“Mythical Dave’s”: Hello Canastota – 5 Boxers Who Deserve to be in the International Boxing Hall of Fame

By Dave “Mythical” Siderski (Who else would it be by?)

As part of my research for a top 100 series I’m working on, I reviewed a list of the more than 300 fighters who have been inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. I was both amazed and confused by some of the names I didn’t see on the list. With that in mind, here are five men I believe need to be added ASAP.

#5) Lupe Pintor

Lupe Pintor was the WBC Bantamweight champion while Jeff Chandler held the WBA version of the title. Chandler is in the hall of fame, while Pintor is not which I disagree with. Although Chandler was more talented, I would argue that Pintor was the more accomplished fighter.
Lupe won the WBC Bantamweight champion with a controversial decision win in June 1979 over the legendary Carlos Zarate. Even if the decision was bogus, simply going the distance with Zarate was a formidable accomplishment. He defended his title eight times (one less than Chandler’s nine). Unlike Chandler, he didn’t lose the title in the ring but was forced to abdicate due to injuries suffered in an automobile accident.

He moved up in weight and had success, something Chandler was also unable to do. Pintor challenged the legendary Wilfredo Gomez for the WBC Super Bantamweight title in December 1982 and gave him one of the toughest battles of his career, before falling in the 14th round. Ultimately, he captured that title with a 12 round decision over Juan “Kid” Meza in August 1985. If Chandler is in, or a guy like Daniel Zaragoza, who I also believe has an inferior resume, then I believe Pintor must be in as well.

#4) Donald “The Cobra” Curry

After Sugar Ray Leonard’s retirement, Curry captured the WBA version of the Welterweight title with a 15 round decision over Jun Suk Hwang in February 1983. He was a worthy champion possessing excellent hand speed along with formidable punching power.

Over the next 2+ years, Curry defended four times, before signing to face undefeated WBC Welterweight champion Milton McCrory in a long anticipated matchup in December 1985. Curry destroyed McCrory in two rounds and now was considered a rival to Marvelous Marvin Hagler as the best pound for pound fighter in the world.

However, the apex of Curry’s career was also the start of its decline. In September 1986, Curry lost in a shocking upset to Lloyd Honeyghan (TKO by 6). Ten months later, in July 1987, he was starched by Mike McCallum in five rounds. Curry did capture the WBC Super Welterweight championship with an 8th round stoppage of Gianfranco Rosi in July 1988, however, this was his last significant accomplishment in the ring.

In the end, I believe Curry accomplishments compare favorably to current hall of famers Carlos Palomino, Jeff Chandler, and Dwight Qawi. Curry was an undisputed champion which none of these three men could say. He also captured titles in two separate weight classes which Palomino and Chandler did not accomplish. In the end, Curry belongs in the hall of fame.

#3) Bennie Briscoe

“Bad” Bennie Briscoe was the best of a legendary pool of Middleweights that fought out of the city of Philadelphia in the 1970’s, a class that included: Cyclone Hart, Willie “The Worm” Monroe, “Dynamite” Billy Douglas, and Bobby “Boogaloo” Watts, among others. Over a 20 year boxing career, lasting from 1962 to 1982, “Bad” Bennie had a record of 66-24-5 (53 KOs).

Among his significant victories were against George Benton, Vicente Rondon, Tony Mundine, Hart, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, Tom Bethea and Douglas. Briscoe fought to a controversial draw against Carlos Monzon in Buenos Aries, Argentina in May 1967 and lost again to him by a convincing decision for the Middleweight title in November 1972. Briscoe also faced the likes of Luis Rodriguez, Rodrigo Valdez, Emile Griffith, Marvin Hagler, and Vito Antoufermo. He was only stopped once in 95 professional bouts. One need not necessarily have been a world champion to warrant hall of fame status, as evidenced by the inclusion of men such as: Joe Choynski, Les Darcy, Billy Miske and Dave Shade. Briscoe belongs in this class.

#2) Rodrigo Valdez

I suppose one cannot mention Briscoe without including Rodrigo Valdez in the conversation. Valdez defeated Briscoe three times was the only man to ever stop him. Power punching Rodrigo Valdez was the best Middleweight boxer of the 1970’s who was not named Carlos Monzon. Over a 17 year career, he had a record of 64-8-2 (43 KOs). In addition to his wins over Briscoe, Valdez also holds victories over Vinnie Curto, Bobby Cassidy, and Joey Durelle.

He was a 2-time champion at Middleweight holding the WBC version of the title from May 1974 to June 1976 and the undisputed World Championship from November 1977 to April 1978. Valdez engaged in two very tough and close matches with the legendary Monzon, one of the top five Middleweights who ever lived, losing both by decision. Valdez is certainly not a top 10 all-time Middleweight but one could easily make a case for him as one of the 20-25 best. I believe he is at least as deserving as fellow Middleweight champions: Marcel Thil, Billy Soose, Randy Turpin, and Joey Giardello who are already in the hall of fame.

#1) Esteban De Jesus

How is the only guy to ever beat Roberto Duran at Lightweight and the only one to knock him down in his first 82 fights not in the hall of fame? Esteban De Jesus engaged in three spirited contests with Duran and was his biggest rival and threat over the course of Roberto’s nearly seven year title reign at Lightweight. In their first matchup, a non-title affair, in November 1972, De Jesus floored the champion Duran in the first, en route to a unanimous decision victory. In March 1974, he squared off against Duran in a rematch, this time for the Lightweight Title. De Jesus again floored Duran in the first, however, Roberto rebounded to stop De Jesus in the 11th round. Duran also prevailed in the rubber match by 12th round TKO in January 1978.

In addition to his trilogy with Duran, De Jesus also held the WBC version of the Lightweight title from May 1976 to January 1978, defending three times successfully. Among the other prominent fighters he holds victories over are: Alfonso Frazer, Guts Ishimatsu, Ray Lampkin, and Edwin Viruet. In the end, De Jesus is certainly more accomplished than hall of famers Ray Mancini and Arturo Gatti. He is also at least equal to fellow countryman Edwin Rosario.

OK, International Boxing Hall of Fame, time to get it done! Let’s get these guys in! They are all rightfully deserving!

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