Former super-lightweight champion Aaron Pryor dies

Former WBA and IBF super-lightweight champion Aaron Pryor has died after a long battle against heart disease at the age of 60.

Pryor held a version of the 140lb belt from 1980 to 1985 and is best remembered for his two fights with Alexis Arguello.

Their first showdown in 1982 was named "Fight of the Decade" by Ring magazine and saw Pryor retain his WBA crown with a 14th round knockout.

After defeating the three-weight world champion a second time, Pryo was stripped of the IBF crown after failing to defend.

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He returned to the ring after an absence of 29 months and suffered his only defeat when he was knocked out by journeyman Bobby Joe Young in 1987.

Pryor bounced back the following year and went on to fight twice more despite being declared legally blind in his left eye by a Nevada state medical report.

He finally hung up his gloves in 1991 with a record of 39-1, with 35 knockouts.

"Aaron was known around the world as 'The Hawk' and delighted millions of fans with his aggressive and crowd-pleasing boxing style," widow Frankie Pryor said in a statement.

"But to our family, he was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend."

Britain's WBC cruiserweight champion Tony Bellew was one of the many in the boxing world to pay their respects to Pryor. 

"So sad to hear of the passing of the great Aaron Pryor," Bellew posted on Instagram. "Famous for his brawls with the great Arguello.

"I read Aaron's book many years ago an I still believe it's the best boxing book I've ever read. A troubled soul was Pryor in his early days but still a truly formidable fighter an one of the fittest most driven fighters to ever grace our sport."

Former WBO cruiserweight champion Enzo Maccarinelli tweeted: "Boxing lost a great today Aaron Pryor so lucky to have met him."