Joey Curtis
Encyclopedia
George Curtis (April 9, 1925 – May 13, 2004) was a former professional boxer
, referee and business owner who was licensed to officiate bouts in Las Vegas, Nevada
.
Curtis, who had an undistinguished career as a boxer, lived in Las Vegas for thirty years. There, he established the Curtis Construction Company, which he owned until May 2003.
As a boxing referee, Curtis was known for taking boxer's safety into consideration first. He refereed a number of world title fights, and he worked a number of non-title fights over the years.
Curtis is best remembered, however, for two specific fights: On June 26, 1981, at Las Vegas, Lupe Pintor
was defending his WBC
world Bantamweight championship against Jovito Rengifo, who was attempting to become Peru
's first world boxing champion. Rengifo was leading on all scorecards going into the seventh round, but he absorbed dangerous punches during the course of that round. Curtis stopped the fight, giving Pintor a seventh round technical knockout
win. The fight's crowd, which in Las Vegas is filled usually with pro-Mexican
fans, booed Curtis for his decision to stop the fight.
On December 10, 1982, he was chosen to referee the WBA
world Heavyweight championship bout between champion Mike Weaver and challenger Michael Dokes
. Dokes had Weaver against the ropes and was landing a combination when Curtis stepped in and stopped the fight. Weaver had already suffered a knockdown about twenty seconds before, but many fans and critics felt that Curtis acted too quickly by stopping the bout after only 63 seconds of fighting. Neither a standing eight count
nor a three knockdown rule was in effect.
The WBA investigated the fight, and during the investigation, it was revealed that Curtis had been told by the Nevada Athletic Commission
to be mindful of the condition of the fighters after the November 18 death of Duk Koo Kim
as the result of a fight with Ray Mancini
in Las Vegas on November 13. Fearful of another tragedy, Curtis stopped the fight to prevent Weaver from further punishment. On May 20, 1983, Dokes and Weaver held a rematch, with Dokes retaining the title with a fifteen round draw.
In June 2003, Curtis sold his company to a contractor whose license was revoked a month earlier for signing contracts and not finishing work, which resulted in complaints with the state board. Joey Curtis died after a sudden illness at Saint Rose Hospital in Las Vegas.
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, referee and business owner who was licensed to officiate bouts in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
.
Curtis, who had an undistinguished career as a boxer, lived in Las Vegas for thirty years. There, he established the Curtis Construction Company, which he owned until May 2003.
As a boxing referee, Curtis was known for taking boxer's safety into consideration first. He refereed a number of world title fights, and he worked a number of non-title fights over the years.
Curtis is best remembered, however, for two specific fights: On June 26, 1981, at Las Vegas, Lupe Pintor
Lupe Pintor
Jose Guadalupe Pintor Guzman , better known as Lupe Pintor, is a former world boxing champion from Cuajimalpa, Mexico. Nicknamed El Indio De Cuajimalpa or The Indian From Cuajimalpa, he started boxing professionally in 1974...
was defending his WBC
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
world Bantamweight championship against Jovito Rengifo, who was attempting to become Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
's first world boxing champion. Rengifo was leading on all scorecards going into the seventh round, but he absorbed dangerous punches during the course of that round. Curtis stopped the fight, giving Pintor a seventh round technical knockout
Knockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
win. The fight's crowd, which in Las Vegas is filled usually with pro-Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
fans, booed Curtis for his decision to stop the fight.
On December 10, 1982, he was chosen to referee the WBA
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
world Heavyweight championship bout between champion Mike Weaver and challenger Michael Dokes
Michael Dokes
Michael Marshall Dokes is a former American boxer in the heavyweight division, nicknamed "Dynamite."-Amateur career:...
. Dokes had Weaver against the ropes and was landing a combination when Curtis stepped in and stopped the fight. Weaver had already suffered a knockdown about twenty seconds before, but many fans and critics felt that Curtis acted too quickly by stopping the bout after only 63 seconds of fighting. Neither a standing eight count
Standing eight count
A standing eight count, also known as a protection count, is a boxing judgment call made by a referee during a bout. When invoked, the referee stops the action and counts to eight. Typically, a boxer can take 3 standing eight counts in a round...
nor a three knockdown rule was in effect.
The WBA investigated the fight, and during the investigation, it was revealed that Curtis had been told by the Nevada Athletic Commission
Nevada Athletic Commission
The Nevada Athletic Commission regulates all contests and exhibitions of unarmed combat within the state of Nevada, including licensure and supervision of promoters, boxers, kickboxers, mixed martial arts fighters, seconds, ring officials, managers, and matchmakers...
to be mindful of the condition of the fighters after the November 18 death of Duk Koo Kim
Duk Koo Kim
Kim Duk-Koo was a South Korean boxer who died following a boxing match against Ray Mancini. His death sparked a number of reforms in the sport aimed to better protect the health of fighters.-Life and boxing career:...
as the result of a fight with Ray Mancini
Ray Mancini
Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini is a retired Italian-American boxer. He held the World Boxing Association lightweight championship from 1982 to 1984. Mancini inherited his distinctive nickname from his father, veteran boxer Lenny "Boom Boom" Mancini, who laid the foundation for his son's career...
in Las Vegas on November 13. Fearful of another tragedy, Curtis stopped the fight to prevent Weaver from further punishment. On May 20, 1983, Dokes and Weaver held a rematch, with Dokes retaining the title with a fifteen round draw.
In June 2003, Curtis sold his company to a contractor whose license was revoked a month earlier for signing contracts and not finishing work, which resulted in complaints with the state board. Joey Curtis died after a sudden illness at Saint Rose Hospital in Las Vegas.