Читать книгу Sporting Blood. Tales from the Dark Side of Boxing онлайн

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Like Leon Spinks, the ditzy man-child sent careening through short-lived fame, Pryor often received press coverage that bordered on mockery. It was Spinks who became the target of talk-show hosts and a Richard Pryor skit, but Pryor was no less susceptible to lampooning than “Neon” Leon. His pre–hip-hop Kangols, Cazals, and Day-Glo tracksuits were ready-made for ridicule. Malapropisms popped out of his mouth like Mentos. The bad press he received, he said, was due to “misrepresentation of my personality.” Later, he removed the gold cap from one of his front teeth, began wearing suits in public, and even toted a briefcase from one press junket to another.

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What made Pryor appealing was a fierce ring style seemingly at one with a personal outlook that bordered on madness. Pryor scored five consecutive stoppages in defense of his junior welterweight title and in the process astonished viewers with his frenzied performances. For Pryor, being knocked down often meant popping right back up to charge at his opponent before the referee could issue the mandatory eight-count. Gaetan Hart, Lennox Blackmoore, Dujuan Johnson, Miguel Montilla, Akio Kameda—all were worn down by Pryor and his cyclone attack.