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even though Aaron Pryor is regarded as one of the greatest fighters ever, Tommy Hearns fought so many great fighters, yet he maybe does not have the big win which Aaron had. Tommy and Aaron also won their first world titles on the same day. August 2, 1980. Tommy beat Cueves and Aaron beat Cervantes.
Its hard to say, but Hearns did outbox Leonard, dominate Duran(including a devastating ko), and hurt Hagler during their fight... he was good, but so was Pryor who was a force to be reckoned with... their amateur fight was amazing, and Aaron won that pretty clearly IMO.
Pryor
HEARNS
Pryor was great, but he didn't fight the same kind of legends that Hearns did, and the one time he did fight a great fighter there will always be the contraversy that comes with it... Besides beating Arguello at that point was no more of a feat than Hearns beating Duran, not to mention his achievements aside from that which Pryor can't match... For anyone who hasn't seen their amatuer fight it's a good one, and should still be on youtube.. IMO Hearns would have killed him in the pros once he grew into his power... In the amatuers, namely this fight, Hearns fought off the back foot alot more, he didn't have anywhere near the firepower he did as a pro and couldn't keep Pryor off of him.. He definetly lost clearly, but at the same time didn't have any trouble lining up and landing his right hand.. He just didn't have the pop then.
He also beat another BRILLIANT fighter in Antonio Cervantes!!
Thomas Hearns is greater hands down. Pryor could have been in the Hearns category had he kept on fighting. I am not sure why this was asked. Hearns had the longer career.
Pryor-Arguello,Cervantes
Hearns-Cueves,Leonard(2 times),Benitez,Duran,Hagler,Barkley,Hill-Welt-Cruiser
Hearns vs. Pryor in the amatuers was Hearns 17 years old or so and Pryor 20 years old. Would have been great to see them fight as professionals.
Pryor fought Arguello twice too. Anyway if it wasn't for cocaine Pryor never would have lost a fight and would have done more. And Hearns lost to Leonard and Hagler and Barkley and did he lose to Virgil Hill? I forget.Quote:
Originally Posted by EverlastReyes
Pryor was in Hearns' category and surpassed to an extent. Pryor was something super natural. :)
He was trained by Manny Stewart too for the Arguello rematch.
Hearns beat Virgil Hill when Hill had 10 title defenses and he beat Cueves when Cueves had 10 title defenses, and he beat Wilfred Benitez when Wilfred had only one loss to Leonard. Knocked out Duran. ... My opinion is that Hearns is greater.. Just on the amount of great fighters he fought. Saying had Pryor not gotten into cocaine is not saying he is greater than Hearns. There are guys out there now who would have been great fighters but got into cocaine before even getting into the pros. Pryor is more of a case where we say he beat Arguello twice and Cervantes and look how much he could have done. Hearns is a case where he did fight everyone and we have those fights to rate him. We have more to rate Hearns by than Pryor. Potential wise Pryor would have had a great career had he just stayed clean. I would have loved to see him fight and beat Mancini. Rosario/Pryor would have been interesting. Duran/Pryor? I think Roberto takes Pryor.
thomas hearns wins this by the length of ron jeremy's penis
:coolclick: welcome on board! It is true what you say IMO if Pryor had faught Duran, Leonard and Hagler he would of had more looses on his record then what he retired with. Leonard would UD him, Duran would be a WAR but i give the edge to Roberto and Hagler would be too big for Pryor and may even stop him late on.Quote:
Originally Posted by EverlastReyes
Leonard didn't want to fight Pryor for whatever reason. And he was a Lightweight how was he going to fight Hagler?
I like Aaron Pryor from what I've seen on the TV whether he could have beaten Hearns. I think so. He would be able to take Hearns's punches, but would Hearns take his?
Pryor was not known to have that great a chin, with Arguello he seemed to improve his chin, although remember that Arguello was at 140 pounds here. If this fight were a 130 pound Arguello vs Pryor, Arguello would have won.
Same advantages for Arguello was there for Pryor, hit harder and was faster. Same fight basically and Pryor would have won it.Quote:
Originally Posted by LegendBoxing65
I am not sure I see that. Pryor was good and he beat Arguello in 140 and really beat him up, but his ability to take the punches were what kept him in that fight. He shouldn't have been able to absorb those right hands. At 130 I doubt he would have. Arguello lost a little power moving up to 135 and then alot to 140. I remember seeing Arguello in a comeback in the mid 80s where he fought Billy Costello. Maybe I am wrong. I think he knocked out Costello in 4, and then never fought again.
and I am not talking about the one which was mixed. I always thought that was nonsense.
Pryor was unbeatable at 135 so if they fought at 35 Pryor would take him.
I would pick Arguello at 130 but by decision and any other weight class above that Pryor beats him.
Hearns was greater...Pryor has 1 name on his record....The Hitman fought Greats and beat some too
Would have loved to see them fight though, that would have been great....Pryor would have got DROPPED in a hurry
Hearns would have beaten him early.I never thought highly of Pryor his best win was beating a past his best S/ feather I had the vidio of there Amatuer fight it was man against boy. As pros the odds would have been reversed
Hearns easily. Pryor's drug habits prevented him from being greater
This fight is interesting just because both guys were amatuer stars and became legends. Hearns fought everyone and had the full career most guys want. Pryor didn't last as long and who is greater? A guy who has 2 legends Cervantes/Arguello on his record, or a guy who has Cueves/Leonard/Benitez/Duran/Hagler/Hill/Barkley and who was first man to win titles in 4 and 5 weight divisions. Hearns had more perseverance than Pryor and lived better. Give him credit for that. The man was determined.
But hearns lost to thise greats in his biggest moments in the sun and Pryor beat Arguello and Cervantes in only his second fight at that weight didn't he?Quote:
Originally Posted by EverlastReyes
Quote:
Originally Posted by Majesty
Hearns lost to who? Leonard and Hagler, and those fights were great. There is still Cueves,Benitez,Duran, Hill and Barkley on that record, and the second fight with Leonard. Pryor beat up on a smaller guy in Arguello and Cervantes is sort of a legend. Hearns fought and beat legends. It is a no-brainer who is the greater fighter. Hearns fight clips are legendary. Pryor's film clip is one fight.
But hearns lost to thise greats in his biggest moments in the sun and Pryor beat Arguello and Cervantes in only his second fight at that weight didn't he?
this question has no wrong or right answer......there is strong facts for either side.....I can't choose...
....the answer is obvious Tommy Hearns!Quote:
Originally Posted by THE Bigragu
There are your reasons
Quote:
Originally Posted by EverlastReyes
if you are trying to compare Hagler and Hearns it would be hard to compare who is greater, but Pryor and Hearns is easy. Hearns gave us a whole decade and then some. He beat Cueves in 1980 and then 20 title fights later Virgil Hill. And since I mentioned Hagler.. just because Hagler beat Hearns at Hagler's natural weight does not mean he is necessarily greater than Hearns. Hagler fought Duran/Leonard/Hearns. Hearns fought Hagler/Duran/Leonard/Hill/Cueves/Benitez. you make the call. Hearns has the potential to be seen as greater in that he fought more legends than Hagler did. Maybe I am crazy for saying this.. by the way, I messed up my messages since I do not know how to use this site yet. I tried pasting.
Pryor had so many fights available to him at the time. Why the legends of the welts didn't fight him I am not sure. Duran and Hearns and Leonard all could have fought him, but they were busy with each other. Leonard vs. Pryor would have been a Split win for Ray I think Pryor had a great style ,but Ray was more polished.
I think Sugar Ray Leonard would have knocked out Aaron. Can you imagine what a great fight the Chavez of 1989 would have been fighting Aaron Pryor of 1983?Those are matchups we can only dream about. That is why the Hagler/Hearns matchup of 1985 was so good, it was that sort of matchup which came true.
wow!!!
IMO.... You can't compare them in the sense of asking who greater cause they were BOTH great in their repsective divisions.
To put them side by side and compare is unfair to either fighter.....
I say they were both GREAT.....
IF I had to side with one then you have to go with Hearns due to whom he fought and the divisions at which he accomplished a belt.
fine.....gotta go with Hearns if your going to bring out those facts...:)Quote:
Originally Posted by Lyle
pryor was excellent fighter and person that said arguello was past his prime thats not true arguello fought his heart out pryor was just to relentless for arguello but of course pryor would of lost to tommy in pros tommy is like welterweight middleweight ect pryor was lightweight and jnr welterweight if we are talking about achievements and who they fought hearns by a mile
i would of loved to of seen ray mancini vs aaron pryor
I have to go with Hearns. His career lasted longer so we were able to see him face the best, even if he didn't beat all of them. Pryor sadly lost his career to an opponent it took him way to many years to conquer, drugs.
IceCold. That was the fight which was going to be signed had Mancini made it past Bramble. Funny how Mancini looked better when he fought Camacho in 1989 than he did in 1984.. Then he had that disastrous fight in Reno with Haugen in 1992. vs. Pryor I think Mancini would have been beaten up badly after fireworks in rounds 1-3
Quote:
Originally Posted by Majesty
Pryor never faced a man who hit like Hearns.....It is hard to say...
Pryor did havea hell of a jaw though........
Tommy is more accomplished than Pryor but other than that it is a toss up...I don't see Pryor being able to fight and be successful in as many divisions as Tommy did
Hi there, I keep hearing about fighters like this Antonio Carvantes, Willie Pep, ect, but I have no idea where I could go to see footage of these older bouts. Where did you happen to see them?Quote:
Originally Posted by Starr
I'd have to say Tommy Hearns. There's nothing wrong with pryor, he's a great fighter too, but the original Hitman was incredible, exciting, dominant and fearless, and was in the most exciting and unbelivable fights of all times. Pryor vs Arguello is a great fight too, but nothing compares to Hagler vs Hearns.
Hearns did have the resume of a great fighter. Pryor does not.
Hearns. He has the better resuME and as good as their amateur bout sounds,it would have no relevance to a fight in the pros,it's completely different. Pryonr did not beat anywhere near the amount of names Heanrns did and the first win over Arguello is tainted imo because of that shady drink he had and then he all of a sudden had a BURST of energy and won,Arguello was beating his ass until that point,nearly snapped his neck out of place with the power and accuracy of his punches.
pryor was winning quite comfortably in my book even without the drink he always has burst of energy he can fight at frantic pace like that watch 2nd arguello no one really knows about drink or ect all i know is pryor always fought frantic pace in every fight and in my opinion he had arguellos number there is no shame in losing to a great fighter like pryor plus pryor changed his tactic in first arguello fight if u watch documentary he said arguello expected me to keep swinging swinging and pryor said he knew he wouldnt be able to beat him that way and started to box after that can i just ask what your scorecard was after 14 rounds because i felt pryor was winning quite comfortably by about 3 or 2 roundsQuote:
Originally Posted by El Gamo