Artie Curry of HBO Passes, The Boxing World Mourns

By Michael Marley 

Ring legend Roy Jones was in tears. Former HBO boxing boss Lou DiBella was despondent.

Losing a good friend, one who dies way too young, has that effect. So it was the sad news Wedneday that HBO Sports boxing maven and goodwill amabassador to the world Artie Curry had died.

Curry, of who it can be truly said had all friends and zero enemies in the backstabbing worlds of television and boxing, usually had the opposite effect on people. Usually, a handshake, a hello or a conversation with Curry left folks smiling and cheerful.

Curry, age 49, was found dead at his New York apartment.

Jones and DiBella were especially close to and fond of the Harlem-born Curry.

Only his closest friends knew of Curry’s rugged childhood, one in which his mother was murdered and his wandering father drank himself to death.

It was the kind of bumpy adolsecence that could turn a child into a thug but, instead, Curry was a genial person whose bushy beard helped him give a Barry White aura of real warmth.

"He will be missed by everyone," Buffalo fight agent Rick Glaser said. "In a rough and tumble world, he stood out as a true gentleman."

Jay and Allan Wartski, New York businessmen in real estate and restaurants and arden fight fans, also paid tribute to Curry.

"Artie was a magnificent guy," Allan said. "He never had a bad or bitter word, only good things to say about everyone. If you look up the meaning of mensch in a dictionary, you would see his picture."

"Just a terrific guy to talk about life and boxing with and a true friend to all the fighters," Jay said.

According to a Tom Hauser mini-profile of Curry, he was in a succession of foster and group homes until, miraculously he was adopted at age 16 by a jazz singer named Edward Curry and his wife Lise.

The troubled Arthur Sheppard changed his last name to Curry to honor the loving parents he found shelter and love with as a teenager.

Curry began work in the mailroom at Time Life and migrated to HBO Sports. One of his boosters was then HBO Sports leader Seth Abraham. He also became close to Jim Lampley and Larry Merchant, the fight announcers.

Once, I heard some boxing guy describe “talent relations coordinator” Curry as “the guy who gives out those HBO Boxing jackets."

No, I corrected him, that’s a guy who spreads good cheer wherever he goes. That's a guy who never makes enemies. That's a guy who is a stranger to no one. "Strangers" to him are friends he hasn't met as of yet.

Rest in peace, Mr. Curry. Boxing has lost a real gentleperson, a complete mensch and one of the best friends any boxer ever had.

You gave out something more important than jackets, you radiated love, compassion and friendship.

Courtesy of Mike "I Hate The Yankees" Marley @ BoxingConfidential.com