Varsity Stadium – Aaron Pryor vs. Nick Furlano
Aaron Pryor, the Cincinnati-born champion, came out of retirement to defend his International Boxing Federation title facing Nick Furlano, a Toronto-based challenger with whom he had a lot in common. Both boxers grew up tough, and lived on their own as teenagers. Both battled addiction during and after their careers. This fight, staged at University of Toronto’s Varsity Arena, saw Pryor, a feared power puncher, knock Furlano down in the first round. Furlano, surprisingly, survived that knockdown and lasted all 15 rounds, becoming the first fighter to go the distance with Pryor since 1977. Their meeting would be the last world title fight in Toronto for the next 34 years.
