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

Family Curry is the oldest of three brothers, all of whom were boxers. His younger brother is Donald Curry, who won four belts in the welterweight category (WBC, WBA, IBF and The Ring), one in the light middleweight category (WBC), and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame).

Amateur career 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. During his amateur career he was trained by Wesley Gale Parker.

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

He signed to fight Minoru Sugiya in Japan on January 26, 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 Sugiya 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.

Curry made two successful title defenses, knocking out Hidekazu Akai in seven rounds and winning a rematch with Haley by a twelve-round split decision. On January 29, 1984, Curry lost the title by a tenth-round knockout to Billy Costello.

On February 2, 1984, Curry was arrested in Las Vegas, Nevada, after he fired several shots at his trainer, Jesse Reid, following an altercation at a gym. He had fought with Reid after blaming him for his loss to Costello. Curry was charged with assault with a deadly weapon and carrying a concealed weapon.

Curry was found innocent by reason of insanity and ordered confined to a mental hospital until he was no longer a threat to society. He was released on March 26, 1985, after a team of three psychiatrists said he was no longer mentally ill.

Curry fought just one more time, defeating Tomas Garcia by a ten-round decision on April 29, 1986. He finished with a record of 35-8 with 17 knockouts.

Professional boxing record

ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes41Win33–8Tomas Negro Garcia40Loss32–8Billy Costello39Win32–7Leroy Haley38Win31–7Hidekazu Akai37Win30–7Leroy Haley36Win29–7Tyrone Rackley35Win28–7Ronnie Shields34Win27–7Danny Favella33Win26–7Edward Nuno32Win25–7Mark Ibanez31Loss24–7Steve Hearon30Win24–6Pablo Gomez29Win23–6Alejo Rodriguez28Win22–6Andres Ramirez27Loss21–6Greg Stephens26Win21–5Jimmy Jackson25Win20–5Greg Stephens24Loss19–5Thomas Hearns23Win19–4Willie Rodriguez22Win18–4Clinton McKenzie21Win17–4Wade Hinnant20Loss16–4Adolfo Viruet19Loss16–3Domingo Ayala18Win16–2Monroe Brooks17Win15–2Luis Resto16Loss14–2Wilfred Benítez15Win14–1Minoru Sugiya14Loss13–1Wilfred Benítez13Win13–0Julio Gomez12Win12–0Lion Furuyama11Win11–0Rudy Barro10Win10–0Juan Antonio Merlo9Win9–0Buffalo Suzuki8Win8–0Rafael Rodriguez7Win7–0Jimmy Jackson6Win6–0Freddie Washington5Win5–0Clarence Howard4Win4–0Chris Gonzalez3Win3–0Jorge Morales2Win2–0Willie Hearne1Win1–0Bruce Henderson

See also Notable boxing families List of world light-welterweight boxing champions

References

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