Hearns/leonard 1 might have been the best matchup in history amongst fighters at their best and being possibly the best ever at the welter on the same night.
@joeygonzo Benitez wasn't in the same catagory even though he was amazing defensive.Power hitters would have beaten benitez,davey moore and hilton both ko'd benitez and hearns came close in the 6th round.
@joeygonzo He injured his leg cause he took a right hand that dropped him and temporarily put him in a coma just enough time to have no control over protecting the leg as he fell.He was knocked out for a half a second which caused the leg to buckle under his subconcioius state! He couldnt take a punch,that was his weakness in putting him in the top 5 of all time at welter.Same problem with Lennox Lewis.He loses the top 5 spot because of his below average chin for a heavyweight.
wow great to see these 2 fighters in the ring together. As usual Tommy gives you a great fight even at such a young age. Tommy's 2 biggest flaws were his chin and his stamina. But you could never question his heart.
@connymat yes, of course he was a killer at 147, he was ridiculously tall for a welter and he had explosive hitting power., but he was fragile, we can´t work against the physics , he was too tall for 147 pounds. it is because he never had a good chin
@connymat My friend,hearns as a pro,would ko Pryor 10 times in a row.It wouldnt be any harder then how he ko'd duran.Pryors style and short size plays right into hitmans power as a pro,not amateur.Big difference.
@combatesdeboxeo Dundee once quoted hearns was the greatest welter in history.Only a leonard at welter had the chance,perhaps robinson also,but thats just about it!
I agree that a prime Hearns KO's a prime Pryor. Here, it looks like Pryor's body was almost fully developed whereas Hearns wouldn't be until he was really at 154. So I guess, a prime Pryor would have never fought a prime hearns. Furthermore, Pryor's ability didn't develope much from here whereas Hearns would become more of a sharpshooter!!!
If you see Arguello nailing Pryor with huge right crosses and uppercuts and visibly shaking Aaron, you can tell no way he survives Tommy's right cross.
Tommy's right cross would be 2 times harder and faster. Ask Duran and Cuevas. :-)
@fsaari1985 No,the difference in hearns power and below average chin ,was better suited as a welter.Hearns power started to diminish on the effects of the heavier guys in the super middle and middle weights.As a welter,his chin was better vs 145 lbers then fighting the 154 pounders.And his right hand would ko anyone fighting at 145,including floyd,manny,chavez,delahoya,We saw the best hearns as a welter,unfortunately it was a prime leonard on his best night.
Pryor is one of if not the most underated fighter I have ever seen fight, he had a ton of skill he could box as good as anybody he just chose to fight and why not when you are one of the 5 best offensive fighters of all time.
Pryor would have knocked out Hearns. Hearns would have not been able to use his reach because Pryor would have been in his chest the whole short fight. Sugar Ray also ducked Pryor. He wanted no parts of him. Pryor challenged Leonard on national tv and Leonard played him off cause he knew he could not beat him.
@joeygonzo not true. He didn't make it past the olympic trials, while Leonard and the others did. He was really pissed off and depressed about that. His style was just better suited for pro fighting.
was this gold gloves, olympic trials or what? what year was this, also possibly, what is locale? also, i always thought amateurs wore headgear, what's up with these two not wearing it? thanks for any help.
Aaron Pryor would have destroyed Ray Leonard, to bad Leonard did everything to aviod the fight. it would have been a great match. what a pussy Leonard was.
Joeygonzo - you are correct - it was Rocky Lockridge who was on A&E and needed the intervention. Sorry for the confusion. Good to know the Hawk is cleaned up.
Loved both of these dudes, like Hagler they had the skills but were also warriors. I saw Pryor on an episode of Intervention on A & E. Very painful to see as the Hawk was in tough shape.
@carlitoboxing7 Aaron Pryor was a very underatted fighter.........In his prime he is obviously one of the best ever.........For the same reason Hearns lost to Hagler....he could not handle Pryor either.......Pryor would have always had Hearns number and Leonard ducked Pryor his whole career.......
@raiderz1111 How? Aaron started his career at 135 and spent the rest at junior welter, and Pryor was only 5'6. SRR was 5'11 and would have boxed Pryor's ears off and been way too strong for him. Sugar Ray Robinson's absolute prime was 147 , but he still considered the greatest middleweight of all time as well.
love aaron pryor he works out down at the findley street neighborhood house wit me ravea springs and even his old sparring budd daryl hasaan or 'P man" in ohio but jus little work outs not actual boxin but hes a brillant man when it comes to boxiin him an his son have made so much better lov fo the house always
I noticed that Hearns' combinations are slower than when he turned pro!!!! If anyone have the first 2 years of Hearns' career I would like to see those early fights!! I have his fight with Alfonso Hayman and the fights after that!! Dont have any fights of his before then.
In this amateur fight Pryor was much closer to his full physical maturity on his way to becoming a pro than Hearns, Hearns took time to develope, Physically Duran and Pryor and Cuevas and such fighters, were all a Physical mismatch when they faced hearns, his reach would have Knocked Pryor out, Arguello would have knocked him if Panama Lewis had not had him on something illegal and powerful
he could be put down with a big punch, and he was several times by lesser fighters, but came back, and their power was nothing compared to the matured Hearns, no way Pryor beats him as a pro, good fight yes, but it ends early the way of Duran and also Cuevas against hearns, Pryor was also not the defensive fighter Leonard was nor as fast, even though he had fast hands.
It's a joke for anyone to think Pryor could take hearns, after hearns matured as a solid pro, he would have done to Pryor what he did to Duran, and Duran's chin was much better than Pryor's, I am from cincinnati, I saw every fight Pryor had,
Looks like Hearns hadn't learned to use his leverage yet, which he did under the guidance of Emanuel Steward, otherwise this fight may have ended with Pryor being knocked out. Just my opinion.
@joeygonzo Pryor was a great fighter for sure, but the post-Emanuel Steward Hearns was a wrecking machine! However if Pryor could neutralize Hearns' reach as Leonard did and fight from the inslide, he would win, and most likely by knockout.
@TimeStrider I dont know Strider, I have seen good chins, but like Aaron's... very few. I still would say that is close but I will or would have jumped on Pryor's ship anyways. G-d bless.
@TimeStrider the thing with tommy was, he always could bang (apparently he used to drop sparring partners at 17) but when it came to actually competing he never used to stalk but really stick and move, he just didnt sit on his punches in the ams, i think he had somethign like 5 kos in the amateurs of of easily a hundred fights (cant remrmebr exact stats but its in his biography)
@TimeStrider steward took out a loan to support tommy hearns growing up. kronks on the east side and thats where tommy from. He was still a boy and pryor was a 30 year old man how he looked. Sal Sanchez woulda popped both these guys at this weight
@carmodifire We could sure use another one. To me Hearns was a physical marvel. To be that tall and that lean and then to still have that KO power. WOW. Good luck to you.
u got to b a real boxin fan to knw that even amateur fights back n tha day had no head gear.. love this MMA is koo but i kan deal wit out tha wrestlin on tha ground. This how u get down lol
i got to b a real boxin fan to knw that even amateur fights back n tha day had no head gear.. love this MMA is koo but i kan deal wit out tha wrestlin on tha ground. This how u get down lol
Duran vs Pryor is the fight I would have wanted to see that never happened but should have, duran could have taken pryor's power and out boxed him and eventually won either by late TKO or decision. but it would have been awesome, watch Hearns vs Duran and Hearns Cuevas, u will see what it would have been like for Pryor to fight a mature well seaonsed champ in Hearns as a pro.
@rspen461 Pryor couldn't get fights when he first became pro because he was a scary matchup. A lot of people forget that. Supposedly after beating Arguello, Pryor wanted to fight Leonard. Leonard didn't make any effort to make that fight happen, but it's just a rumor. Duran-Pryor would have been awesome, but I like Pryor. Leonard lost, but he wasn't like Pryor. Pryor was a machine that I haven't seen replicated since. Goddamn drug addiction never gave us these great fights we talk about.
@HeavyD2544 it would be nice to have seen the fights that were possible, look at Manny P. and Mayweather now, I was from Cinci and never missed a single Pryor fight, he defintiely was on something in the Arguello fight, who knows what, but it helped, look at the right hand Arguello threw that bent pryors head straight back, and it did not faze him, Pryor was known for being put down in fights, but would get back up, and Arguello hit harder than anyone else that he had fougth.
@HeavyD2544 So I think whatever he was on that fight, kept him standing from that punch, without drugs, I think Arguello beats Pryor, sot herefore, I would have to take Duran over Pryor, after the fight Pryor rambled like a drunken or drug high idiot, he wasnt that smart anyway, but he was high on something that juiced him up for that fight that Lewis concocted for him, I beleive that and other drug use is what kept him from hardly ever fighting again, it's sad, he was awesome,
@HeavyD2544 Look at the lightweight fights when Pryor was at that weight we would love to have seen,
Kenty, Watt, Davis Jr., R. Gonzalez, Mancini, Haugen, O'grady, Ganigan, Rosario, Bramble, Ramirez, Arroyo, Blake, Camach, Paul, Boza-Edward, T. Ali, I can't believe all these excellent tough guys, all avoided Pryor, I think Pryor also either avoided or was guided away from many of them, and Pryor may not have won them all, because he could be hurt and put down, but what fights.
@rspen461 No, you're taking what I said the wrong way. When he first became pro, he couldn't get many fights from other good prospects. He was a very dominant amateur fighter who choked in the finals for the 76 olympic team. He ended up being an alternate. I never said he was unbeatable, but his reputation as a machine gun type fighter meant he would make life miserable for any opponent. People hate dealing with guys that are boxers who can brawl too. Arguello and Pryor showed that.
@HeavyD2544 Oh no sorry, didnt take it that way at all, just was adding some comments, Pryor was awesome, he hit hard with both hands, quick, fast, agressive, but he did have trouble with being put down and many times by nobodies, I went back to around 80-84 an looked at the LW top 10 each year, it was loaded, but look at the records of those guys, very few ever fought each other, what fights there could have been, also how about Pipino Cueavas and Pryor meeting at an agreed weight.
@rspen461 You know Hilmer Kenty beat Sugar Ray Leonard in amateurs once, but his eye injury shortened a great career, even Mancini vs Pryor, Mancini would have been killed but what a short battle it could have been, Hearns would have done to Pryor what he did to Duran & Cuevas as pros, Hearns had not matured in that amateur bout, Chavev vs Pryor, just awesome, but I do believe these great super punchers would have knocked pryor out. oh well take care, nice posting here with you
No way in hell Hearns knocks out the Hawk. You forget Pryor had a helluva punch also and a nice slip an balance game. I believe Pryor only had on or two pro losses and ninety percent of his fights ended in a knockout. So Hearns chin would have got checked in. Hearns or Sugar Ray was not in a Rush to fight Pryor.
He got knocked down because he was a very aggressive fighter that through multiple punches from various angles. He lost once at the end of his career. With a higher knockout rate than Hearns. Hearns always showed that if you stayed inside his chest and range, he could be knocked out (i.e Leonard, Hagler, Pryor as an amateur) Pryor was a pressure fighter that hit extremely hard and fought on the inside very well. Do your homework.
@rspen461 That's very true and do agree with a lot of the stuff you said too. I'm not so sure he ducked anyone, cause Panama Lewis was scumbag manager. I would imagine he had a lot to with Pryor not getting some of those fights. I wish I had seen more of Pipino Cueavas. I heard he was an impressive fighter, but I'm a lot more familiar with Arguello. I know he lost to Hearns and Duran, but I haven't seen those fights. Not sure how I missed em, but I've heard about them.
I'm not puttin Pryor down, but he could not have Beaten hearns in the pros, or leonard, Hilmer Kenty beat pryor as an amateur, but in pro, I would bet pryor would knock Kenty out, amateur fights mean nothing, once you become pro.
This was obviously way before hearns fully matured, you can tell Physically Pryor is closer to maturity than Hearns, by the time Hearns was Champ, he would have destroyed Pryor, as he did Roberto Duran and Cuevas, and against Arguello Pryor was definitely on something that helped him win, Arguello rocked him and he never felt it, yet against lesser fighters, Pryor was at least knocked down, the Arguello right bent Pryors head straight back, and it didnt phase him, cause he was on something
@rspen461 yeah hearbs was not much if an athlete during his amateur years. Really lanky and no power in his fists. Good technically though. But even steward was amazed when tommy became a man. Once he was outta his teens, his power came. Hearns is a bit of a late bloomer
@POTATER1228 I read some where that Manny Steward taught Hearns to sit down on his punches properly to get power. He went from having no power to becoming arguable the hardest punching Welter Weight/Middle Weight of all Time. I think it had just as much to do with power punching technique as it does with him becoming a man.
@JcLeopard Oh no doubt. Tommy always had amazing technique, but his athletic ability at the time was pathetic. Steward trained him to be an amazing boxer to survive and win in the amateurs. Steward was deeply suprised wehn Tommy grew some muscle on his bones and was able to hit hard. Even without Technique tommy would have been a hard hitter, but his superb techniqual skill and use of his leverage drastically increased it and made him the dameous hitman we see today
@JcLeopard I think Marvin Hagler was the hardest hitting Middleweight of all time. He has the highest percentage of knockouts of any middleweight. Hitman is up there though.
Hearns/leonard 1 might have been the best matchup in history amongst fighters at their best and being possibly the best ever at the welter on the same night.
fadethetrade 6 days ago
@fadethetrade
That and Leonard-Benitez when they were both undefeated.
joeygonzo 6 days ago
@joeygonzo Benitez wasn't in the same catagory even though he was amazing defensive.Power hitters would have beaten benitez,davey moore and hilton both ko'd benitez and hearns came close in the 6th round.
fadethetrade 5 days ago
@fadethetrade
True but Benitez injured his leg against Davey Moore.
Benitez had no business fighting Hilton at 160. He was washed-up by then.
Btw, Benitez is the only man ever to have made more money against Leonard in a fight.
Leonard was the money man. Everyone took a smaller check against him. Even Hagler.
joeygonzo 5 days ago
@joeygonzo He injured his leg cause he took a right hand that dropped him and temporarily put him in a coma just enough time to have no control over protecting the leg as he fell.He was knocked out for a half a second which caused the leg to buckle under his subconcioius state! He couldnt take a punch,that was his weakness in putting him in the top 5 of all time at welter.Same problem with Lennox Lewis.He loses the top 5 spot because of his below average chin for a heavyweight.
fadethetrade 5 days ago
great insight
Nicolandime 1 week ago
wow great to see these 2 fighters in the ring together. As usual Tommy gives you a great fight even at such a young age. Tommy's 2 biggest flaws were his chin and his stamina. But you could never question his heart.
TheMalibujoe 3 weeks ago
MAN LOOK AT HIS LEGS... 2 SPAGETI LOL
combatesdeboxeo 3 weeks ago
HEARNS WAS TOO FRAGILE AT LIGHT WEIGHT, HE WAS SKINNY LIKE A SPAGETTI EVEN AT WELTER... LMAO
combatesdeboxeo 3 weeks ago
@combatesdeboxeo Skinny, but with power..
connymat 3 weeks ago
@connymat with power no, with hitting!!! power, very different, he had hitting power cause he was very fast, but he had no physical strength
combatesdeboxeo 3 weeks ago
@combatesdeboxeo Of course i mean hitting power.. and as long as you have it (speed/hitting power) you dont need extras pounds of mucles..
connymat 3 weeks ago 2
@connymat yes, of course he was a killer at 147, he was ridiculously tall for a welter and he had explosive hitting power., but he was fragile, we can´t work against the physics , he was too tall for 147 pounds. it is because he never had a good chin
combatesdeboxeo 3 weeks ago
@connymat My friend,hearns as a pro,would ko Pryor 10 times in a row.It wouldnt be any harder then how he ko'd duran.Pryors style and short size plays right into hitmans power as a pro,not amateur.Big difference.
fadethetrade 1 week ago
@fadethetrade
I agree. Aaron got nailed by Arguello several times and shook it off.
No way he shakes off Tommy's right cross.
joeygonzo 6 days ago
@combatesdeboxeo Dundee once quoted hearns was the greatest welter in history.Only a leonard at welter had the chance,perhaps robinson also,but thats just about it!
fadethetrade 1 week ago
I agree that a prime Hearns KO's a prime Pryor. Here, it looks like Pryor's body was almost fully developed whereas Hearns wouldn't be until he was really at 154. So I guess, a prime Pryor would have never fought a prime hearns. Furthermore, Pryor's ability didn't develope much from here whereas Hearns would become more of a sharpshooter!!!
fsaari1985 1 month ago
@fsaari1985
I agree.
If you see Arguello nailing Pryor with huge right crosses and uppercuts and visibly shaking Aaron, you can tell no way he survives Tommy's right cross.
Tommy's right cross would be 2 times harder and faster. Ask Duran and Cuevas. :-)
joeygonzo 1 month ago
@fsaari1985 No,the difference in hearns power and below average chin ,was better suited as a welter.Hearns power started to diminish on the effects of the heavier guys in the super middle and middle weights.As a welter,his chin was better vs 145 lbers then fighting the 154 pounders.And his right hand would ko anyone fighting at 145,including floyd,manny,chavez,delahoya,We saw the best hearns as a welter,unfortunately it was a prime leonard on his best night.
fadethetrade 6 days ago
@fadethetrade I think it was better at 154, Hearns starved at 147, and came 2 lbs under the limit against Leonard 1
carmodifire 1 day ago
Pryor is one of if not the most underated fighter I have ever seen fight, he had a ton of skill he could box as good as anybody he just chose to fight and why not when you are one of the 5 best offensive fighters of all time.
I would do just love to see Pryor Vs. Pacquiao.
allthingsarelikethis 1 month ago
Pryor would have knocked out Hearns. Hearns would have not been able to use his reach because Pryor would have been in his chest the whole short fight. Sugar Ray also ducked Pryor. He wanted no parts of him. Pryor challenged Leonard on national tv and Leonard played him off cause he knew he could not beat him.
ThePoob 2 months ago
@ThePoob I think Pryor would have been beaten by Hearns as a pro. Look at what Hearns did to Duran. Nuff said ;)
CoffeeBeatsTea 1 month ago
@CoffeeBeatsTea
I think so too.
Remember Arguello tagged Pryor a few times but Pryor shook it off.
I don't think he would have shaken Tommy's right cross.
joeygonzo 1 month ago
Hearns as a welter would have ko'd pryor in 2.
fadethetrade 2 months ago
This was a golden gloves bout. Aaron Pryor needed to turn pro to make a living so he did not fight to get to the olympics.
Headgear only became mandatory starting in the 1984 LA Olympics. No white stripes on these gloves either.
joeygonzo 2 months ago
@joeygonzo not true. He didn't make it past the olympic trials, while Leonard and the others did. He was really pissed off and depressed about that. His style was just better suited for pro fighting.
k4n31985 1 month ago
@k4n31985
Thanks.
I thought Hawk had to turn pro early. I vaguely remember Ray Leonard's interview on why he didn't fight Pryor.
Mike Tyson was on the same boat then when he was robbed against Tillman.
joeygonzo 1 month ago
@joeygonzo Yeah. Although if I remember correctly he won a medal at the junior olympics, knocking everyone out.
k4n31985 1 month ago
@k4n31985 Tyson, that is.
k4n31985 1 month ago
@k4n31985
Tyson at the olympic trials in Colorado ?
joeygonzo 1 month ago
was this gold gloves, olympic trials or what? what year was this, also possibly, what is locale? also, i always thought amateurs wore headgear, what's up with these two not wearing it? thanks for any help.
mistermattmoose 2 months ago
Wow Pryor was amazing. Too bad he wasted his career. What I want to know is who were the 6 animals who beat Pryor. LOL
xmanrules2001 2 months ago
I think as pros the "Hawk" in his prime would of wasted Hearns!
MrRaiderfan1000 2 months ago
what a future these guys had in store for them... classic video... thanks for posting!! a combined 236-12 before this bout....holy smokes!
frankmahovolich 2 months ago
what a future these guys had in store for them... classic video... thanks for posting!!
frankmahovolich 2 months ago
Aaron Pryor would have destroyed Ray Leonard, to bad Leonard did everything to aviod the fight. it would have been a great match. what a pussy Leonard was.
nightcbs 3 months ago
Joeygonzo - you are correct - it was Rocky Lockridge who was on A&E and needed the intervention. Sorry for the confusion. Good to know the Hawk is cleaned up.
plymouthgtx1973 3 months ago
Loved both of these dudes, like Hagler they had the skills but were also warriors. I saw Pryor on an episode of Intervention on A & E. Very painful to see as the Hawk was in tough shape.
plymouthgtx1973 3 months ago
@plymouthgtx1973
Was it Pryor or Rocky Lockridge ?
Pryor has been sober and drug free for years.
joeygonzo 3 months ago
I Had NO IDEA these two guys fought!!!!!!
1981TURBOTRANSAM1 4 months ago
Damn, this fight would be a 100.00 pay per view today
rankinnwc 4 months ago
the fight lasted just 3 rounds?
carlitoboxing7 4 months ago
@carlitoboxing7
Amateur rules.
joeygonzo 4 months ago
@carlitoboxing7 Aaron Pryor was a very underatted fighter.........In his prime he is obviously one of the best ever.........For the same reason Hearns lost to Hagler....he could not handle Pryor either.......Pryor would have always had Hearns number and Leonard ducked Pryor his whole career.......
raiderz1111 4 months ago
@raiderz1111
I don't know.
The punch Tommy hit Hagler would have really hurt Pryor.
joeygonzo 4 months ago
True.
sincerekabara 2 months ago
However drugs affect his performance........it hurted his career much more than helped...............
I don't think he is a top 5 boxer if you look at his career
peak and prime if i had to put a list of all-time pound for pound fighter
Pryor would be in my top 5 all time
raiderz1111 4 months ago
@raiderz1111 Pryor's best wins are against an old Cervantes, and a blown up feather/super featherweight Alexis Arguello.
JMDinamitaMarquez 4 months ago
If anybody could give the best boxer all-time Sugar Ray Robinson trouble in his prime
The only man i could think of that could do it would be a motivated Aaron Pryor
That would be my dream fight
and would be the best fight all-time
raiderz1111 4 months ago
@raiderz1111 How? Aaron started his career at 135 and spent the rest at junior welter, and Pryor was only 5'6. SRR was 5'11 and would have boxed Pryor's ears off and been way too strong for him. Sugar Ray Robinson's absolute prime was 147 , but he still considered the greatest middleweight of all time as well.
JMDinamitaMarquez 4 months ago
hearns was just a petty gangster then. He learned and got better, and became a hitman.
carmodifire 4 months ago
MAYBE WATCHING THIS IS WHAT KEPT LEONARD FROM FIGHTING THE HAWK
PhillyGregA 4 months ago 2
Hearns swims with his right here! As a pro-great right hand though!!!
konpoy 5 months ago
Mark Breland smokes them both!...at amateur anyway.
MegaDarryl1960 5 months ago
love aaron pryor he works out down at the findley street neighborhood house wit me ravea springs and even his old sparring budd daryl hasaan or 'P man" in ohio but jus little work outs not actual boxin but hes a brillant man when it comes to boxiin him an his son have made so much better lov fo the house always
mymixedmartialarts51 5 months ago
Would like to see the Tommy's fight at Melvindale High School gym along with the Kronk's other great , Micky Goodwin. Anybody got that ?
OUTDOORSGY09 6 months ago
I noticed that Hearns' combinations are slower than when he turned pro!!!! If anyone have the first 2 years of Hearns' career I would like to see those early fights!! I have his fight with Alfonso Hayman and the fights after that!! Dont have any fights of his before then.
fightmanadvanced 6 months ago
In this amateur fight Pryor was much closer to his full physical maturity on his way to becoming a pro than Hearns, Hearns took time to develope, Physically Duran and Pryor and Cuevas and such fighters, were all a Physical mismatch when they faced hearns, his reach would have Knocked Pryor out, Arguello would have knocked him if Panama Lewis had not had him on something illegal and powerful
rspen461 6 months ago
he could be put down with a big punch, and he was several times by lesser fighters, but came back, and their power was nothing compared to the matured Hearns, no way Pryor beats him as a pro, good fight yes, but it ends early the way of Duran and also Cuevas against hearns, Pryor was also not the defensive fighter Leonard was nor as fast, even though he had fast hands.
rspen461 6 months ago
It's a joke for anyone to think Pryor could take hearns, after hearns matured as a solid pro, he would have done to Pryor what he did to Duran, and Duran's chin was much better than Pryor's, I am from cincinnati, I saw every fight Pryor had,
rspen461 6 months ago
Looks like Hearns hadn't learned to use his leverage yet, which he did under the guidance of Emanuel Steward, otherwise this fight may have ended with Pryor being knocked out. Just my opinion.
TimeStrider 6 months ago
@TimeStrider
The Hawk wouldn't let him get settled. lol
joeygonzo 6 months ago 2
@joeygonzo Pryor was a great fighter for sure, but the post-Emanuel Steward Hearns was a wrecking machine! However if Pryor could neutralize Hearns' reach as Leonard did and fight from the inslide, he would win, and most likely by knockout.
TimeStrider 6 months ago
I agree totally.
sincerekabara 6 months ago
Exactly. Power Punchers need time to set down on their punches.
sincerekabara 2 months ago
@TimeStrider I dont know Strider, I have seen good chins, but like Aaron's... very few. I still would say that is close but I will or would have jumped on Pryor's ship anyways. G-d bless.
sgttorre 6 months ago
@TimeStrider the thing with tommy was, he always could bang (apparently he used to drop sparring partners at 17) but when it came to actually competing he never used to stalk but really stick and move, he just didnt sit on his punches in the ams, i think he had somethign like 5 kos in the amateurs of of easily a hundred fights (cant remrmebr exact stats but its in his biography)
adamcraigmile12 5 months ago
@TimeStrider steward took out a loan to support tommy hearns growing up. kronks on the east side and thats where tommy from. He was still a boy and pryor was a 30 year old man how he looked. Sal Sanchez woulda popped both these guys at this weight
jamesmoneymac92 4 months ago
Respond to this video... Tommy has no defense. thats one thing I always wondered why not put your hands up?
jamesmoneymac92 4 months ago
the person i was named after- Aaron pryor vs my Boxing style Thomas hearnes XD
DeniableAzzy 7 months ago
How much did Hearns weigh? I think he was 6 ft. I'm 6'2 and 135lbs...
carmodifire 8 months ago
@carmodifire remember he was only 17
amensupremera 7 months ago
@amensupremera haha, me too! And my trainer says I have 'wicked legs'-I kick hard. Maybe I can be the next Hearns.
carmodifire 7 months ago
@carmodifire We could sure use another one. To me Hearns was a physical marvel. To be that tall and that lean and then to still have that KO power. WOW. Good luck to you.
amensupremera 6 months ago
Pryor putting on his best joe frazier their for a second.
RapedByRepublicans 8 months ago
Hearns had one ugly right hand back then.
Blake472 8 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
u got to b a real boxin fan to knw that even amateur fights back n tha day had no head gear.. love this MMA is koo but i kan deal wit out tha wrestlin on tha ground. This how u get down lol
fifth314 8 months ago
i got to b a real boxin fan to knw that even amateur fights back n tha day had no head gear.. love this MMA is koo but i kan deal wit out tha wrestlin on tha ground. This how u get down lol
fifth314 8 months ago
I don't know how U found this fight but thank U 4 posting it.
Aaron Pryor is a legend.
itouch4facebook 9 months ago
Arguably two of the most exciting fighters to ever lace up. It's awesome to see them so young.
FSMNoodlyAppendage 9 months ago
AP WAS IN DRUGS
theotherhalfoftheang 10 months ago
Damn, Aaron pryor reminds me of Joe frazier right here.
uglybabashouse2 10 months ago
Great Fight! thanks for letting us view this!!!
SuperBrown789 1 year ago
@SuperBrown789
You're welcome.
joeygonzo 1 year ago
HAWK is a beast i dont know if that was a slip lol
kokid6661 1 year ago
Duran vs Pryor is the fight I would have wanted to see that never happened but should have, duran could have taken pryor's power and out boxed him and eventually won either by late TKO or decision. but it would have been awesome, watch Hearns vs Duran and Hearns Cuevas, u will see what it would have been like for Pryor to fight a mature well seaonsed champ in Hearns as a pro.
rspen461 1 year ago
@rspen461 Pryor couldn't get fights when he first became pro because he was a scary matchup. A lot of people forget that. Supposedly after beating Arguello, Pryor wanted to fight Leonard. Leonard didn't make any effort to make that fight happen, but it's just a rumor. Duran-Pryor would have been awesome, but I like Pryor. Leonard lost, but he wasn't like Pryor. Pryor was a machine that I haven't seen replicated since. Goddamn drug addiction never gave us these great fights we talk about.
HeavyD2544 6 months ago
@HeavyD2544 it would be nice to have seen the fights that were possible, look at Manny P. and Mayweather now, I was from Cinci and never missed a single Pryor fight, he defintiely was on something in the Arguello fight, who knows what, but it helped, look at the right hand Arguello threw that bent pryors head straight back, and it did not faze him, Pryor was known for being put down in fights, but would get back up, and Arguello hit harder than anyone else that he had fougth.
rspen461 6 months ago
@HeavyD2544 So I think whatever he was on that fight, kept him standing from that punch, without drugs, I think Arguello beats Pryor, sot herefore, I would have to take Duran over Pryor, after the fight Pryor rambled like a drunken or drug high idiot, he wasnt that smart anyway, but he was high on something that juiced him up for that fight that Lewis concocted for him, I beleive that and other drug use is what kept him from hardly ever fighting again, it's sad, he was awesome,
rspen461 6 months ago
@HeavyD2544 Look at the lightweight fights when Pryor was at that weight we would love to have seen,
Kenty, Watt, Davis Jr., R. Gonzalez, Mancini, Haugen, O'grady, Ganigan, Rosario, Bramble, Ramirez, Arroyo, Blake, Camach, Paul, Boza-Edward, T. Ali, I can't believe all these excellent tough guys, all avoided Pryor, I think Pryor also either avoided or was guided away from many of them, and Pryor may not have won them all, because he could be hurt and put down, but what fights.
rspen461 6 months ago
@rspen461 No, you're taking what I said the wrong way. When he first became pro, he couldn't get many fights from other good prospects. He was a very dominant amateur fighter who choked in the finals for the 76 olympic team. He ended up being an alternate. I never said he was unbeatable, but his reputation as a machine gun type fighter meant he would make life miserable for any opponent. People hate dealing with guys that are boxers who can brawl too. Arguello and Pryor showed that.
HeavyD2544 6 months ago
@HeavyD2544 Oh no sorry, didnt take it that way at all, just was adding some comments, Pryor was awesome, he hit hard with both hands, quick, fast, agressive, but he did have trouble with being put down and many times by nobodies, I went back to around 80-84 an looked at the LW top 10 each year, it was loaded, but look at the records of those guys, very few ever fought each other, what fights there could have been, also how about Pipino Cueavas and Pryor meeting at an agreed weight.
rspen461 6 months ago
@rspen461 You know Hilmer Kenty beat Sugar Ray Leonard in amateurs once, but his eye injury shortened a great career, even Mancini vs Pryor, Mancini would have been killed but what a short battle it could have been, Hearns would have done to Pryor what he did to Duran & Cuevas as pros, Hearns had not matured in that amateur bout, Chavev vs Pryor, just awesome, but I do believe these great super punchers would have knocked pryor out. oh well take care, nice posting here with you
rspen461 6 months ago
No way in hell Hearns knocks out the Hawk. You forget Pryor had a helluva punch also and a nice slip an balance game. I believe Pryor only had on or two pro losses and ninety percent of his fights ended in a knockout. So Hearns chin would have got checked in. Hearns or Sugar Ray was not in a Rush to fight Pryor.
sincerekabara 6 months ago
@sincerekabara he got knocked down alot and by nobodies and if it was Hearns doing the knock down...Pryor would stay down.
A little knowledge is a deadly thing.
gameboy010203 4 months ago
He got knocked down because he was a very aggressive fighter that through multiple punches from various angles. He lost once at the end of his career. With a higher knockout rate than Hearns. Hearns always showed that if you stayed inside his chest and range, he could be knocked out (i.e Leonard, Hagler, Pryor as an amateur) Pryor was a pressure fighter that hit extremely hard and fought on the inside very well. Do your homework.
sincerekabara 2 months ago
@rspen461 That's very true and do agree with a lot of the stuff you said too. I'm not so sure he ducked anyone, cause Panama Lewis was scumbag manager. I would imagine he had a lot to with Pryor not getting some of those fights. I wish I had seen more of Pipino Cueavas. I heard he was an impressive fighter, but I'm a lot more familiar with Arguello. I know he lost to Hearns and Duran, but I haven't seen those fights. Not sure how I missed em, but I've heard about them.
HeavyD2544 6 months ago
I'm not puttin Pryor down, but he could not have Beaten hearns in the pros, or leonard, Hilmer Kenty beat pryor as an amateur, but in pro, I would bet pryor would knock Kenty out, amateur fights mean nothing, once you become pro.
rspen461 1 year ago
This was obviously way before hearns fully matured, you can tell Physically Pryor is closer to maturity than Hearns, by the time Hearns was Champ, he would have destroyed Pryor, as he did Roberto Duran and Cuevas, and against Arguello Pryor was definitely on something that helped him win, Arguello rocked him and he never felt it, yet against lesser fighters, Pryor was at least knocked down, the Arguello right bent Pryors head straight back, and it didnt phase him, cause he was on something
rspen461 1 year ago
@rspen461 yeah hearbs was not much if an athlete during his amateur years. Really lanky and no power in his fists. Good technically though. But even steward was amazed when tommy became a man. Once he was outta his teens, his power came. Hearns is a bit of a late bloomer
POTATER1228 11 months ago
@POTATER1228 I read some where that Manny Steward taught Hearns to sit down on his punches properly to get power. He went from having no power to becoming arguable the hardest punching Welter Weight/Middle Weight of all Time. I think it had just as much to do with power punching technique as it does with him becoming a man.
JcLeopard 11 months ago
@JcLeopard Oh no doubt. Tommy always had amazing technique, but his athletic ability at the time was pathetic. Steward trained him to be an amazing boxer to survive and win in the amateurs. Steward was deeply suprised wehn Tommy grew some muscle on his bones and was able to hit hard. Even without Technique tommy would have been a hard hitter, but his superb techniqual skill and use of his leverage drastically increased it and made him the dameous hitman we see today
POTATER1228 11 months ago
@JcLeopard I think Marvin Hagler was the hardest hitting Middleweight of all time. He has the highest percentage of knockouts of any middleweight. Hitman is up there though.
HeavyD2544 6 months ago
Ha! Prophetic ? Thanx!!
theonlysaltspring 1 year ago
This is why Leonard and Hearns avoided Pryor(My favorite boxer ever!!!!).
MrBigraw 1 year ago
That sounds like a young Reg Gutteridge commenting.
peaceman1234567 1 year ago
Damn, Pryor whooped ass. I didn't know that.
JDezi4 1 year ago
I had this on a VHS... Wow !! Thanks man !!!
Toracube 2 years ago
too bad pryor turned out to be a coke head!
rich1223 2 years ago
@rich1223 a lot of boxers turn to drugs after their carrers are over look at SRL
theman1819 2 years ago
he was on coke while he was fighting he got caught against Arguello!
rich1223 2 years ago
No, he did not.
He did not get caught against Arguello.
If he were, they'd have reversed the result or make it a no d.
Stop spreading rumors.
joeygonzo 2 years ago 2
@rich1223 Alexis A also turned to drugs, it is not a rare thing
123bigr 4 months ago
what a fight. Real classic, seeing these 2 greats as amateurs. Thanks for posting it
loyaldude10 2 years ago
Welcome
joeygonzo 2 years ago
After watching this fight you have to give Manny stewart credit fo hearns as a pro he was chopping with that right.
jbaby2666 2 years ago
Good shit
boxingfanofthegame 2 years ago
You are wlkm guys
joeygonzo 2 years ago
thanks again
boutbusiness24 2 years ago
thank you. This is a jewel of boxing, nice vid.
rolandoisu 2 years ago
Great post man! Thanks!
wayneBedfre 2 years ago