Are there any pure boxers you'd take over a peak Donald Curry at Welterweight?

Agreed. I've said this before. At times he should have gotten on his bicycle and worked behind the jab while on the move. Especially around the perimeter of the ring. Instead he would stand his ground. I think he was perhaps too confident in his mid-range and inside game. While he did have a brilliant jab, it should have been used on the move more often. It would have broadened his arsenal and options even further. His hands-up defense could only limit oncoming artillery landing, not shut it out entirely. This is where his feet would have came in handy.

 

Well said. I can particularly see this being a problem for Don against a fighter like Griffith. Curry has all the tools to outbox Griffith, but I bet Griffith would still find a way to win because Curry will refuse to move more than he should.

 

Pretty much agree. I think these 3 would beat him...

One thing. I was once told by a guy in the boxing media that Curry had an innovative way of making weight. He was instructed by some top kind of scientist type... Anyway, this is why his power actually seemed to increase at Welterweight. He was getting bigger and stronger but still making the weight. The problem for me with the weight draining issue is that (1) I'm a big Honeyghan fan (there, I admit it) and (2) if it was just about weight issues then what happened to the rest of his career...

I always thought Curry's style was perfect for a swarmer who would not stand off him and who could give and take.

 

My obvious pick would be a prime Ray Leonard at welterweight.

 

I think many see him as a boxer/puncher more so than a "pure" boxer. Regardless he'd beat Curry in a very good competitive fight IMO.

 

How would Prime Curry do against Welter Hearns?

 

Curry was better inside than Hearns. And thats the core of the problem for him. He'd get knocked out trying to get there.

 

True.

 

The first who came to my mind was Napoles, but that depends on whether he is excluded form the criteria because of his versatility as a banger. I personally dont think he should be excluded, it was really all skill with him. But it does say lighter hitters, so maybe Hearns? Kiddin! Probably Whitaker, not sure though.

 

It seems the consensus likes Gavilan, Griffith, Rodriguez. I think I agree. I'm surprised nobody mentioned De La Hoya. I'm not saying he beats Curry, but I think it's a close fight. I think more highly of Curry, but stylistically I think Oscar could give him problems. I just don't think Oscar would be a willing participant in the in-fighting. He'd be boxing and moving the whole fight. I say no knockout either way in this one so it would be a pretty close decision either way. Any thoughts on this one?

 

Donald Curry easily makes my top 10 favourite fighters of all-time. Probably at the bottom half. Other fighters had better longevity, durability, and were simply greater. But when it comes to all-round boxing skills at his best, Curry ticks the boxes for me.

 

I think Curry would beat DLH pretty comfortably.Not a big Oscar fan though.

Tito would give him more problems despite his one-dimensional nature imo.

 

I think De La Hoya has the ability to lay his gloves on Curry more often than Trinidad. He's got the combinations, jab, and ring generalship. But the crucial factor for me is that Trinidad would really damage Curry inside and at mid-range, although he'd be taking a few himself. De La Hoya got off with more ease than Trinidad, and also had a better jab. He rattled off 3-4 punch flurries.

It's a terrible match-up for Curry when I think about it based on the styles. Trinidad wasn't a free flowing puncher, as he relied on pin-point punches a bit like Curry himself. But the difference is that Trinidad landed heavy artillery with almost everything he threw. Curry on the other hand was sharp-shooter.

De La Hoya's chin would have no problem when it comes to taking Curry's punches. Different matter for Trinidad, who might well visit the canvas during the early rounds.


Trinidad KO5.

De La Hoya, 50/50.