Aaron Pryor (October 20, 1955 – October 9, 2016) was 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 title from 1984 to 1985. Additionally, he held the Ring magazine title from 1980 to 1983, and the lineal 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 1996, 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.
BoxRec-style profile
- Birth name: Aaron Pryor
- Born: October 20, 1955 — Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
- Died: October 9, 2016 — Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. (aged 60)
- Nationality: American
- Height: 5 ft 6 in (168 cm)
- Reach: 69 in (175 cm)
- Stance: Orthodox
- Pro debut: Nov 12, 1976 (Win by TKO vs Larry Smith)
- Last bout: Dec 4, 1990 (Win by TKO vs Roger Choate)
- Total rounds boxed: 215 (summed from the bout table below)
- Divisions: Light welterweight
- KO percentage: 89.7% (35 KO wins in 39 wins)
- Titles held (major, with reign dates): WBA and The Ring light welterweight titles August 2, 1980 – 1983 (won from Antonio Cervantes; defended against Gaétan Hart, Lennox Blackmoore, Dujuan Johnson, Miguel Montilla, Akio Kameda, Kim Sang-hyun and Alexis Argüello twice, per the bout table); IBF light welterweight title June 22, 1984 – March 2, 1985 (won the inaugural title from Nick Furlano; defended against Gary Hinton in his final title bout, per the bout table) — all dates per the bout table
Record at a glance
- Total bouts: 40
- Wins: 39
- Wins by KO: 35
- Losses: 1
- Losses by KO: 1
- Draws: 0
- No contests: 0
- Born: October 20, 1955 — Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
- Nationality: American
- Height: 5 ft 6 in (168 cm)
- Reach: 69 in (175 cm)
- Stance: Orthodox
- Divisions: Light welterweight
Fight-by-fight record
| No. | Date | Opponent | Result | Method | Round/Time | Venue / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nov 12, 1976 | Larry Smith | Win | TKO | 2 (6), 2:04 | Convention-Exposition Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| 2 | Feb 1, 1977 | Larry Moore | Win | TKO | 3 (6) | Convention Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| 3 | Feb 24, 1977 | Harvey Wilson | Win | TKO | 1 (6), 2:04 | Riverfront Coliseum, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| 4 | Mar 12, 1977 | Nick Wills | Win | KO | 1 | Lincoln Heights, Ohio, U.S. |
| 5 | Mar 26, 1977 | Isaac Vega | Win | KO | 2 (6), 0:48 | Riverfront Coliseum, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| 6 | May 7, 1977 | Jose Resto | Win | UD | 8 | Riverfront Coliseum, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| 7 | Sep 3, 1977 | Melvin Young | Win | KO | 4 (6) | Drawbridge Inn, Covington, Kentucky, U.S. |
| 8 | Oct 7, 1977 | Johnny Summerhays | Win | UD | 8 | Convention-Exposition Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| 9 | Nov 11, 1977 | Angel Cintron | Win | TKO | 3 (8) | Convention-Exposition Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| 10 | Jan 16, 1978 | Robert Tijernia | Win | TKO | 2 (10), 2:25 | Convention-Exposition Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| 11 | Mar 1, 1978 | Ron Pettigrew | Win | TKO | 2 (8), 2:18 | Hara Arena, Dayton, Ohio, U.S. |
| 12 | Mar 10, 1978 | Al Franklin | Win | TKO | 3 (10), 2:58 | Cincinnati Gardens, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| 13 | May 3, 1978 | Scotty Foreman | Win | TKO | 6 (10), 2:15 | Convention Center, Miami Beach, Florida, U.S. |
| 14 | Jul 18, 1978 | Marion Thomas | Win | KO | 8 | Hara Arena, Dayton, Ohio, U.S. |
| 15 | Mar 16, 1979 | Johnny Copeland | Win | KO | 7 (10), 1:42 | Cincinnati Gardens, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| 16 | Apr 13, 1979 | Norman Goins | Win | KO | 9 (10), 2:45 | Cincinnati Gardens, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| 17 | Apr 27, 1979 | Freddie Harris | Win | TKO | 3 (10), 2:55 | Convention Center, Dayton, Ohio, U.S. |
| 18 | May 11, 1979 | Al Ford | Win | TKO | 4 (10), 2:29 | Cincinnati Gardens, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| 19 | Jun 23, 1979 | Jose Fernandez | Win | KO | 1 (10), 0:55 | Cincinnati Gardens, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| 20 | Oct 20, 1979 | Alfonso Frazer | Win | TKO | 5 (10), 2:40 | Riverfront Coliseum, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| 21 | Feb 24, 1980 | Juan Garcia | Win | KO | 1 (10), 0:28 | Tropicana Las Vegas, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. |
| 22 | Mar 16, 1980 | Julio Valdez | Win | TKO | 4 (10) | Jai-Alai Fronton, Miami, Florida, U.S. |
| 23 | Apr 13, 1980 | Leonidas Asprilla | Win | TKO | 10 (10), 2:00 | Municipal Auditorium, Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. |
| 24 | Jun 20, 1980 | Carl Crowley | Win | KO | 1 (10), 2:15 | Cincinnati Gardens, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| 25 | Aug 2, 1980 | Antonio Cervantes | Win | KO | 4 (15), 1:47 | Riverfront Coliseum, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Won WBA and The Ring light welterweight titles |
| 26 | Nov 1, 1980 | Danny Myers | Win | TKO | 3 (10), 0:57 | Hara Arena, Dayton, Ohio, U.S. |
| 27 | Nov 22, 1980 | Gaétan Hart | Win | TKO | 6 (15), 2:09 | Riverfront Coliseum, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained WBA and The Ring light welterweight titles |
| 28 | Jun 27, 1981 | Lennox Blackmoore | Win | TKO | 2 (15), 0:58 | Hacienda, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained WBA and The Ring light welterweight titles |
| 29 | Nov 14, 1981 | Dujuan Johnson | Win | TKO | 7 (15), 1:49 | Public Hall, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained WBA and The Ring light welterweight titles |
| 30 | Mar 21, 1982 | Miguel Montilla | Win | TKO | 12 (15), 0:42 | Playboy Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained WBA and The Ring light welterweight titles |
| 31 | Jul 4, 1982 | Akio Kameda | Win | TKO | 6 (15), 1:44 | Riverfront Coliseum, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained WBA and The Ring light welterweight titles |
| 32 | Nov 12, 1982 | Alexis Argüello | Win | TKO | 14 (15), 1:06 | Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained WBA and The Ring light welterweight titles |
| 33 | Apr 2, 1983 | Kim Sang-hyun | Win | TKO | 3 (15), 0:37 | Sands, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained WBA and The Ring light welterweight titles |
| 34 | Sep 9, 1983 | Alexis Argüello | Win | KO | 10 (15), 1:48 | Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained WBA and The Ring light welterweight titles |
| 35 | Jun 22, 1984 | Nick Furlano | Win | UD | 15 | Varsity Stadium, Toronto, Ontario, Canada — ★ Title fight — Won inaugural IBF light welterweight title |
| 36 | Mar 2, 1985 | Gary Hinton | Win | SD | 15 | Sands, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. — ★ Title fight — Retained IBF light welterweight title |
| 37 | Aug 8, 1987 | Bobby Joe Young | Loss | TKO | 7 (10), 0:29 | Sunrise Musical Theater, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. |
| 38 | Dec 15, 1988 | Herminio Morales | Win | KO | 3 (10), 1:32 | Community War Memorial, Rochester, New York, U.S. |
| 39 | May 16, 1990 | Darryl Jones | Win | KO | 3, 1:15 | Masonic Temple, Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| 40 | Dec 4, 1990 | Roger Choate | Win | TKO | 7 (10), 1:44 | Sheraton Hotel, Norman, Oklahoma, U.S. |
Titles & notes
Major title reigns (start–end): WBA and The Ring light welterweight titles August 2, 1980 – 1983 (won from Antonio Cervantes; defended against Gaétan Hart, Lennox Blackmoore, Dujuan Johnson, Miguel Montilla, Akio Kameda, Kim Sang-hyun and Alexis Argüello twice, per the bout table); IBF light welterweight title June 22, 1984 – March 2, 1985 (won the inaugural title from Nick Furlano; defended against Gary Hinton in his final title bout, per the bout table) — all dates per the bout table
- Aug 2, 1980 vs Antonio Cervantes: Won WBA and The Ring light welterweight titles
- Nov 22, 1980 vs Gaétan Hart: Retained WBA and The Ring light welterweight titles
- Jun 27, 1981 vs Lennox Blackmoore: Retained WBA and The Ring light welterweight titles
- Nov 14, 1981 vs Dujuan Johnson: Retained WBA and The Ring light welterweight titles
- Mar 21, 1982 vs Miguel Montilla: Retained WBA and The Ring light welterweight titles
- Jul 4, 1982 vs Akio Kameda: Retained WBA and The Ring light welterweight titles
- Nov 12, 1982 vs Alexis Argüello: Retained WBA and The Ring light welterweight titles
- Apr 2, 1983 vs Kim Sang-hyun: Retained WBA and The Ring light welterweight titles
- Sep 9, 1983 vs Alexis Argüello: Retained WBA and The Ring light welterweight titles
- Jun 22, 1984 vs Nick Furlano: Won inaugural IBF light welterweight title
- Mar 2, 1985 vs Gary Hinton: Retained IBF light welterweight title
Photo: Bill Apter via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain). Featured image: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/Aaron_Pryor_by_Bill_Apter.jpg
Record source: Wikipedia professional boxing record table (cross-checked against the bout list), retrieved 2026-11-04.
