Eye Problems Cloud Pryor's Comeback : Boxing: Wisconsin agrees to sanction bout even though former champion has undergone surgery for a detached retina and has cataracts in his left eye.

L.A. Times Archives

May 10, 1990 12 AM PT

From Associated Press

MILWAUKEE — Former junior welterweight champion Aaron Pryor, his career shadowed by serious eye and drug problems, said Wednesday he has no fear of losing his sight if he returns to the ring next week to fight Daryl Jones.

But boxing officials in states which had refused Pryor a license because he had undergone surgery for a detached retina and has cataracts clouding his left eye criticized Wisconsin’s decision to let him fight.

“In Pryor’s case, if you go into the ring with one eye, you’d better be prepared to get a guide dog,” said Don Muse, assistant executive director of the California State Athletic Commission.

“We won’t even let fighters fight here with detached retinas. Not too long ago, we blocked an exhibition bout by Sugar Ray Leonard at a shopping center because he had a detached retina.”

But Pryor, a junior welterweight champion from 1980-85 before his career was scuttled by drug problems, said he proved in a December exhibition against former Olympian Howard Davis that he is ready to return to the ring.

“Howard Davis has the fastest hands in boxing. It proved that I can see and I’m ready to fight,” said Pryor, who had planned to face Hector Comacho in Las Vegas for a much larger payday.

“I’m disappointed I got turned down in Vegas,” said Pryor, who hasn’t fought since beating Herminio Morales with a third-round knockout in December of 1988. “Wisconsin spelled out the difference between a fighter having a handicap and being disabled. I think Vegas should take that into consideration.”

Randy Gordon, chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission, said he would start sending faxes to Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson to stop the fight that is scheduled for May 16 at the Masonic Temple in Madison. Pryor is under suspension in New York until he passes an eye test.

“Without sounding hysterical, I believe that we the commission and the media almost have to appeal to the governor of Wisconsin for a stay of execution for Aaron Pryor,” Gordon said.

“This is bad for boxing and bad for the state of Wisconsin,” said Dr. James Nave, chairman of the Nevada State Athletic Commission which voted 4-1 last month not to allow Pryor to box in that state. “We spent a tremendous amount of time researching this case and I don’t think Wisconsin looked at what we researched before coming to our decision.”

The Wisconsin Department of Regulation and Licensing granted Pryor a license after he signed a statement that he understood the risks, and he absolved the state of any liability if he’s hurt.

The state of Wisconsin considers his cataracts a condition of handicap rather than a medical condition, and the state has strict laws against discrimination against the handicapped. Pryor underwent testing by a physician and an ophthamologist in Wisconsin before getting approval on Monday to box.

Marlene Cummings, secretary of regulation licensing, said Wednesday that Dr. Suresh Chandra, a Madison ophthamologist, examined Pryor and reported that “there is some impairment.”

“But he is not legally blind. He said the choice should be Aaron’s and it was his choice to make,” Cummings said Wednesday. “We’ve followed Dr. Chandra’s advice.

“Wisconsin has a pretty strong anti-discrimination law. He clearly has a disability. Some people say you must protect some people from themselves. I’ve seen him spar, jump rope and shoot baskets. Our concern was that if he took the risk, he’d be aware of the risk. Dr. Chandra talked with him for two hours about it.”

But Gordon said Cummings wasn’t qualified to determine if Pryor can box.

“She doesn’t know a left hook from a fish hook. And she went out to the gym and took a look at him and saw him spar. Is that cause enough to give a man who is under medical suspension a license?”

Pryor said the detached retina and cataracts were in the left eye and that his right eye was 20-20.

“I had my doctor and five other doctors say they are good to fight,” Pryor said. “I’m fighting this for $4,000 or $5,000 and I could have signed against Camacho for half a million dollars. I have been preparing for Camacho for five months.

“I think there are some political things involved.”

Last January, Pryor filed a motion in Hamilton County Municipal Court in Cincinnati saying he should receive treatment for drug dependency rather than a conviction for possession of drug paraphernalia.

He was arrested last September in Cincinnati by police who said they found a pipe that could be used to smoke crack cocaine in Pryor’s car.

Pryor said Wednesday he is a drug free and completed a month-long rehabilitation program in February.

“I’m in decent shape but my nerves are bad because people are trying to tell me what to do,” he said.

Pryor (37-1) won the WBA junior welterweight title in 1980, knocking out Antonio Cervantes. He defended his title seven times, twice beating Alexis Arguello.

There is controversy over Jones’ record. One boxing service lists it at 13-12, while matchmaker Stan Johnson says it is 26-7.