Some knockouts stay firmly locked in the memory bank. One such blistering KO took place 40 years ago today. Donald Curry, a superb technician who was at or around his absolute peak, met another excellent fighter in Milton McCrory. The two fought at The Hilton in Las Vegas, the welterweight unification bout dubbed ‘The Toss Up.’
It turned out to be a wholly one-sided affair.
Curry, who had been WBA welterweight champion since 1983, and who had added the IBF belt to his record the following year, retained both titles with a stoppage win over Colin Jones in January of ’85, with Curry’s exquisitely placed punches almost tearing Jones’ nose from his face in the fight staged in England. This start to the year was impressive enough, but the way Curry ended the year was truly special.
After two non-title victories, both coming via stoppage, Curry faced the Kronk’s McCrory, who was the reigning WBC welterweight champion. The unification showdown would see the winner become the first unified welterweight king since Sugar Ray Leonard; an all-time great Curry was now being compared to.
McCrory was a fine fighter. Having beaten common opponent Jones to win the vacant WBC crown at 147 pounds (this after boxing a draw with Jones), “The Ice Man” had then reeled off four title retentions. Plenty of people did indeed see the McCrory-Curry fight as a toss up. The December 6th fight had everyone’s attention. Curry was 23-0, McCrory was 27-0-1.
Curry was exceptionally good on the night. Fast, powerful, accurate and spiteful with his punches, Curry turned what was a close fight on paper into a veritable slaughter. Curry, the older man by a year, hurt McCrory at the end of the opening round with a stinging left hook to the head, this shot sending his rival back to his corner on wobbly legs. In round-two, Curry was an absolute beast.
Not long into the round, a Curry left sent McCrory down. Upon trying to rise, McCrory fell to his knees. The fight was then allowed to go on and Curry wasted no time in closing the show. Firing in a monstrous right hand that landed cleanly on his rival’s chin, Curry left McCrory flat on his back. It was a truly electrifying performance.
Curry really did look like the next Sugar Ray – the next all-time great welterweight. Things took a rapid change in the late summer of 1986, but for now Don Curry was, with the possible exception of Marvelous Marvin Hagler, the pound-for-pound best fighter on planet earth.
