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04th Jan 2025

Boxing legend Donald Curry diagnosed with brain disease

Zoe Hodges

His son has appealed for help

Boxing legend Donald Curry has been diagnosed with a brain disease as his family appeal for support to fund his treatment.

Before the 63-year-old retired in 1997, he was a champion in two weight divisions, winning 34 of his 40 professional bouts.

Now, he has been diagnosed with Traumatic Encephalopathy Syndrome, a brain condition that commonly occurs from repeated head trauma.

Curry’s son Donovan shared the news online and appealed for help. 

He wrote: “I’m reaching out to the boxing community to ask for assistance in finding a long-term healthcare facility for my dad.

“A few years ago, with the help of Chuck Williams, my dad underwent a brain scan at the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, where he was officially diagnosed with Traumatic Encephalopathy Syndrome (TES).

“This condition has caused impairments in judgment, reasoning, memory, and behavior, including poor impulse control.

“For some time, he was being cared for at an incredible church facility in Fort Worth, thanks to the support of his former trainer, Paul Reyes, who recently passed away.”

His son revealed he was unable to stay at this facility ‘due to incidents of fighting and breaking rules’.

Curry held the WBA world welterweight title from 1983 to 1986, the undisputed world welterweight title from 1985 to 1986 and the WBC light middleweight title from 1988 to 1989.

In 2019 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.