One from the vaults a 17 year old Hearns versus Pryor

[billeau2]

It makes me shake my head, look at the skills already in Hearns... And we see guys at 27 who are just developing. Pryor likewise had his act together early! Pryor was a fantastic pressure fighter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThUhD_g48_Q

[QueensburyRules]

- -Pryor a far better boxer than credited, and it fatefully showed in Arguello I where he stopped the slugging late that brought him a breather.

[The Old LefHook]

Both posters so far are dead on. Pryor very elusive and dangerous. Both fighters nearly fully formed already. It makes sense that the more amateur fights you have, the closer to fully formed you should be as a beginning pro, if the training was any good in the first place, maybe even if it wasn't.

[billeau2]

Hearns already moved so nicely and could hit with that right/set in an instant. Pryor was indeed a talent to behold.

[Rusty Tromboni]

Great post! It's an ammy fight that's as good asthe rpo's.


I wonder what Eubank Jr. would say about himself after seeing this? It might temper him a bit, after last night.


On aside note: this was an amateur fight, but it shows how much Hearns improved as he aged. While the Hagler-Hearns fight very much was a "real" fight - it is the epitome of a Professional Boxing match. It is very similar to the amateur match between Pryor and Hearns for me. The Hagler-Hearns fight was the high water mark of hagler's career, but Tommy kept developing as a fighter and continued to stack up the achievements. Eventually he eclipsed Hagler, just like he eclipsed Pryor.

[ShoulderRoll]

I would have loved to have seen Aaron Pryor vs Julio Cesar Chavez.

[SheenLantern]

Incredible! It's tragic how much precious footage like this has been lost to history.

[GhostofDempsey]

Great find! I can see where Hearns really grew and evolved as a fighter since his amateur days. Pryor seemed to have peaked earlier with solid fundamentals. Looked like Henry Armstrong in there. Thanks for sharing!

[VegasMichael]

Two of my favorite fighters from the 80s. Wish the Pryor-Ray Leonard fight had happened.

[Rspen46]

I agree all great or excellent fighters and showmen, Pryor was definitely ready for the Pros right here in this fight, but Hearns, still far from being the Hitman, as Pro Pryor was downed several times by much lesser punchers, if he had fought hearns, I see it going the way of the duran-hearns fight, Leonard outboxes him, that's why Pryor and his people turned down 2 offers from leonard and let 1 expire from duran as he moved up to WW, they wanted to remain Champ as long as Possible and keep winning against lesser fighters, and try to cash in on 1 huge payday to finish it all, but he kept turning legit offers down, if his people thought he the best you accept the $750,000 from Leonard and duran, both offered that, and you beat them, then your the one making the offers and getting the bigger money, but they knew, they had to get that money because they were not that confident in winning, maybe aaron thought so, but no one in his camp were, they knew his limitations, weak chin, dumber than a rock, so no ring generalship, poor balance, no defense and all offense and fighting while pumped up with the crap they fed into his body to keep him standing as long as they could, he never fought 1 decent fighter in their Prime in his division, NOT 1, he even somehow managed to avoid Saul mamby the other JWW champ for nearly 2 years, Pryors people kept coming up with excuses why not to fight, you can say now, yes Pryor probably beats him, but at the time, Mamby had put together several excellent wins and was a savy veteran boxer, although no power, they wanted no part of his boxing skills at that time, Pryor beats him in my opinion and should have added the other JWW title, but he ran from him, as he did by rejecting leonards offers and not taking durans, he fought Arguello, over 30, again, near the end of his career, not at the end, but his best weight was JLW, very good LW and still without the drugs he beats Pryor at JWW, but again, not a Prime fighter at JWW, pryor ran from the Lw division which was stacked then, to the worst division in boxing, there is a reason for this, so he could be champ, make a living for his People, his entourage, his people around him, and stay champ by fighting bums, not a single legit guy in his prime at jww, LOL!,