Undefeated NABF Middleweight Champion, Michael Nunn, defends his title against former USBA Middleweight Champion, Curtis Parker. Parker was an all action fighter and a rough customer who had given some other top names in the sport a real challenge during his heyday. More info below...


Curtis Parker had turned pro in December 1977 after a successful amateur career in which he won the Pennsylvania Golden Gloves Championship twice at 156lbs and the 1977 National Golden Gloves Light Middleweight Championship. Although on the smaller side for a middleweight, he was a tough customer who was not afraid to get rough and brawl with his opponents in close. He went undefeated in his first 17 fights, winning 14 by KO, before suffering his first defeat at the hands of fellow undefeated fighter, Dwight Davison, who had a huge height and reach advantage. Parker would lose his next 2 fights as well against future World title challengers Mustafa Hamsho and Wilfred Scypion, but he gave a good account of himself and both fights were close, particularly against Hamsho as it ended in a split decision. Parker picked up a couple wins against nobodies in 1981 before having a rematch with Hamsho in 1982 but once again he came up short losing by majority decision. Parker then went on a 5 win streak before suffering his next defeat in 1983 to hard hitting John Mugabi, getting knocked out in the 1st round. Parker did bounce back with a good unanimous decision win over undefeated Donald Bowers in January 1984. Parker was then called up as a last minute replacement for USBA Middleweight Champion, Wilfred Scypion, to take on Alex Ramos. Parker started the fight well but in the middle rounds he suffered a cut and was running low on stamina by round 9, losing a unanimous decision that could of very nearly been a TKO. Throughout 1985 Parker had only just managed to scrape past a couple journeymen in Billy Robertson and Ricky Stackhouse so it was surprising that in 1986 he gave then undefeated future World title challenger, Michael Olajide, such a problem and came very close to scoring an upset but ultimately lost a split decision. By 1987 it looked like Parkers career was almost done but he was handed a last minute lifeline thanks to a controversial win over undefeated Philip Morefield, when the fight went to the scorecards for a techincal decision after just 5 rounds due to injury and Parker getting the decision. This took Parker's record heading in against Nunn to 28-8. It may not look that impressive but of his 8 losses only 1 was by knockout, he was still seen as a very durable opponent.

Michael "Second To" Nunn was fast becoming one of the most watched middleweights on the planet. He had the size, power and most noticeably, speed, and was viewed as the future of the division. He had turned pro in 1984 and in just 4 years racked up an undefeated record of 28 wins, 18 by knockout and 10 by decision showing not only could he bang, but he could box to. Nobody had come close to beating him at this stage of his career and he had beaten some good fighters in Alex Ramos, Willie Harris and Kevin Watts. His biggest scalp however was probably against Darnell Knox, whom he forced to retire on his stool after 4 rounds to win the vacant NABF Middleweight title. Knox would also retire from the sport following the loss. Nunn wasn't without his flaws however, his biggest one being that he was easy to get angered and tricked into brawling instead of boxing. But although he was a better technical fighter, Nunn did have the power to hold his own in a brawl as this fight would show!