Arguello

[jabsRstiff]

Arguello was a huge favorite over Pryor. Almost every boxing insider asked thought that not only was Arguello going to win, but that he'd destroy Pryor- who had looked sloppy as hell in the year leading up to their fight.

[Anthony342]

Yes, that's what I've heard. I believe Panama Lewis claimed he gave Pryor something used as medication for asthma which worked as a stimulant to open the lungs. Of course, I'm not sure when Lewis is telling the truth and when he isn't.

I think in this case he was telling the truth. In the documentary Assault in the Ring, Luis Resto claimed that Panama Lewis gave him the same medication in some of his fights. He and Lewis did prison time for assault after Resto's fight vs. Billy Collins, where Lewis and someone else from Resto's corner took a lot of the padding out of Resto's boxing gloves. Resto later told about what he saw, Lewis going into a men's room with the gloves before giving them back before they headed out to the ring, but Lewis himself still refuses to admit to this. It's also why Lewis is still banned from working the corner and can only work in a boxing gym now with fighters.

As for Pryor, he proved in the second fight that whatever was in that bottle, he didn't need it to beat Arguello and proved he was the better fighter. The ending was like the Marciano-Walcott rematch where the knocked down fighter stayed down for the count because he knew he was beat.

[IronDanHamza]

Wasn't as unanimous as made out but yeah Arguello was the favourite.

I knew he'd struggle, though.

As for the second fight, I knew he'd lose again but he did a lot better than I expecting. Despite the KD's it was a war just like the first one.

[wmute]

Yeah, I couldn't imagine Pryor messin with any other type of stimulant. Clean living was so important back then.

Pryor and clean living I never associated lol, but I see your point about the times being like that.

[jabsRstiff]

Wasn't as unanimous as made out but yeah Arguello was the favourite.

I knew he'd struggle, though.

As for the second fight, I knew he'd lose again but he did a lot better than I expecting. Despite the KD's it was a war just like the first one.

I am pretty certain that Steve Farhood was the only boxing guy out of about 20 who picked Pryor in a poll held by KO Magazine.

The view was that a pristine and precise all-time great in Arguello was gonna have a field day on the hot mess Pryor was leading up to that fight.

[IronDanHamza]

I am pretty certain that Steve Farhood was the only boxing guy out of about 20 who picked Pryor in a poll held by KO Magazine.

The view was that a pristine and precise all-time great in Arguello was gonna have a field day on the hot mess Pryor was leading up to that fight.

Don't remember it being that unanimous. Was a long time ago, though.

[Scott9945]

Don't remember it being that unanimous. Was a long time ago, though.

My memory is the same. A quick Google search indicated the odds were 2-1 Arguello.

[Trenchant]

Arguello was one of the best. He had already had a ton of fights before he faced pryor, I think he had like twice the amount of fight pryor had. Certainly there was something fishy in the first fight but I think wear and tear took it's toll plus Arguello was up in weight.

[damuttz112]

Pryor was just too good for Arguello.

[jabsRstiff]

My memory is the same. A quick Google search indicated the odds were 2-1 Arguello.

Those were the odds, but absolutely not the feeling of 99% of writers and boxing insiders.