DONALD CURRY w rsf 9 GIANFRANCO ROSI
July 8, 1988; Portosole, San Remo, Italy
IT’S true that much of the once-brilliant Donald Curry’s post-Lloyd Honeyghan career was miserable but this victory over the awkward as hell Gianfranco Rosi is worthy of significant kudos. Set in one of the most lavish marinas on the Mediterranean, Curry went into this one promising to retire if he didn’t win. The “Lone Star Cobra” scored five knockdowns before the Italian retired at the end of the ninth to forfeit his WBC super-welterweight strap. While this was as good as it got for Curry at 154lbs, Rosi went on to win the IBF belt and remain a factor at or near the top of the division until 1997.
DID YOU KNOW? Curry tried to call Sugar Ray Leonard out of retirement to be his first challenger. Leonard wasn’t interested. In the end, Curry had to make do with unfancied Frenchman Rene Jacquot in Paris where a sizeable upset occurred.
WATCH OUT FOR: The pre-fight footage where the likes of a young(ish) and slightly perplexed Bob Arum step off a boat and immediately get interviewed by the Italian media.
