Bruce Curry

Bruce Curry (born March 29, 1956, in Marlin, Texas), is a former professional boxer. He was the WBC Super Lightweight Champion from 1983 to 1984.

Curry was a two-time Texas Golden Gloves Champion and runner-up to Sugar Ray Leonard at the 1976 U.S. Olympic Boxing Trials. Curry reportedly had an amateur record of 315-11.

Curry turned professional in 1976 and won his first fourteen professional fights. On November 18, 1977, he fought Wilfred Benitez, the former WBA Junior Welterweight Champion. Curry knocked Benitez down three times but lost by a controversial ten-round split decision.

He signed to fight Minoru Fugiya in Japan on January 24, 1978. He was then offered a rematch with Benitez, which would take place a mere 11 days later, on February 4. He decided to go take both fights. He knocked out Fugiya in three rounds and then flew back to the U.S. for the Benitez fight, which Benitez won by a ten-round majority decision. Benitez trained harder for the rematch and Curry was travel-worn. "I just wanted to get it done and go to bed," Curry said. "I should have sent out for coffee."

Curry won his next two fights and then lost back-to-back fights, getting stopped in nine rounds by Domingo Ayala and losing to Adolfo Viruet by a ten-round decision. Curry put together three straight wins and then fought Thomas Hearns, who was 19-0 with 18 knockouts. The 6' 1" Hearns stopped Curry in three rounds, however, the fight is best remembered in boxing circles as a rare but true example of "going down swinging," with Curry punching valiantly even as he fell to the canvas.

He won eleven of his next thirteen fights and then got his first world title shot. On May 18, 1983, Curry beat Leroy Haley by a twelve-round unanimous decision to win the WBC Super Lightweight Championship. Curry's younger brother, Donald, won the WBA Welterweight Championship several months earlier. They were the first pair of brothers to hold world titles simultaneously. Another Curry brother, Graylin, was also a professional boxer.

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