ray wanted no part of him like you want no part of a matchup with a little girl who wants to fight you. Pryor was a nobody when he called out Leonard, and a smaller fighter at that. He ducked Pryor to fight guys like Benitez, Duran, Hagler, and Hearns? I really doubt it.

Pryor called out Leonard before anyone even knew who Pryor was, before he had made a name for himself, and Leonard, like everyone else, just laughed it off. It wasn't until after Pryor beat Arguello twice(a smaller, past his prime fighter) that everyone realized Pryor was the real deal. But by that time Leonard had already retired due to his retinal problems(which he would later return from to face Hagler).

So get your facts straight. Anyways, in this matchup, I'll take Duran, because, as has been said, body-punching will be the difference. Pryor looked uncomfortable when Arguello went to his body.

are you kidding me theres no way that alexis arguello could have stood a chance against duran arguello was to stand in your face type of fighter duran would have mauled arguello and pryor had no defense for the hard hitting and slick boxer duran. by ko over both arguello and pryor.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Arguello was a boxer/puncher with great height, reach, timing, and GREAT power. He would give Duran a hell of a fight. That was not a prime Arguello vs Pryor, then again, at 135 he was not quite prime either.

Sugar Ray wanted no part of him like you want no part of a matchup with a little girl who wants to fight you. Pryor was a nobody when he called out Leonard, and a smaller fighter at that. He ducked Pryor to fight guys like Benitez, Duran, Hagler, and Hearns? I really doubt it.

Pryor called out Leonard before anyone even knew who Pryor was, before he had made a name for himself, and Leonard, like everyone else, just laughed it off. It wasn't until after Pryor beat Arguello twice(a smaller, past his prime fighter) that everyone realized Pryor was the real deal. But by that time Leonard had already retired due to his retinal problems(which he would later return from to face Hagler).

So get your facts straight. Anyways, in this matchup, I'll take Duran, because, as has been said, body-punching will be the difference. Pryor looked uncomfortable when Arguello went to his body.

I've always laughed when I heard people saying that Leonard ducked Pryor to then go up and face Benitez then fight a guy who was much more vicious and likely to win in Duran. I've never understood the thinking behind that? I mean who would you rather face? Pryor or Hearns, Hagler Duran and Benitez?

You're very correct also in that when Pryor asked for the challenge it was well before Pryor had actually done anything. Really, when it comes down to it Pryor only had two big fights and they were with Arguello.

On Pryor/Duran. I would definitely take Duran. If Duran hadn't skipped Jr Welter to take the fight with Palomino and then Leonard he would have had his fifth title in different weight divisions. Duran would have just been a bit too smart for Pryor. It would have been a very hard battle but at this stage Duran could go as hard a fifteen rounds as Pryor could but he was the much smarter fighter and would make Pryor miss a lot more than Arguello could ever have hoped to.

Speaking of Arguello, Arguello/Duran would also have been a great matchup. Duran would have won but it would have been a great fight. Again Duran would have been a bit too fast and would have been able to nullify Arguello's power by staying on the inside and breaking down his attack with body shots. Also, at this stage Duran would never have been hit with the shots that Arguello hit Pryor with. He was still much too slick to hit in the head flush at this stage and that would have been the big difference in this sight.

Also, the only two guys to beat Arguello in his proper prime, Ernesto Marcel and Vilomar Fernandez, were given beatings by Duran. While this doesn't say a lot as to how their fight would play out it does show that Duran had the skills to beat everything from ultra slick, fast boxers to boxer/punchers to brawler power punchers. Duran by UD or late round TKO.

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<---- This one's a no-brainer...

I've always laughed when I heard people saying that Leonard ducked Pryor to then go up and face Benitez then fight a guy who was much more vicious and likely to win in Duran. I've never understood the thinking behind that? I mean who would you rather face? Pryor or Hearns, Hagler Duran and Benitez?

You're very correct also in that when Pryor asked for the challenge it was well before Pryor had actually done anything. Really, when it comes down to it Pryor only had two big fights and they were with Arguello.

On Pryor/Duran. I would definitely take Duran. If Duran hadn't skipped Jr Welter to take the fight with Palomino and then Leonard he would have had his fifth title in different weight divisions. Duran would have just been a bit too smart for Pryor. It would have been a very hard battle but at this stage Duran could go as hard a fifteen rounds as Pryor could but he was the much smarter fighter and would make Pryor miss a lot more than Arguello could ever have hoped to.

Speaking of Arguello, Arguello/Duran would also have been a great matchup. Duran would have won but it would have been a great fight. Again Duran would have been a bit too fast and would have been able to nullify Arguello's power by staying on the inside and breaking down his attack with body shots. Also, at this stage Duran would never have been hit with the shots that Arguello hit Pryor with. He was still much too slick to hit in the head flush at this stage and that would have been the big difference in this sight.

Also, the only two guys to beat Arguello in his proper prime, Ernesto Marcel and Vilomar Fernandez, were given beatings by Duran. While this doesn't say a lot as to how their fight would play out it does show that Duran had the skills to beat everything from ultra slick, fast boxers to boxer/punchers to brawler power punchers. Duran by UD or late round TKO.

Excellent post! I think it spells everything out quite clearly :boxing:

Poet