Donald Curry, Julian Jackson headline Boxing Hall of Fame class of 2019
Donald Curry’s time at the top was not long. The former welterweight was a shooting star, who reached the top quickly and then left the big stage almost as fast.
But in Curry’s brief moment at the top, he was breathtakingly brilliant, a rare combination of speed and power who could do things in the ring few others would even dare to attempt.
Curry’s election to the International Boxing Hall of Fame on Wednesday was a fitting ending to an outstanding career and a long overdue wait for the recognition he deserved.
In addition to Curry, others elected are Julian Jackson, Buddy McGirt, Tony DeMarco, Don Elbaum Guy Jutras, Lee Samuels, Teddy Atlas and Mario Rivera Martino.
Curry won the WBA welterweight title on Feb. 13, 1983, when he routed Jun-Suk Hwang over 15 rounds, and he was viewed by many at the time as the heir to Sugar Ray Leonard.
While he wasn’t as physically strong as Leonard, Curry was blazingly fast and his hand-speed led him to the top of the sport. He earned the title shot by taking a split decision over the undefeated Marlon Starling in just his 15th fight.
Curry would make seven successful defenses, while adding the IBF title, as well as winning two non-title fights. Among his successful title defenses were impressive performances against Starling, Milton McGregor and Nino LaRocca. His reign ended when he was stopped by Lloyd Honeyghan on Sept. 27, 1986.
Jackson held world titles at super welterweight and middleweight and is regarded among the most powerful punchers in boxing history.
McGirt, one of the sport’s elite trainers, was elected as a fighter. He won the world title at super lightweight and welterweight and compiled a 73-6-1 mark with 48 knockouts.
DeMarco was chosen in the Old-Timers category. DeMarco won a welterweight title in a career that spanned from 1948 to 1962. He defeated Johnny Saxton for the belt via 14th-round stoppage in 1955, but lost it in his first defense against Carmen Basilio. DeMarco went 58-12-1 with 33 knockouts.
Elbaum began promoting boxing as an 18-year-old and worked with a number of elite fighters, including the legendary Aaron Pryor.
Atlas, who was elected as a broadcaster, is one of his era’s best trainers. But he’s known for his fearlessness in calling out corruption and his straight talk during his time as one of the sport’s top TV analysts.
Jutras was elected as a judge and referee. He judged 72 world title fights and refereed three.
Samuels started as a boxing writer for the Philadelphia Bulletin, where he worked alongside the great columnist Mark Whicker. But Samuels was chosen for his work as a publicist for Top Rank, where he helped promote the careers of Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, Floyd Mayweather, Oscar De La Hoya and many more legends.
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