A KING IN THE RING AND A LEGEND IN PRINT
Former world champ Watt leads tributes to Daily Record boxing legend Dick
THERE are not many occasions in sport when an athlete being interviewed is in awe of the guy asking the questions.
Then again, Dick Currie’s is no ordinary life story.
Few men can go from being a hero in the boxing ring to a legend in print.
Currie has sadly passed away at 87 and leaves an incredible legacy in a tale that took him from the gyms of Glasgow’s East End to ringside seats in some of world boxing’s greatest cathedrals.
At a time when the Scottish fight game had a production line for talented fighters, Currie was up with the best of them, becoming the first Scot to retain the British ABA flyweight title in the early 1950s with his crowing glory Empire and Commonwealth Games gold by beating Abie Bekker in Vancouver.
The fighter of Dalmarnock Amateur Boxing Club went to St Louis in the USA to fight in the Golden Gloves and had bouts in Chicago under the guidance of legendary trainer Joe Aitkison, who’d reared world champions Johnny Caldwell and John ‘Cowboy’ McCormack.
A promising start in the pro ranks was ended at Firhill by Frankie Jones but it was just the start of another story as Currie would become the Daily Record’s boxing writer for 40 glorious years, where he chronicled the historic nights and fights of the likes of Ken Buchanan and Jim Watt.
He was as fearless with the pen as he was with the gloves but the respect from the fighters was a given.
Watt said: “Dick was an excellent fighter who achieved so much in the ring. He was a household name after winning gold at the Empire Games and had a distinguished career at a time where there were so many top fighters in Scotland.
“When he went over to the
When he went over to the papers he carried that boxing authority JIM WATT ON CURRIE’S MOVE INTO JOURNALISM
newspaper game he carried with him that boxing authority and commanded respect.
“Dick’s questions were always pertinent. He always knew his stuff and you usually ended up agreeing with him, even if he was being critical of you.
“He followed me right up from the amateur days right to the world title fights – and we never had a cross word.
“Dick was with me during the highlights of my career and it was a close-knit bunch. You could relax with him because he wasn’t looking to stitch you up, which some guys could do to make a name.
“He was a huge part of the scene, hugely knowledgeable. He was a terrific fighter – and an outstanding journalist.”
North-east journalist Frank Gilfeather followed a similar path from the boxing ring to the newspaper game and was inspired by Currie in both.
He said: “I was coming through as an amateur in Dundee in the 1960s and the funny thing was, I was the fighter but I was in awe of him.
“It was Dick Currie, the man who won a Games gold medal in 1954. He was a great fighter at a time when Scotland had boxers like Dick McTaggart and Walter McGowan.
“I was in an eliminator for the Games squad in Jamaica in 1966. I dominated the fight and Dick was ringside. He gave me the thumbs up and got the Daily Record photographer to get my picture with my arm raised in celebration.
“Moments later the judges came back with a split decision and I’d lost. It was political but Dick was incensed.”
Renowned boxing writer Jim Black said: “Dick was always a tremendous help to younger aspiring writers. He was at the very top of the game but he was no Mr Big Shot, he was so unassuming but he commanded respect from boxers as well as colleagues.”
JASON DAY took a penalty drop for an unplayable lie after his ball landed in a bird’s nest at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
The former world No.1 borrowed binoculars to try and identify his ball on the par-5 16th hole at Bay Hill.
And a photographer used his zoom lens to confirm it belonged to the Aussie.
Day then took a drop directly under the nest before taking a double bogey on his way to a 72.
Canadian ace Corey Conners is top of the board on nine-under par after his second round 69.
Paul Casey was four shots back after a 69 as Lee Westwood and Matt Fitzpatrick both shot 71s.
Meanwhile, Scots ace Robert MacIntyre looks set to move past reigning Open Champion Shane Lowry and Sergio Garcia on the World Rankings.
Lowry’s missed the cut with rounds of 74 and 75 while MacIntyre’s posted a gutsy second round 70 to sit two-under par.
Russell Knox bagged three birdies in a 71 to get back to one-over par.