Boxing Roundup : Curry Stops Jones in Fourth and Retains Title

Donald Curry retained his World Boxing Assn. welterweight title Saturday night at Birmingham, England, when he stopped challenger Colin Jones of Britain 36 seconds into the fourth round.

Jones, who was making his third attempt to win a world title, received a bad cut on the bridge of the nose near the end of the third round, and the fight was halted early in the fourth after a quick inspection by the ringside doctor.

It was the first time in his career that the 25-year-old Welshman had been stopped.

Curry, 23, of Fort Worth, who weighed in at 147 pounds, was making his fifth defense of the title he won in February, 1983. He remains unbeaten after 21 pro fights, 16 of them going less than the distance.

“After the first couple of rounds, I took control of the fight,” Curry said. “I came over here to prove I’m a good champion and I did.

“I’m the king of boxing now--I’ve proved that. I think I’m the best fighter in the world.”

A sellout crowd of 11,500 at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Center reacted angrily when the bout, scheduled for 15 rounds, was stopped.

Scuffles broke out among supporters and bottles rained down on to the ring, splattering officials with liquid, mostly beer, but causing no injuries.

A weeping Jones, who had previously twice fought Milton McCrory for the World Boxing Council version of the welterweight title, said had just gotten into his stride when the fight was halted.

“I feel so ashamed, I’m not even tired, just very frustrated and disappointed. I’ve got so much fight left in me,” he said.

“He is a class champion but if it wasn’t for the cut I’d have been there all night.”

In his two fights with McCrory in 1983, Jones forced a draw in Reno and lost on a split decision in Las Vegas. But he never posed problems for Curry.

At the end of the first round, Jones, 146, had a smear of blood coming from his nose.

As he searched for openings, Jones frequently was outscored by Curry, nicknamed “the Cobra” because of his ability to flick out the jab and dance out of trouble.

In the middle of the third round, another, more serious cut opened up on the bridge of Jones’ nose and the American piled on the pressure as blood smeared across Jones’ face.

At the end of the round, Jones’ corner worked frantically on the cut but when the injury re-opened at the start of the fourth, Jones was taken to a neutral corner.

When he knew it was all over, the Welshman broke down and wept while Curry danced with delight in his corner.

At Atlantic City, N.J., Hector Camacho, returning to the ring for the first time in eight months, floored Louie Burke early in the second round and won his second fight as a lightweight when Burke was unable to answer the bell for the sixth round.

Camacho, 21, the former World Boxing Council junior-lightweight champion who moved up to the 135-pound class in July when he had trouble making the 130-pound weight limit, was in command from the opening bell in the scheduled 10-rounder.

Camacho, at 136 pounds, was one pound over the lightweight limit. The southpaw, from Bayamon, Puerto Rico, knocked down Burke, 135 3/4, in the opening seconds of the second round with a short right hook and left to the head. The 23-year-old Burke, of Las Cruces, N.M., got up at the count of four and did well for the rest of the round, until Camacho shook him with a flashy combination to the head 30 seconds before the bell.

With about 20 seconds left in the fifth round, Camacho unleashed a barrage of about 15 punches to the head that had Burke reeling, his left eye swollen shut. The referee jumped in and gave Burke a standing eight count, and when he motioned for action to continue, the bell rang. A doctor entered the ring to look at Burke, and a few seconds later, Camacho’s hand was raised in victory.

The victory raised Camacho’s record to 25-0 with 15 knockouts. Burke is 19-2.

In his first fight since giving up his title, Camacho knocked out Rafael Williams in the seventh round May 20, 1984.

At a post-fight news conference, Camacho said he was not bothered by fighting in the higher weight class.

“I just did my best. I’m impressed with myself,” he told reporters.

Burke was also impressed.

“He punches real hard,” Burke said. “He’s everything I expected him to be. He punches hard, he’s fast, he’s a great fighter.”