Donald curry or serg Martinez--- Dan Raphael's take

[Sugar Adam Ali]

Cliff rold and myself had alittle bit of a back and forth about Dan rapheal, ESPN's main boxing guy.. I think Dan is an idiot and is only taken seriously because he is with espn.. Cliff has met him personally, and vouched for the guy..

But then I read Dian's recent fight freak chat, and just had to shake my head..


Dan said curry isn't worthy of hall of fame, but a few moments later proceeded to say serg Martinez is a first ballot no-brainer..

I ask, how is serg much greater than curry???

Serg best wins are pavlik, paul Williams, and chavez jr

Curry has wins over mccory, starling twice

Both guys were two division champs, and both were the "main" "real" champ, curry at welter, serg at middleweight..


I just don't see how curry can be dismissed so easily, yet serg is a first ballot guy..
I think this is just another example of how Dan raphael is in way over his head when it comes to covering boxing, let alone voting for the hall of fame.

[BennyST]

Cliff rold and myself had alittle bit of a back and forth about Dan rapheal, ESPN's main boxing guy.. I think Dan is an idiot and is only taken seriously because he is with espn.. Cliff has met him personally, and vouched for the guy..

But then I read Dian's recent fight freak chat, and just had to shake my head..


Dan said curry isn't worthy of hall of fame, but a few moments later proceeded to say serg Martinez is a first ballot no-brainer..

I ask, how is serg much greater than curry???

Serg best wins are pavlik, paul Williams, and chavez jr

Curry has wins over mccory, starling twice

Both guys were two division champs, and both were the "main" "real" champ, curry at welter, serg at middleweight..


I just don't see how curry can be dismissed so easily, yet serg is a first ballot guy..
I think this is just another example of how Dan raphael is in way over his head when it comes to covering boxing, let alone voting for the hall of fame.

I've never understood the obsession with Martinez. He was a decent champ, but I really don't even think he's HOF worthy frankly. Great guy, pure dish (one of the ATG's in that regard), but he's lacking in big wins (unless Chavez Jr is a HOF entrance win these days) and apart from a very short period as one of the top champions he genuinely fought absolutely nobody and did nothing.

Edit: Also, why do people say Martinez was a two division champ? He never won a title at 154. Only at 160.

[Sugar Adam Ali]

I've never understood the obsession with Martinez. He was a decent champ, but I really don't even think he's HOF worthy frankly. Great guy, pure dish (one of the ATG's in that regard), but he's lacking in big wins (unless Chavez Jr is a HOF entrance win these days) and apart from a very short period as one of the top champions he genuinely fought absolutely nobody and did nothing.

Edit: Also, why do people say Martinez was a two division champ? He never won a title at 154. Only at 160.

I thought he gained a paper title at 154... Didn't he beat bunema for one and then lose it to paul Williams in the first fight... I could be dead wrong...


Do you think serg is above curry for HOF consideration??

[Sugar Adam Ali]

According to boxrec, serg was an interm champ at 154, winning the belt vs bunema and defending once vs cintron in a draw.. Doesn't have it listed for his next fight vs williams, so I assume they stripped it from him

[BennyST]

I thought he gained a paper title at 154... Didn't he beat bunema for one and then lose it to paul Williams in the first fight... I could be did wrong...


Do you think serg is above curry for HOF consideration??

He only won an Interim title there, but never got further because he had one more fight at 154, which was a shockingly dodgy draw with Cintron and then never fought there again.

No, I don't. Curry was an underachiever and Martinez maybe a bit of an overachiever considering their starts etc. But, Curry fought in a much, much, much tougher era. One of the hardest eras in boxing history by a long stretch.

Overall, I think Curry is thought lesser of because he held such huge promise and didn't fulfil it. That doesn't effect what they did accomplish though. So, going simply on what they did achieve Curry should still be rated higher I think.

He was a proper two division champ. He beat Starling and McRory to unify, which I think clearly beats Pavlik and Chavez Jr. His secondary wins are better too.

[Scott9945]

He only won an Interim title there, but never got further because he had one more fight at 154, which was a shockingly dodgy draw with Cintron and then never fought there again.

No, I don't. Curry was an underachiever and Martinez maybe a bit of an overachiever considering their starts etc. But, Curry fought in a much, much, much tougher era. One of the hardest eras in boxing history by a long stretch.

Overall, I think Curry is thought lesser of because he held such huge promise and didn't fulfil it. That doesn't effect what they did accomplish though. So, going simply on what they did achieve Curry should still be rated higher I think.

He was a proper two division champ. He beat Starling and McRory to unify, which I think clearly beats Pavlik and Chavez Jr. His secondary wins are better too.

During his prime, Curry seemed like a certain hall of famer. Now he is just marginal. I'd like to see him get in. Martinez is marginal too, but he also seems to be popular with the media, so his chances are pretty good.

[boxinghead530]

I think it will be one of those things where both will eventually get in but its going to be a matter of when. Sergio who had a very good career. You can poke holes where you like in his career but he was lineal champion at middleweight and he did beat lots of good guys in his career. I think with the way the media looks at it he will get in. I don't know about being a first time ballot enterance but he will get in not long after that because he was loved.

Donald Curry will be one of those type I think could get in but more time will have to pass. He will get one of those, I don't know how they categorize it, but it will be a historical enterance type deals.

[crold1]

Cliff rold and myself had alittle bit of a back and forth about Dan rapheal, ESPN's main boxing guy.. I think Dan is an idiot and is only taken seriously because he is with espn.. Cliff has met him personally, and vouched for the guy..

But then I read Dian's recent fight freak chat, and just had to shake my head..


Dan said curry isn't worthy of hall of fame, but a few moments later proceeded to say serg Martinez is a first ballot no-brainer..

I ask, how is serg much greater than curry???

Serg best wins are pavlik, paul Williams, and chavez jr

Curry has wins over mccory, starling twice

Both guys were two division champs, and both were the "main" "real" champ, curry at welter, serg at middleweight..


I just don't see how curry can be dismissed so easily, yet serg is a first ballot guy..
I think this is just another example of how Dan raphael is in way over his head when it comes to covering boxing, let alone voting for the hall of fame.

I've never voted for Curry, though I've been reconsidering in recent years. I won't vote for Martinez. I don't think he did enough.

[crold1]

I think it will be one of those things where both will eventually get in but its going to be a matter of when. Sergio who had a very good career. You can poke holes where you like in his career but he was lineal champion at middleweight and he did beat lots of good guys in his career. I think with the way the media looks at it he will get in. I don't know about being a first time ballot enterance but he will get in not long after that because he was loved.

Donald Curry will be one of those type I think could get in but more time will have to pass. He will get one of those, I don't know how they categorize it, but it will be a historical enterance type deals.

Curry has been on the ballot for YEARS. He's never got in and most of the voters I know are a no on him. Maybe when he is on an old timer ballot years from now.

[Scott9945]

I've never voted for Curry, though I've been reconsidering in recent years. I won't vote for Martinez. I don't think he did enough.

Do you predict that Martinez will get elected? If so, do you think it will be in his first year?