Aaron Pryorwas an American professional boxer who competed from 1976 to 1990.
He was a two time light welterweight world champion, having held the
WBA title from 1980 to 1983, and the IBF tile from 1984 to 1985. Additionally,
he held the Ring magazine title from 1983 to 1986.
In 1982, the
Boxing Writers Association of America named Pryor as their Fighter
of the Year. Pryor was inducted into the International Boxing Hall
of Fame in 199, and in 1999 was voted by the Associated Press as the
world's best light welterweight of the 20th century. In 2002, he was
ranked as the 35th greatest boxer of the past 80 years by The Ring.
Pryor
was best known for his two knockout victories against the great Alexis
Arguello. Pryor however, had a career about more than just those two
famous fights.
A superb puncher with speed and skills, Pryor
had a standout amateur career highlighted by a win against all-time
great Thomas Hearns in the 1976 National Golden Gloves finals.
Pryor
had just missed the chance to represent his country at the 1976 Olympics
in Montreal and instead was on the team as a back-up, and no doubt
he watched Howard Davis Jr. and Sugar Ray Leonard win gold medals
with a gnawing sense that it should have been him up there defeating
the Cubans and Russians.
Born in Cincinnati in 1955, Pryor was
managed by Cincinnati businessman Buddy LaRosa, who made a fortune
as a pizza restaurant owner. Fighting primarily in Cincinnati and
the surrounding region, Pryor raced to a 24-0 record by mid 1980.
Then he got a shot at 140 pound world champion Antonio Cervantes.
For the legendary Colombian, it was a huge mistake, he never
stood a chance. Pryor took full advantage of the opportunity, unleashing
all of his pent up rage and overwhelming the veteran. He went on to
stop Cervantes in the fourth round to win the WBA version of the junior
welterweight world title.
Pryor signed to face Sugar Ray Leonard
for the undisputed welterweight championship in the fall of 1982 for
$750,000. But before fighting Pryor, Leonard first has to defend his
title against Roger Stafford in Buffalo, New York, on May 14, 1982.
The Sunday before that bout, Pryor was driving to Buffalo from his
Cincinnai home to taunt Leonard and hype their planned bout. Pryor
heard on his car radio the news that Leonard had suffered a detached
retina in his left eye and the fight was off. "I pulled off to the
side of the road and I cried," Pryor said. Leonard retired six months
later.
In March 1984, Pryor announced that he was going to fight
again. "I never really retired. I just rested," Pryor said. "I vacated
the title because the WBA insisted I defend it every six months."
The newly formed IBF immediately recognized him as their world champion.
Shortly
before Pryor made his comeback, his proposed multimillion dollar fight
with WBA lightweight champion Ray Mancini fell through when Mancini
was knocked out by Livingstone Bramble on June 1, 1984. "Aaron Pryor
actually cried," said Bob Arum. "I saw tears."