Barry McGuigan
Encyclopedia
Finbarr Patrick McGuigan MBE
(born 28 February 1961), known as Barry McGuigan and nicknamed The Clones Cyclone, is a former Irish
and British
professional boxer
who became a world featherweight
champion.
, son of singer Pat McGuigan
(died 1987). He represented Northern Ireland
in the Commonwealth Games
at Edmonton 1978
and represented Ireland
at the 1980 Summer Olympics
in Moscow. Pat McGuigan sang "Danny Boy
" before several of his son's fights. This fact inspired the Hacienda Brothers
' song "If Daddy Don't Sing Danny Boy", written by boxer and musician Chris Gaffney
.
During his career, McGuigan fought at a number of venues in Ireland and the United Kingdom. He attracted an enormous following in the mid-1980s, particularly to the King's Hall in Belfast
which he normally filled to capacity. McGuigan is a Roman Catholic, and at a time when Roman Catholics and Protestants were clashing during The Troubles
in Northern Ireland
, McGuigan married a Protestant woman, Sandra, and they have been married for 28 years. McGuigan has commented on the support he got from both Protestant and Catholic in Ireland that it was because:
As a non-sectarian sporting ambassador for Northern Ireland, even though he was from the Republic of Ireland
, he drew on the experience of George Best
and would later be emulated by Eddie Irvine
. He and his wife are both active patrons for children's cancer charity CLIC Sargent
.
McGuigan took out British citizenship so that he could compete for British domestic titles.
and later moved to the Smithborough Amateur Boxing Club, County Monaghan
. Under the guidance of trainers Danny McEntee and Frank Mulligan he rapidly established himself as a exceptional boxer. He won the All Ireland Amateur Championship in 1976 having defeated Martin Brereton.
in two rounds in Dublin. After another win, he suffered his first setback, losing a hotly disputed decision (which had him in tears) to Peter Eubanks (brother of Chris Eubank
) over eight rounds at Wembley
, England.
After his first loss, McGuigan notched up two more wins, including one over Terry Pizzarro, and then he was given a rematch with Eubanks. The second time around, McGuigan prevailed, by a knockout in the eighth round.
In 1982, McGuigan won eight fights, seven by knockout. One of these, however, almost destroyed his career and his life. Opposed by Young Ali, on 14 June 1982, McGuigan won by a knockout in six rounds; Ali fell into a coma from which he never recovered. According to the book The Ring: Boxing The 20th Century
, this affected McGuigan so much that he wasn't sure he wanted to keep on boxing. He also defeated Paul Huggins and Angelo Licata during this period. In 1983, he won four fights,winning the British Title against Vernon Penprase, and including his first trip to fight outside Europe (when he beat Samuel Meck by a knockout in six in Ontario
, Canada), before getting his first try at a European title. On 16 November, Italy's Valerio Nati defended his European Featherweight belt versus McGuigan in Belfast
, and McGuigan won the crown with a knockout in the sixth round. He then became the number one Featherweight challenger in the World Boxing Association
. In 1984, he won six bouts, all by knockout. Among the fighters he beat were former world title challengers Jose Caba and Felipe Orozco. He also beat contenders Paul DeVorce and Charm Chiteule and retained his British and European titles against Clyde Ruan and the latter belt against Esteban Eguia to keep his chance at a World Championship attempt alive.
In 1985, McGuigan met former world Featherweight
champion Juan Laporte
and won by a decision after ten rounds. Following one more win (a defence of his European Title against Farid Gallouze), he finally got his world title try when the long reigning WBA
world featherweight champion, Eusebio Pedroza
of Panama
, came to London to put his title on the line at Loftus Road
football stadium. McGuigan became the champion by dropping Pedroza in round seven and winning a unanimous fifteen-round decision in a fight refereed by hall of fame referee Stanley Christodoulou
. McGuigan and his wife were feted in a public reception through the streets of Belfast that attracted several hundred thousand spectators. Later that year, he was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year
, becoming the first person not born in the United Kingdom to win the award.
McGuigan made his first defence against American Bernard Taylor
, who was stopped in the ninth round, and then against Danilo Cabrera, who got knocked out in fourteen rounds. This proved to be a controversial stoppage: The fight was stopped after the challenger bent over to pick up his mouthpiece after losing it, a practice that is allowed in many countries but not in Ireland. Cabrera was not aware of this, and the fight was stopped. Although Cabrera's corner protested the outcome, McGuigan remained the winner by a knockout.
For his next defence, he went to Las Vegas
in June 1986, where he faced the relatively unknown Stevie Cruz from Texas
in what proved a gruelling fifteen-round title bout under a blazing sun. McGuigan held a lead halfway through, but suffered dehydration because of the extreme heat and wilted near the end, being dropped in rounds ten and fifteen. He eventually lost a close decision and his world belt, which he was never to reclaim. After the fight, McGuigan required hospitalisation because of his dehydrated state.
After that fight he retired, partly due to the death of his father in 1987. He used to say his father was his greatest inspiration and, after his death, apparently felt no reason to continue boxing. However, he returned to the ring between 1988 and 1989, beating former world title challengers Nicky Perez and Francisco Tomas Da Cruz as well as contender Julio Cesar Miranda
before losing to British future World Title challenger Jim McDonnell
by a technical knockout (cuts) in four rounds. McGuigan then retired permanently from boxing. His record was 32 wins and 3 losses, with 26 wins by knockout. In January 2005, McGuigan was elected into the International Boxing Hall of Fame
. Some experts have questioned the level of competition he fought during his career, observing that he did not meet the WBC
Champion Azumah Nelson
of Ghana
, whom commentator Jack McGowan of the Belfast Telegraph has stated that McGuigan would not have beaten.
.
McGuigan currently lives near Whitstable
, Kent
with his wife and children. He currently works as a boxing commentator for ITV. He has tried his hand at acting, appearing in the movie Malicious Intent in 2000. Two biographies of McGuigan have been written. More recently, fellow Clones native and boxer Kevin McBride
has honoured McGuigan by adopting the nickname The Clones Colossus.
McGuigan appeared in the third series of ITV
's Hell's Kitchen
in September 2007, where he was eventually crowned the winner after winning the public vote.
McGuigan is the Chairman of the Professional Boxing Association
, an organisation he has wanted to set up for over a decade, with the intention of teaching boxers the importance of education, and indeed educating them.
In August 2009, he co-presented Charity Lords of the Ring
with Lucy Kennedy
.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 28 February 1961), known as Barry McGuigan and nicknamed The Clones Cyclone, is a former Irish
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
and British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
professional boxer
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...
who became a world featherweight
Featherweight
Featherweight is a weight class division in the sport of boxing. There are similarly named divisions under several Mixed Martial Arts organizations and in Greco-Roman wrestling.-Professional boxing:...
champion.
Background
McGuigan was born in Clones, IrelandRepublic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, son of singer Pat McGuigan
Pat McGuigan
Patrick McGuigan was a famous Irish singer born in Clones. His son, Barry McGuigan, is a former world featherweight champion boxer, who is considered by many to be the greatest Irish boxer in history....
(died 1987). He represented Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
in the Commonwealth Games
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
at Edmonton 1978
1978 Commonwealth Games
The 1978 Commonwealth Games were held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, from 3 to 12 August 1978, two years after the 1976 Summer Olympics were held in Montreal, Quebec...
and represented Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
at the 1980 Summer Olympics
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
in Moscow. Pat McGuigan sang "Danny Boy
Danny Boy
-Background:The words to "Danny Boy" were written by English lawyer and lyricist Frederic Weatherly in 1910. Although the lyrics were originally written for a different tune, Weatherly modified them to fit the "Londonderry Air" in 1913, after his sister-in-law in the U.S. sent him a copy. Ernestine...
" before several of his son's fights. This fact inspired the Hacienda Brothers
Hacienda Brothers
The Hacienda Brothers is the name of an alternative country band composed of Chris Gaffney, Dave Gonzalez, Dave Berzansky, Dale Daniel, and Hank Maninger. They have been described as "the finest country-rock band since the Flying Burrito Brothers in their prime," and were called "the best country...
' song "If Daddy Don't Sing Danny Boy", written by boxer and musician Chris Gaffney
Chris Gaffney
Chris Gaffney was an American singer and songwriter from the Southwest. His career, both as a solo musician and as a member of several bands, was as eclectic as his musical tastes. Although he never achieved widespread fame, Gaffney, who died at the age of 57 from liver cancer, left his mark on...
.
During his career, McGuigan fought at a number of venues in Ireland and the United Kingdom. He attracted an enormous following in the mid-1980s, particularly to the King's Hall in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
which he normally filled to capacity. McGuigan is a Roman Catholic, and at a time when Roman Catholics and Protestants were clashing during The Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, McGuigan married a Protestant woman, Sandra, and they have been married for 28 years. McGuigan has commented on the support he got from both Protestant and Catholic in Ireland that it was because:
"the shadows ran deep. And my fights felt a little like sunshine. Both sides would say: 'Leave the fighting to McGuigan.' You see, it was also entertainment – people loved to forget the Troubles a while. The fact that I wouldn't wear green, white and gold or put on a sign that said this is who I represent was powerful. It was a very mature and dangerous thing to do. I wouldn't choose sides. People appreciated that."
As a non-sectarian sporting ambassador for Northern Ireland, even though he was from the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, he drew on the experience of George Best
George Best
George Best was a professional footballer from Northern Ireland, who played for Manchester United and the Northern Ireland national team. He was a winger whose game combined pace, acceleration, balance, two-footedness, goalscoring and the ability to beat defenders...
and would later be emulated by Eddie Irvine
Eddie Irvine
Edmund "Eddie" Irvine, Jr. is a former racing driver from Northern Ireland. He grew up in Conlig, County Down, and was influenced by his parents, who were also involved in motor racing...
. He and his wife are both active patrons for children's cancer charity CLIC Sargent
CLIC Sargent
CLIC Sargent is charity in the United Kingdom that was formed by the merger of Sargent Cancer Care for Children and Cancer and Leukaemia in Childhood in 2005. The charity specializes in providing support for children with cancer....
.
McGuigan took out British citizenship so that he could compete for British domestic titles.
Amateur career
McGuigan started his juvenile boxing career at the Wattlebridge Amateur Boxing Club, County FermanaghCounty Fermanagh
Fermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas....
and later moved to the Smithborough Amateur Boxing Club, County Monaghan
County Monaghan
County Monaghan is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Monaghan. Monaghan County Council is the local authority for the county...
. Under the guidance of trainers Danny McEntee and Frank Mulligan he rapidly established himself as a exceptional boxer. He won the All Ireland Amateur Championship in 1976 having defeated Martin Brereton.
Professional career
He started his professional boxing career on 10 May 1981, beating Selwyn Bell by a knockoutKnockout
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...
in two rounds in Dublin. After another win, he suffered his first setback, losing a hotly disputed decision (which had him in tears) to Peter Eubanks (brother of Chris Eubank
Chris Eubank
Chris Eubank, Lord of the Manor of Brighton is a retired British boxer who held world titles at middleweight and super middleweight...
) over eight rounds at Wembley
Wembley
Wembley is an area of northwest London, England, and part of the London Borough of Brent. It is home to the famous Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena...
, England.
After his first loss, McGuigan notched up two more wins, including one over Terry Pizzarro, and then he was given a rematch with Eubanks. The second time around, McGuigan prevailed, by a knockout in the eighth round.
In 1982, McGuigan won eight fights, seven by knockout. One of these, however, almost destroyed his career and his life. Opposed by Young Ali, on 14 June 1982, McGuigan won by a knockout in six rounds; Ali fell into a coma from which he never recovered. According to the book The Ring: Boxing The 20th Century
The Ring Boxing The 20th Century
The Ring: Boxing the 20th Century is a book that was published in 1993 by The Ring editors Steve Farhood and Stanley Weston....
, this affected McGuigan so much that he wasn't sure he wanted to keep on boxing. He also defeated Paul Huggins and Angelo Licata during this period. In 1983, he won four fights,winning the British Title against Vernon Penprase, and including his first trip to fight outside Europe (when he beat Samuel Meck by a knockout in six in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada), before getting his first try at a European title. On 16 November, Italy's Valerio Nati defended his European Featherweight belt versus McGuigan in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, and McGuigan won the crown with a knockout in the sixth round. He then became the number one Featherweight challenger in the World Boxing Association
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...
. In 1984, he won six bouts, all by knockout. Among the fighters he beat were former world title challengers Jose Caba and Felipe Orozco. He also beat contenders Paul DeVorce and Charm Chiteule and retained his British and European titles against Clyde Ruan and the latter belt against Esteban Eguia to keep his chance at a World Championship attempt alive.
In 1985, McGuigan met former world Featherweight
Featherweight
Featherweight is a weight class division in the sport of boxing. There are similarly named divisions under several Mixed Martial Arts organizations and in Greco-Roman wrestling.-Professional boxing:...
champion Juan Laporte
Juan Laporte
Juan Laporte is a former boxer who was born in Guayama, Puerto Rico.-Amateur career:Juan Laporte won the 1976 112 lb New York Golden Gloves Sub-Novice Championship. He defeated Long Island's Ricky Brown in the finals. Laporte was defeated by Joseph Nieto of the Police Athletic Leagues Lynch...
and won by a decision after ten rounds. Following one more win (a defence of his European Title against Farid Gallouze), he finally got his world title try when the long reigning 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 featherweight champion, Eusebio Pedroza
Eusebio Pedroza
Eusebio Pedroza is a native of Panama who holds two records in boxing: His 19 defenses as world featherweight champion are a record for that division, and his seven years as world champion non-stop are a division record too...
of Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, came to London to put his title on the line at Loftus Road
Loftus Road
Loftus Road is a football stadium in Shepherd's Bush, London. It is home to the English football team Queens Park Rangers of the Premier League and has a capacity of around 18,500. The four stands are called the Loftus Road End , Ellerslie Road Stand, South Africa Road Stand and the School End,...
football stadium. McGuigan became the champion by dropping Pedroza in round seven and winning a unanimous fifteen-round decision in a fight refereed by hall of fame referee Stanley Christodoulou
Stanley Christodoulou
Stanley Christodoulou is a South African international boxing judge and referee. Christodoulou has judged bouts in his native South Africa, as well as internationally with the WBA, with whom he is involved in leaderships roles dealing with officiating...
. McGuigan and his wife were feted in a public reception through the streets of Belfast that attracted several hundred thousand spectators. Later that year, he was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year
BBC Sports Personality of the Year
The BBC Sports Personality of the Year is an awards ceremony that takes place annually in December. Devised by Paul Fox in 1954, it originally consisted of one titular award. Several new awards have been introduced, and , eight awards are presented. The oldest of these are the Team of the Year and...
, becoming the first person not born in the United Kingdom to win the award.
McGuigan made his first defence against American Bernard Taylor
Bernard Taylor (boxer)
Bernard Taylor "The B.T. Express" is a retired boxer from the United States, who competed in the featherweight division.-Amateur career:...
, who was stopped in the ninth round, and then against Danilo Cabrera, who got knocked out in fourteen rounds. This proved to be a controversial stoppage: The fight was stopped after the challenger bent over to pick up his mouthpiece after losing it, a practice that is allowed in many countries but not in Ireland. Cabrera was not aware of this, and the fight was stopped. Although Cabrera's corner protested the outcome, McGuigan remained the winner by a knockout.
For his next defence, he went to Las Vegas
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...
in June 1986, where he faced the relatively unknown Stevie Cruz from Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
in what proved a gruelling fifteen-round title bout under a blazing sun. McGuigan held a lead halfway through, but suffered dehydration because of the extreme heat and wilted near the end, being dropped in rounds ten and fifteen. He eventually lost a close decision and his world belt, which he was never to reclaim. After the fight, McGuigan required hospitalisation because of his dehydrated state.
After that fight he retired, partly due to the death of his father in 1987. He used to say his father was his greatest inspiration and, after his death, apparently felt no reason to continue boxing. However, he returned to the ring between 1988 and 1989, beating former world title challengers Nicky Perez and Francisco Tomas Da Cruz as well as contender Julio Cesar Miranda
Julio César Miranda
Julio César Miranda , is a Mexican professional boxer and the former WBO World Flyweight champion. He won the vacant title by defeating Richie Mepranum on June 12, 2010, by a 5th round TKO....
before losing to British future World Title challenger Jim McDonnell
Jim McDonnell
James William McDonnell was a Major League Baseball catcher who played for three seasons. He played for the Cleveland Indians from 1943 to 1945, playing in 50 career games.-External links:...
by a technical knockout (cuts) in four rounds. McGuigan then retired permanently from boxing. His record was 32 wins and 3 losses, with 26 wins by knockout. In January 2005, McGuigan was elected into the International Boxing Hall of Fame
International Boxing Hall of Fame
The modern International Boxing Hall of Fame is located in Canastota, New York, United States, within driving distance from the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown and the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta...
. Some experts have questioned the level of competition he fought during his career, observing that he did not meet the 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...
Champion Azumah Nelson
Azumah Nelson
Azumah Nelson , a native of Ghana, is a former professional boxer. He is a three-time world champion in two weight classes.Nelson is the former Lineal and two-time WBC Super Featherweight Champion...
of Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
, whom commentator Jack McGowan of the Belfast Telegraph has stated that McGuigan would not have beaten.
After boxing
McGuigan attempted to establish an association to protect the rights of boxers against what he, and others, considered omnipotent managers and promoters. In this regard, he had had a difficult time during his own career. A very close relationship with his manager deteriorated badly over time and led to a successful libel case against him by his former manager several years later. In the 1980s he was a chat show host on BBC1BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
.
McGuigan currently lives near Whitstable
Whitstable
Whitstable is a seaside town in Northeast Kent, Southeast England. It is approximately north of the city of Canterbury and approximately west of the seaside town of Herne Bay. It is part of the City of Canterbury district and has a population of about 30,000.Whitstable is famous for its oysters,...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
with his wife and children. He currently works as a boxing commentator for ITV. He has tried his hand at acting, appearing in the movie Malicious Intent in 2000. Two biographies of McGuigan have been written. More recently, fellow Clones native and boxer Kevin McBride
Kevin McBride
Kevin Martin McBride is an Irish boxer, who competed for his native country at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.McBride debuted in December 1992, with a victory against Gary Charlton...
has honoured McGuigan by adopting the nickname The Clones Colossus.
McGuigan appeared in the third series of ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
's Hell's Kitchen
Hell's Kitchen (UK TV series)
Hell's Kitchen was a British cookery reality show aired on ITV which featured prospective chefs competing with each other for a final prize. Four series had been aired since 2004, three presented by Angus Deayton and the latest by Claudia Winkleman....
in September 2007, where he was eventually crowned the winner after winning the public vote.
McGuigan is the Chairman of the Professional Boxing Association
Professional Boxing Association
The Professional Boxing Association was formed in 2007. The original idea of an organisation designed to support the welfare and education of boxers came from Barry McGuigan, and had been an ambition of his since the 1980s....
, an organisation he has wanted to set up for over a decade, with the intention of teaching boxers the importance of education, and indeed educating them.
In August 2009, he co-presented Charity Lords of the Ring
Charity Lords of the Ring
Charity Lords of the Ring is an Irish reality television competition, broadcast on RTÉ One. Presented by Lucy Kennedy and ex-boxer Barry McGuigan, the four-part series follows ten personalities compete for their charity of choice, in the field of boxing...
with Lucy Kennedy
Lucy Kennedy
Lucy Kennedy is an award-winning Irish presenter of radio and television. Along with Bazil Ashmawy she currently co-presents the radio show Weekend Breakfast with Baz & Lucy on RTÉ 2fm. She has been described as "one of Ireland's most familiar faces"....
.
Other recognition
- Inducted into the World Boxing Hall of FameWorld Boxing Hall of FameThe World Boxing Hall of Fame is located in Riverside, California, United States, in Southern California. The WBHF is one of two recognized international boxing halls of fame with the other being the International Boxing Hall of Fame , with the IBHOF being the more widely recognized...
- Inducted into the International Boxing Hall of FameInternational Boxing Hall of FameThe modern International Boxing Hall of Fame is located in Canastota, New York, United States, within driving distance from the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown and the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta...
in 2005 - Fought in Ring Magazine's 1986 Fight of the Year
- Title character in the 8-bit computer game, Barry McGuigan World Championship BoxingBarry McGuigan World Championship BoxingBarry McGuigan World Championship Boxing is a British 1985 computer game for 8-bit home computers released by Activision and later re-released by Mastertronic for the Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum.-Gameplay:...
- Voted BBC Sports Personality of the YearBBC Sports Personality of the YearThe BBC Sports Personality of the Year is an awards ceremony that takes place annually in December. Devised by Paul Fox in 1954, it originally consisted of one titular award. Several new awards have been introduced, and , eight awards are presented. The oldest of these are the Team of the Year and...
1985 - Honoured in an Irish ballad song released in 1984 entitled Clones Cyclone written by Johnny McCauleyJohnny McCauleyJohnny McCauley is an Irish singer/songwriter. As a young adult he moved to London and in 1953 began singing professionally with his band, the Westernaires at the Galtymore Club, Cricklewood....
and sung by Big TomBig TomTom McBride better known as Big Tom is an Irish country music singer, guitarist, and saxophone player. Established since 1966 he is currently front man of the Irish showband Big Tom and The Mainliners...
External links
- The Professional Boxing Association - Barry McGuigan spends much of his time as Chairman of the PBAProfessional Boxing AssociationThe Professional Boxing Association was formed in 2007. The original idea of an organisation designed to support the welfare and education of boxers came from Barry McGuigan, and had been an ambition of his since the 1980s....
- CLIC Sargent - children's cancer charity