Floyd Mayweather built his legend on the belief that no boxer from any era could solve him. But one trainer who shared the ring on the opposite side insists there was an American fighter from the 1980s who would have done exactly that.
Freddie Roach once did everything in his power to guide Oscar De La Hoya to victory over Mayweather in their May 2007 super-fight.
Mayweather ultimately prevailed despite the best efforts of the “Golden Boy” and his corner, then went on to further enhance his legacy with wins over Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto, Canelo Alvarez and Manny Pacquiao before retiring with a perfect 50-0 record.
Mayweather’s defensive genius was rarely breached, but in an interview with Boxing Social, Roach was asked how he believed Mayweather would have fared against 1980s star Aaron “The Hawk” Pryor. His answer was emphatic.
“Floyd was a very good boxer in his day but Aaron Pryor was better. I’m gonna go with Aaron Pryor all day long.”
Pryor is best remembered for his two ferocious encounters with Alexis Arguello, where his relentless pressure and superior firepower eventually overwhelmed the revered Nicaraguan technician.
An all-time great at super-lightweight, Pryor combined exquisite skill with unyielding aggression and the kind of power that could alter a fight in an instant. A two-time Golden Gloves champion — the second secured with a victory over Thomas Hearns — Pryor narrowly missed out on selection for the 1976 US Olympic team.
Outside the ring, Pryor battled personal demons, including drug addiction, and later served time in prison. Born on October 20, 1955, he passed away just 11 days short of his 61st birthday in 2016.
It is that ceaseless pressure, physical intensity and refusal to give ground that explains Roach’s conviction — the very traits that troubled Arguello, he believes, might also have posed the ultimate test for boxing’s most elusive defensive master.
