Pryor-Leonard - The match that failed to happen..

[Boxerdog]

I always wondered why Leonard didn't want to fight Pryor. There had to be a real reason. I would pick Leonard by close decision. No way Leonard beats Pryor easy.

I hesitate to post this because I have at some other boards and a couple of times some jerk has called me a liar. Trust me...I have never met anyone on a web site that I have felt compelled to lie to in order to impress them. I just happen to have led a very interesting life. That being said......
In the early to mid 80s I was bassist and road manager with a musical group called The Platters. (ask your mother or in some cases, your grandmothers about them)
In '85, we were playing at Harrah's in Lake Tahoe and between shows one night, I met Ray and his bodyguard on the casino floor. I introduced myself and we had a couple of drinks. Ray was a very pleasant cat....very polite. As a boxing fan AND a native of Cincinnati (Pryor's hometown) I was not shy about asking why they could never find a catch-weight and get a fight signed. I knew that Pryor was game...it would have elevated him to the next level of earnings! So why wasn't the fight made??
Sugar just smiled that million dollar smile and said, "Would YOU wanna fight him if you didn't have to?"
I invited them and their guests to the late show to see the band perform. Even asked if he would want seats in the back and no acknowledgement from the stage. Told him that it would be nice if the guys could introduce him. He said he didn't mind.
But they never showed for the show.....I guess he was afraid of ME too!

[gravity62]

I'm pretty sure that if the money was right Leonard would've fought Aaron Pryor. In my book Leonard was just too strong for him, and Leonard (being the brash and confident guy that he was as a fighter) had to have known and/or was thinking that. Even if the fight was close Leonard whould've found a way to win because IMO he also had the mental edge.

[jabsRstiff]

Ray Leonard would have demolished Aaron Pryor.
Tell me ONE foe that Pryor faced who was on Leonard's level ?
Don't give me Arguello, either. Arguello was at his best at 130, in the late 70's.
Pryor struggled like hell with the smaller, slower Arguello. Believe me, Ray Leonard's 147 lb. punches would have inflicted far more damage than Arguello's 140lbers would have.
Lb 4 lb., Arguello was a much bigger hitter than Leonard.....but we're talking about a significant size difference.

Pryor's style would have played right into the hands of Ray.....Always off-balance, susceptible to getting dropped (see Akio Kameda, DuJuan Johnson, Cervantes).....& vulnerable to body shots....
Pryor was too small & flawed to hang with Ray Leonard.

No offense to Pryor, who was a terrific fighter. But Ray was bigger, & just plain better.

[realheavyhands]

pryor hit harder the leanord and could dance all night too ..it never happened cuz leanord didnt wanna fight pryor

[jabsRstiff]

pryor hit harder the leanord and could dance all night too ..it never happened cuz leanord didnt wanna fight pryor

Ray Leonard would have knocked Alexis Arguello out within three rounds.
Pryor needed 14 rds, & then 10 rounds, to turn the trick(s).

I guess Pryor could have outboxed Ray Leonard ? Not on this planet.

As for Ray avoiding Pryor ? LMAO !

Ray Leonard fought Tommy Hearns & Marvin Hagler.....but was afraid of PRYOR ?

I seriously think most of you are getting your **** second-handed. Those who were following boxing during that time period......know you youngins have bought into a MYTH that just sounds really good today.

Did you guys see Pryor struggling with the likes of Miguel Montilla, DuJuan Johnson, Akio Kameda, Nick Furlano, Gary Hinton ?

Ray Leonard would have knocked them all out in two rounds, all in the same night.

[guru]

i dont like leonard that much, but he was a great fighter, who always found a way to win... he had a great chin, speed, power, agility, stamina, etc.... i dont see how pryor could have beaten him...

[Living Legend]

Pryor-Leonard - The match that failed to happen..

Who would win this war between these 2 fighters

IMO it wouldn't be a war, it would be Pryor attacking Leonard, and Leonard runnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnning!

if anyone remembers

Hagler:Fight like a man u little *****

Leonard:...NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.....*keeps running*

Pryor by a spectacular KO

and if this fight was 15 rounds not 12!

Leonard went out liek b*tch, he knew pryor would beat him down, that's why he made sure the fight didn't happen...

[jabsRstiff]

Leonard went out liek b*tch, he knew pryor would beat him down, that's why he made sure the fight didn't happen...

You have no clue, do you ?

Afraid of Pryor.....but not afraid of Hearns & Hagler ?

Ray Leonard was afraid of a guy who was dropped by Akio Kameda ?

[Living Legend]

Pryor-Leonard - The match that failed to happen..

You have no clue, do you ?

Afraid of Pryor.....but not afraid of Hearns & Hagler ?

Ray Leonard was afraid of a guy who was dropped by Akio Kameda ?

So why didn't they fight?

[jabsRstiff]

So why didn't they fight?

Because Ray Leonard was a 147 lber....making mega-fights with 147lbers like Hearns, & eyeing a jump to 160 to face Hagler.

Up until he fought Arguello, Pryor was a fighter who was known, & highly respected, only by those who closely followed the game. He was a 140lber trying to make a name for himself.
In fact, I shouldn't even say he was that respected. 99% of the "experts" polled.....thought Arguello was going to KILL him....not just beat.....but crush him.

Pryor beat Arguello in the middle of November '82.....Ray Leonard had retired from the sport a week before.....eliminating the chance of a fight with HAGLER.
Ray was gonna fight one of the greatest, fiercest 160lbers in history in Hagler....but was afraid of a 140lber who still had something to prove ? Think about it....

I'm not even a huge Leonard fan.....but I am an objective fight fan.