Donald Curry: A Champion that Left his Mark on the Sport of Boxing

By Anne “Boxologist” Whitlock

My lovelies….. This is my third article with RSR and it really is a great joy to spotlight the legends from yesteryear, which captivated the boxing world in square rings around the world. Today, we look at Donald “The Lone Star Cobra” Curry. With an amazing amateur record listed as 400-4, but it is also sometimes listed as 396-4 and 400-6. Either way, impressive nonetheless! Curry made his professional debut with a first-round knocked of Mario Tineo on December 26, 1980. “I didn’t start thinking about turning pro until I was about 18. I didn’t pay attention to the pro boxing. Couldn’t have told you the names of more than two world champions, and they were Leonard and Ali”, said Curry.

Curry knocked out former world title challenger Bruce Finch in three rounds to win the NABF welterweight title on May 5, 1982.Curry fought future WBA/WBC Welterweight Champion Marlon Starling for the USBA welterweight championship on October 24, 1982, Curry won by a twelve-round split decision to unify the USBA and NABF welterweight titles and hand Starling his first pro loss. On February 13, 1983, Curry fought Jun-Suk Hwang for the WBA welterweight championship, which had become vacant after the retirement of Sugar Ray Leonard. Curry suffered a flash knockdown in the seventh round but otherwise dominated the fight and won by a lopsided fifteen-round unanimous decision.

After making his first title defense, a first-round knockout of Roger Stafford, Curry had a rematch with Starling. He stayed on top of Starling and pounded out a fifteen-round unanimous decision to retain the titles of the WBA and the newly formed IBF. In his next three fights were successful title defenses. He stopped Elio Diaz in eight rounds, Nino LaRocca in six, and Colin Jones in four. His next two fights were non-title fights at junior middleweight. He stopped James “Hard Rock” Green in two and Pablo Baez in six.

On December 6, 1985, Curry fought Milton McCrory, the undefeated WBC welterweight champion, to unify the welterweight titles, Curry became the first undisputed welterweight champion since Sugar Ray Leonard retired in 1982.His next defense was with Eduardo Rodriguez, whom he knocked out in the second round with a left-right combination to the head. On September 27, 1986 was a major upset against UK Lloyd Honeyghan, Honeyghan manhandled Curry in rounds five and six. Late in the sixth, an accidental headbutt opened a bad cut over Curry’s left eye. Returning to his corner after the sixth, with blood flowing down his face, Curry shook his head and was heard to tell his corner, “I’m through.” Ringside physician’s Frank Doggett and Paul Williams examined the cut after the sixth round and told referee Octavio Meyran to stop the fight, giving Honeyghan a TKO victory.

Moving up a weight Curry defeated Tony Montgomery to win the USBA junior middleweight title on February 7, 1987. Montgomery was disqualified in the fifth round for headbutts.The same happened with his next fight with Carlos Santos, he too was disqualified in the fifth round for headbutts. Curry fought Mike McCallum on July 18, 1987 for the WBA junior middleweight championship. In the fifth, McCallum caught Curry on the chin with a left hook, putting him down for the count. After beating former WBC champion Lupe Aquino, Curry got another title shot. He traveled to Italy to fight Gianfranco Rosi for the WBC super welterweight title on July 8, 1988. Curry put him down five times, Rosi retired on his stool after the ninth round.

He lost the title in his first defense, dropping a twelve-round unanimous decision to the lightly regarded Rene Jacquot on February 11, 1989 in France.

On October 18, 1990, Curry went back to France to fight Lineal/IBF middleweight champion Michael Nunn. The referee stopped the fight in the tenth. On June 1, 1991, Curry returned to the 154-pound division to fight Terry Norris for the WBC title. In the eighth, Norris put Curry down for the count. Curry knocked out Gary Jones in four rounds February 20, 1997. April 9, 1997, was Curry’s next fight was against Emmett Linton, Curry was no match for Linton. He was dropped in the first round and took a beating over the next six. After the loss, Curry went to the Hospital and learned that he had fought Linton with acute pancreatitis. Curry never would fight again. He finished his pro career with a record of 34-6, 25 KO’s.

He certainly was a lean mean hearty fighting machine…..