Quartey is too stationary for Curry. Ike's jab was so good that even flat footed he could provide problems to just about anybody, but Curry wouldn't get frozen by it.
Ike's jab takes Curry's safety zone away and Curry gets more sporadic and sloppy as the fight goes on. The middle rounds are rough for Curry when Ike gets his motor running. If he's still around the late rounds are Curry's chance to pull it out.
I kind of see it the other way. Curry's faster jab and more versatile offense makes Ike uncomfortable in the fight. It would be a tough fight but I think Curry's a bit too good for Ike.
Suggesting Curry would out jab Quartey epitomizes how over rated he was. DLH had faster hands, a better jab and faster feet than Curry. Ike wasn't exactly comfortable but he was obviously in the fight and dangerous. Curry relied on his height and range as a safety zone to pace and plan his attack. When his opponent hurt him at long range he became a lesser, less intelligent fighter. Ike's jab is the perfect weapon to discombobulate Curry. And if it comes down to a scrappy physical fight Ike is strong and durable as long as his stamina holds up. Curry on the other hand is liable to fall apart or fall down at any moment.
Aside from the Honeyghan fight when did Curry "fall apart" at welter? DLH might have been a bit quicker and more fluid than Curry but he wasn't as good a counterpuncher and Curry's right hand was a legit weapon. Curry's range and power would give Ike fits. This would be a tough scrap but Ike's aggression would cost him against Curry. He'd press Curry but he'd eat some big time punches over the course of the fight. I think Curry does enough to win after an entertaining fight.
I think Curry clicking on all cylinders gets Quartey outta there late with that left hook. I could see it being tit for tat those first 5 rounds or so. But Curry would be able to keep the slower Quartey at bay and when he lands the left hook the way he wants to, I don't see Quartey surviving. Curry KO 10
Fortunato hit the nail on the head about the difference between Curry and DLH. Yes, Oscar had faster hands than Curry, but Curry was a better counterpuncher, and more accurate and thoughtful with his punches than Oscar. The problem with Ike was that there wasn't much versatility of creativity about his style. He had the great jab, yes. He had good, but not great power. To his credit, he had better handspeed than people might remember. BUT, he could also be somewhat robotic and predictable, and could be nailed clean with counters. Even if you wanna bring up Curry-Honeyghan - Honeyghan was a much more awkward, unpredictable fighter than Quartey, which threw off a patient counterpuncher like Curry. Ike is a guy who could be timed due to basically always fighting at one rhythm, and one pace. The fact that Quartey fought at such a high pace and intensity every round also probably contributed to his suspect stamina. Curry figures out Ike late after Ike giving him problems early.
as you say, Ike fought at a high hard pace. He has the tools to touch Curry. A high paced fight against a strong decent puncher that can consistently touch him is a much bigger challenge for Curry than you guys seem to think. What are these tough physical fights Curry prevailed in? Marlon Starling? Random Korean guy? Curry was dominant at his best and fell apart when he met real resistance so how is he favored to win "in a tough fight" so often?
You list Starling as if Starling's a chump. Starling IMO woulda beaten Quartey. Curry wasn't involved in many physical wars prior to his loss simply because he was so talented, and dominant that no one could really push him. The way he outfought Starling on the inside for 15 rounds in their rematch was masterful shit. That's ANOTHER thing, Curry was a very good infighter. Ike, not so much. Ike slapped a lot of the inside. He needed more distance to get off than Curry.
He was dominant because no one could push him, once he got pushed he fell over. That's Donald Curry in a nutshell. Starling wasn't a puncher or a physical fighter and it's no coincidence that he's Curry's shining moment. a slick thinking fighter that can't punch is the perfect style for Curry because it gives him the time and safety to think with them but with power. Curry is a perfect example of "every man has a plan until they get hit". Curry didn't just have a plan, he had a lot of skills and knew how to implement them... Until he got hit. Curry coming through rough moments in a physical fight is a fantasy the world has never seem and I think it's more likely than not guys like Ike and Tito put him in rough tough fights. I'd pick Curry against DLH because he wasn't a physical fighter and he'd be inclined to try to think and outbox Curry and that's when all the fantastical things about Curry could come into play. Even then there's the question of what happens if he gets hurt.
TITO is a different story. Trinidad had the power to legitimately turn Curry's lights out after one mistake. Ike didn't have that type of power.
Neither did Honeyghan so he just hit him until he quit. Curry's attitude changed when the Korean guy hurt him as well. Curry just isn't a guy that will accept a fight where he's consistently taking hard punches. He'll try to find a better way and if he can't find it he'll find a way out. Whether that's going kamikaze like against McCallum or quitting in the corner like against Honeyghan.
