Undefeated WBA World Super Welterweight Champion, Mike McCallum, defends his title against former unified WBA/WBC/IBF World Welterweight Champion and reigning USBA Super Welterweight Champion, Donald Curry. This was a very dangerous fight for both men, arguably still both in their prime and their careers far from over. More info below...
"The Body Snatcher" Mike McCallum had been the WBA World Super Welterweight Champion since winning the vacant title in 1984. McCallum had turned pro in 1981 after a stellar amateur career and was undefeated in 31 fights, 28 by way of stoppage. He had successfully defended his World title 5 times by stoppage against former European Super Welterweight Champion Luigi Minchillo, reigning European Super Welterweight Champion Said Skouma, NABF Super Welterweight Champion David Braxton, undefeated Julian Jackson and former WBC World Welterweight Champion Milton McCrory. McCallum was scheduled to face Donald Curry back in 1986 when Curry was the undisputed World Welterweight Champion but Curry had backed out after second thoughts about moving up in weight. Although Curry was no longer the World Welterweight Champion, he was seen as a 2-1 favourite against McCallum because he was a 5 years younger and seen as the more aggressive fighter.
"The Lone Star Cobra" Donald Curry had turned pro in 1980 following a stellar amateur career himself claiming to have a 404-4 record. He came from a talented family of boxers with his brothers Bruce and Graylin also turning pro. Bruce and Donald were also the first brothers to hold world titles at the same time... Bruce at Super Lightweight and Donald at Welterweight. Curry had established himself as a hard working heavy hitter and in 1982 he would win the NABF Welterweight title and just 5 months later he would add the USBA Welterweight title to his waist as well after earning a split decision against undefeated Marlon Starling. In his very next fight Curry was matched with undefeated OPBF Welterweight Champion, Jun-Suk Hwang, of South Korea for the vacant WBA World Welterweight title left behind by Sugar Ray Leonard, winning comfortably over 15 rounds. Curry went from strength to strength following the win, proving he was a competent and dominating champion. In 1984 he added the IBF Welterweight title to his waist in a rematch with Marlon Starling and in 1985 he became undisputed World Welterweight Champion when he beat his friend Milton McCrory for the WBC Welterweight title. Just when Curry had reached the top of the mountain however he came tumbling down in his first defence of the unified Welterweight titles when he was forced to retire against 5-1 underdog, Lloyd Honeyghan. Curry sited corner issues, weight problems and the death of his Grandfather as contributing to the loss. Curry moved up in weight and made a successful, but ugly, return to the ring in 1987 when he beat undefeated Tony Montgomery by 5th Rd DQ for the vacant USBA Super Welterweight title which sparked a mini brawl. In Curry's first defence of the title he beat former IBF World Super Welterweight Champion Carlos Santos, by an identical 5th Rd DQ thanks to some dubious headbutts. The DQ win did nothing to restore Curry's reputation and some, including Santos, even debated whether Curry had intentionally created head clash situations by leading his head... But either way, Curry now had a still very respectable 27-1 record heading in against McCallum.
