Aaron Pryor
A whirlwind of relentless pressure in the ring, his ferocious battles with Alexis Arguello defined an era of brutal boxing brilliance.
1955–2016 (age 61)·American boxer·Birthday: October 20·Baby Boomers
Biography
Aaron Pryor was a force of nature in a boxing ring, a compact hurricane of punches whose engine seemed to have no off switch. Nicknamed 'The Hawk' for his predatory style, he overwhelmed opponents with a staggering volume of blows, a non-stop assault fueled by exceptional conditioning and a fierce will. His reign as the world's premier junior welterweight was absolute, but it is forever defined by two epic wars with the great Nicaraguan champion Alexis Arguello. Their first fight in 1982 is considered one of the greatest contests in boxing history, a brutal, seesawing drama that ended with Pryor's dramatic knockout in the 14th round. Pryor's career, however, was shadowed by struggles outside the ropes, including battles with substance abuse that led to a temporary retirement. His comeback to win another world title was a testament to his fighting heart, cementing his legacy as one of the most exciting and formidable champions of his weight class.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Aaron was born in 1955, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Aaron Was Born
The biggest hits of 1955
#1 Movie
Lady and the Tramp
Best Picture
Marty
#1 TV Show
The $64,000 Question
Aaron's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1955Born
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1960Started school
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1968Became a teenager
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1971Could drive
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1973Could vote
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Turned 21
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1985Turned 30
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 40
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 50
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2015Turned 60
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2016Died at 61
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
Key Achievements
- Unified the lineal, Ring magazine, and WBA light welterweight titles with his legendary knockout of Alexis Arguello in 1982.
- Retired with an undefeated record of 39-1, with 35 wins coming by knockout.
- Successfully defended his world title ten times across two championship reigns.
- Won the IBF light welterweight title in 1984 after coming out of a brief retirement.
Did You Know?
His trainer, Panama Lewis, famously gave him a mysterious bottle between rounds during the first Arguello fight, a controversial moment that fueled speculation for years.
He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1996.
His only professional loss came in his final fight in 1990, after he had been out of the ring for several years.
He served as an inspiration for the animated boxer 'The Hawk' in the 'Pound for Pound' segment of the satirical show 'The Critic.'
“What time is it? It's Hawk time!”
