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Aaron Pryor (born October 20, 1955) is a former
boxing|boxer from Cincinnati, Ohio. He is the
former world Junior Welterweight champion.

Pryor, nicknamed The Hawk, had a record of 204
wins and 16 losses as an amateur, and he
participated in the 1976 Olympic games at Montreal
as an alternate. He turned professional on
November 11, 1976, with a win over Larry Smith.

In 1977, Pryor fought eight fights, winning all
but two by knockout. Among the fighters he
defeated was Johnny Summerhayes. The only two
fighters who heard the final bell versus Pryor
that year were Summerhayes and Jose Resto. After
the fight with Summerhayes. Pryor won 26 fights in
a row by knockout, in one of the longest knockout
streaks in the history of boxing.

In 1978, Pryor won five fights, and in 1979 he won
six. But during '79, Pryor experienced a rise in
competition level, and in his last fight that
year, he was pitted for the first time ever
against a former or future world champion, when he
faced former Jr. Welterweight champion of the
world Alfonso Fraser, Peppermint, of Panama, who
lasted five rounds with The Hawk. After that
fight, Pryor entered the World Boxing
Association|WBA rankings.

He only kept on going up in the rankings for the
first part of 1980. He beat Julio Valdez, Leonidas
Asprilla and Carl Crowley before a world title
bout was set up by the WBA, versus two time world
champion Antonio Cervantes of Colombia at
Cincinnati. Pryor was dropped in round one, but he
rose and knocked out Cervantes in round four in
front of a national television audience, becoming
a world champion. He finished the year knocking
out Gaetan Hart to retain his title.

1981 brought Pryor up to the ring against Lennox
Blackmore and Dujuan Johnson. Pryor beat Blackmore
in two rounds, but had to work more against
Johnson, once again visiting the floor in round
one before winning by knockout in six.

In 1982 he defeated fringe contender Miguel
Montilla by a knockout in 12 to begin the year,
then put his title on the line versus Akio Kameda.
Once again, Pryor went to the floor in round one
but got up to knock the Japan|Japanese challenger
out in round six.

In what promoter Bob Arum nicknamed The Battle of
The Champions, Pryor defeated Alexis Arguello by a
knockout in 14 in front of an Home Box Office|HBO
audience. The fight was named Fight Of The Year
and later the Fight Of The Decade by Ring
Magazine.

The fight sparked controversy, however, because of
allegations that Pryor's trainer had introduced an
bottle to revive him after round 12, and, after
defending his crown against former World Boxing
Council|WBC world champion Sang Hyun Kim (KO 3),
Pryor had to defend against Arguello again, this
time winning by a knockout in 10 rounds in Las
Vegas on September 9, 1983. After the fight, Pryor
announced his retirement, and the WBA left the
crown vacant.

In 1983 also, Pryor and his wife had a public
divorce.

Pryor took back his decision of retiring soon
after, however, and the International Boxing
Federation|IBF immediately recognized him as their
world champion. 1984 proved to be a frustrating
year for Pryor. His proposed fight with world
Lightweight champion Ray Mancini fell through when
Mancini lost his title against Livingstone
Bramble, and Pryor was able to defend his IBF
world title only once, against Nick Furlano, who
became the first guy in 27 fights to last the
distance with Pryor, losing to Pryor on points in
15 rounds at Canada.

In 1985, Pryor would only fight one more time,
retaining his title versus future world champion
Gary Hinton in 15 rounds, once again by points.

Pryor retired and began to have drug problems. He
ran into trouble with the police a few times and
stories of alleged abuse against members of his
family made the headlines. 

In 1987 he made a short comeback, suffering his
lone loss by a knockout in seven to Bobby Joe
Young, a fringe contender of the era. 

In 1988 and 1989, he attempted another comeback,
winning three fights, all by knockout, against
lower opposition. It was discovered, however, that
he had been fighting with eye problems, and he was
never allowed to box again.

In the 1990s, Pryor decided to stay away from
drugs; opened a gym in his hometown where he helps
kids learn boxing and get off the streets; and
became a pastor. He is currently ministering at a
church in Cincinnati.

In 1996, Pryor was elected to the International
Boxing Hall Of  Fame.

He retired with 39 wins, 1 loss and 35 wins by
knockout.