Donald Curry

For the record, I haven't said that Curry rates as high as Tyson p4p. Haven't really even formed an opinion about it, but I'd probably rank Tyson higher since he had quite a few dominating wins over good opponents after losing to Douglas.

I only said that there was an interesting comparison to be made, seeing how they were both dominant champs that hit their peak unifying belts/winning the lineal title by blow-outs and then losing shortly afterwards in big upsets. Can't really see what's so controversial about that.

 

I'm saying they rank around about "the same tier".
I'd be surprised if that's even controversial ... among people who have a decent knowledge of historical fighters.

 

Milton McCrory, Blocker, Starling, Stafford, Diaz, Montgomery, Green, Colin Jones, La Rocca, these are all good fighters espescially McCrory and Starling. When Starling was on, he was damn good, and had near ATG abilities imo.

For my money Tyson never beat a prime opponent as good as Starling. Holmes was old and rusty w/ minimal preparation, Spinks was a natural LHW and hadn't done much at HW, Tucker was a very good tall athletic HW with skills but not an ATG, Biggs was a good win, Bruno's a good win, Thomas was decent, Tubbs was a decent win, Berbick was ok, Rudduck x2 are 2 good wins over a hard puncher.. I don't think any of these guys measure up to the Starling Curry beat.

 

Curry never fought Blocker.

 

Yeah sorry, that was starling that fought blocker.

 

Yes, among people who have a "decent" knowledge of historical fighters, Mike Tyson was a first-ballot Hall of Famer and Donald Curry has been on the ballot for 12 years and never came close to being inducted.

They aren't close to the same tier ... among people who have a decent knowledge of historical fighters.

Enough of this nonsense. Simon Brown should get in before Curry. He has the same credentials, except he actually beat a Hall of Famer.

Maybe when Simon, Starling, Honeyghan and Curry's "class" of fighter get in, Donald will, too.

 

They were all "good" fighters. Curry was a "good" fighter, too. Just like Lloyd Honeyghan was a good fighter. And Maurice Blocker was a good fighter. And Simon Brown was a good fighter. And Mark Breland was a good fighter. And Marlon Starling was a good fighter. That's why they took turns beating each other. They were all good.

It's perfectly okay to be a "good" fighter.

But some people like to take it to the next step and say Curry was "great" ... only you don't get to be "great" by deciding NOT to fight Marvin Hagler, or by "suing" Ray Leonard after he actually had the guts to fight Hagler (and win), or by getting knocked out when you actually did fight people in the Hall of Fame.

Everyone doesn't have to be labeled a "great" fighter ... especially when they weren't.

 

I'd say that Curry and Starling had ATG potential, in Curry's brief prime he was a great fighter imo. his problem was that he got into drugs and became in consistent.. he had great sharp punching, explosive power, insane accuracy, sharp jab, and good use of feints and combo punching.

The comparison to Mike tyson makes sense imo because both Curry and Tyson had a very rapid decline. Tyson of course did more in his career than Curry did, but they both had a very short and explosive prime.

 

The Hall of Fame is not a real indication. There are fighters less accomplished than Curry in it.

I'm not saying Simon Brown doesn't deserve to be in, or Starling or Honeyghan ... you keep bringing those names up. I think they were very good welterweights. I think Curry was a very good welterweight.

 

You're assuming the Hall of Fame voters are all objective. I would argue many on here have as much or more knowledge and maybe more importantly, leave politics out of the ****ysis and are thus more objective.

 

Sly Stallone is in the HOF for christ sake! It means nothing anymore.

Curry, when he was on, was magnificent. A real pleasure and joy to watch.

 

Sylvester Stallone is in the Boxing Hall of Fame as a non-participant.

And the character he created "Rocky" inspired more guys to become boxers than Donald Curry ever did.

Hell, the character remains top of mind for boxing fans nearly 40 years after it debuted and has had a greater impact on the sport than many of the actual fighters in the Hall of Fame.

Being ****ed off that Stallone is in the Boxing Hall of Fame and Donald Curry isn't is like being mad that Les Paul is in the Rock-N-Roll Hall of Fame and the Bay City Rollers aren't.

 

Barry McGuigan, Ray Mancini, Arturo Gatti, Brian Mitchell, Kostya Tzyu are in Hall of Fame. Donald Curry is not in the Hall of Fame. I believe Curry is more deserving than all those guys.

 

good point.