Talking about welterweights-Brian Curvis

[dalcumly]

Kell Brook and Amir Khan get a lot of publicity on boxing media -and quite rightly. Occasionally comments are made about top British welterweights from the past but I seldom hear mention of one of the absolute best -Brian Curvis.

I spoke to Brian often when I was doing research for a book on Dave Charnley. He was living in Middlesbrough at the time. Brian won 2 Lonsdale belts outright. When he retired, he discovered ( according to him) that his money had disappeared and he loaned his belts to a Scottish publican. He was never able to raise the funds to get them back and subsequently lost them. One hangs in a pub in Rose Street Edinburgh to this day.

Anyway, Brian lost in a challenge for the world title to a peak Emile Griffith over 15 rounds. Brian told me that about 10 days before the fight he took a sickening body shot in sparring and soon after began peeing blood. A doctor was called who told him the fight couldn't go ahead. In those days money talked even more than today and there was no chance of getting Griffith back over for another date so the fight happened as scheduled. Brian was put down at least 3 times I recall from body punches.
I've seen several films of his fights and although not spectacular, he was a real hard character, who was a superb ring technician.

Brook and Khan are world class - so was Honeyghan, but on behalf of those living in the past like me, let's remember a British great (OK Welsh great), Brian Curvis who passed away in 2012.

[Gazmac81]

there's a lot of old great boxers that should get more publicity , some don't bother and some are quite bitter about it.

that the nature of the game though , a lot of different circumstances determain how popular / mainstream you become , unfortunately being dedicated and great fighter doesn't always come into it.

that's says im all for anyone who steps in the ring earning and getting as much glory/publicity as they can ,

People moan about the likes of Broner getting large paydays ect but at the end of the day hes the one that's created it and got himself into these positions , even if he is the biggest Bellend in boxing :)

[misterpunch]

brian is not forgotten. but you're right you may have to be in your mid 50's (at least) to appreciate how good he was. good thread

[Cholo_cws]

It might be scant consolation for the heroes of yesteryear (such as Brian Curvis) but I hope that they have/had a certain self-satisaction knowing that they fought the very best in their division and therefore tested themselves to the limit with no questions left remaining. It remains to be seen whether Brook and Khan will do likewise in the welterweight division...despite Sky's commentary claiming that Kell now ruled the world (after he'd beaten Shawn Porter.)

[Cholo_cws]

It might be scant consolation for the heroes of yesteryear (such as Brian Curvis) but I hope that they have/had a certain self-satisaction knowing that they fought the very best in their division and therefore tested themselves to the limit with no questions left remaining. It remains to be seen whether Brook and Khan will do likewise in the welterweight division...despite Sky's commentary claiming that Kell now ruled the world (after he'd beaten Shawn Porter.)

Not saying that they wouldn't want to mind - certainly whilst Mayweather's still around.

[magwitch]

It might be scant consolation for the heroes of yesteryear (such as Brian Curvis) but I hope that they have/had a certain self-satisaction knowing that they fought the very best in their division and therefore tested themselves to the limit with no questions left remaining. It remains to be seen whether Brook and Khan will do likewise in the welterweight division...despite Sky's commentary claiming that Kell now ruled the world (after he'd beaten Shawn Porter.)

[magwitch]

Guy sounds like a top boxer. A Welshman that ended up living in Middlesbrough....now there's a thing!
I've just got this feeling that Mayweather will go away for 6 months (whilst keeping in trim secretly) then announce a "surprise" ring return and I can see him facing off in Summer 2016 against Amir Khan - at Wembley..........A fight I could see him heavily favourite for. I might be overstating the cojones necessary, but I don't know....I think Mayweather needs a challenge.

Anyway, enough about that and back to the subject of the thread. I did not know about Brian Curvis, great thread! Very interesting stories about the body shots and the belts too

[magwitch]

Is Emile Griffith not the fella that killed a guy in the ring....Peret?

[misterpunch]

I said years ago that mayweather will only be beaten after a good period of retirement. its the story of boxing

[handsofstone]

Is Emile Griffith not the fella that killed a guy in the ring....Peret?

Yeah thats him,apparantly Paret made some derogatory homophobic comments to Griffiths,some beating he took that night