Barry McGuigan MBE
Statistics
Real name	Finbar Patrick McGuigan MBE
Nickname(s)	The Clones Cyclone
Rated at	Featherweight
Nationality	Irish
Birth date	28 February 1961 (1961-02-28) (age 47)
Birth place	Clones, Ireland
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	35
Wins	32
Wins by KO	26
Losses	3
No contests	0

Finbar Patrick "Barry" McGuigan MBE (born February 28, 1961 in Clones, County Monaghan, Ireland), nicknamed The Clones Cyclone, is a former professional boxer who became a world Featherweight champion. Featherweight is a weight class division in the sport of boxing and wrestling (Greco-Roman). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Ireland. ... is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Statistics Province: Ulster County: Elevation: 71 m Population (2006)  - Town:  - Rural: 321 The word clones is also used as the plural of clone. ... An Orthodox stance in boxing refers to someone who boxes right-handed as opposed to a left handed fighter who is referred to as a Southpaw. ... is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Statistics Province: Ulster County: Elevation: 71 m Population (2006)  - Town:  - Rural: 321 The word clones is also used as the plural of clone. ... Statistics Province: Ulster County Town: Monaghan Code: MN Area: 1,294 km² Population (2006[1]) 55,816 Website: www. ... For other meanings of these words, see boxing (disambiguation) or boxer (disambiguation). ... Featherweight is a weight class division in the sport of boxing and wrestling (Greco-Roman). ...

Background

McGuigan, who is the son of the late Pat McGuigan, a famous singer in Ireland. He is from Clones, a town in the Republic of Ireland close to the border with Northern Ireland. He fought for Northern Ireland in the 1978 Commonwealth Games and represented Ireland at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. Pat McGuigan sang Danny Boy before several of his son's fights. Pat McGuigan (died in 1987) was a famous Irish singer. ... Northern Ireland (Irish: , Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a constituent country of the United Kingdom lying in the northeast of the island of Ireland, covering 5,459 square miles (14,139 km², about a sixth of the islands total area). ... The 1978 Commonwealth Games were held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada // Medals by country Countries which won medals Medals by event Athletics Bowls Boxing Cycling Track Road Gymnastics Artistic Shooting Pistol Rifle Shotgun Swimming Diving Swimming Diving Weightlifting Wrestling Badminton External link 1978 Commonwealth Games - Commonwealth Games official website Categories: | | ... Badge, released in the USSR The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, were held in Moscow in the Soviet Union. ... For other uses, see Moscow (disambiguation). ... For the Scottish comedian, see Danny Bhoy. ...

During his career, McGuigan fought at a number of venues in both parts of Ireland and in Great Britain. He attracted an enormous and loyal following in the mid-1980s, particularly to the King's Hall in Belfast which he normally packed to the rafters. This, and the media attention that surrounded him, is evidence that not since Rinty Monaghan in the 1940s had the city seen such a popular boxer. This article is about the city in Northern Ireland. ... John Joseph Rinty Monaghan (21 August 1920 - 3 March 1984) was a former world flyweight boxing champion from Belfast. ...

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. A saying was coined: "Leave the fighting to McGuigan" in part because of his insistence on being a non-sectarian. As a non-sectarian sporting ambassador for Northern Ireland he drew on the experience of George Best and would later be emulated by Eddie Irvine. The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... For other uses, see Troubles (disambiguation) and Trouble. ... Northern Ireland (Irish: , Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a constituent country of the United Kingdom lying in the northeast of the island of Ireland, covering 5,459 square miles (14,139 km², about a sixth of the islands total area). ... George Best (22 May 1946 – 25 November 2005) was a Northern Irish football player best known for his years with Manchester United. ... Edmund Eddie Irvine, Jr. ...

Professional career

He started his professional boxing career on May 10, 1981, beating Selwyn Bell by a knockout 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. is the 130th day of the year (131st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... A boxer is knocked down and receives the 10-count. ... For other uses, see Dublin (disambiguation). ... Chris Eubank (born Christopher Livingstone Eubanks on August 8, 1966) is a boxer and British celebrity who held the WBO Middleweight and Super Middleweight titles. ... Wembley, until 1965 a borough in its own right, forms the northern part of the London Borough of Brent. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ...

After his first loss, McGuigan notched up two more wins, including one over Terry Pizzarro, and then he was given a rematch with Eubank. 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 Nigeria's Young Ali on June 14, 1982, McGuigan won by a knockout in six rounds; Ali fell into a coma from which he never recovered, dying six months later in his homeland. 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. Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 165th day of the year (166th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... The Ring: Boxing the 20th Century is a book that was published in 1993 by Ring Magazine editors Steve Farhood and Stanley Weston. ...

However, he did continue boxing, and in 1983, he won four fights, 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 title. On November 16, 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. Year 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar). ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Official languages English (de facto) Government Lieutenant-Governor David C. Onley Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament House seats 107 Senate seats 24 Confederation July 1, 1867 (1st) Area... is the 320th day of the year (321st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the city in Northern Ireland. ... World Boxing Association (WBA) is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title, at the professional level. ...

In 1984, he won five bouts, all by knockout. Among the fighters he beat were former world title challengers Jose Caba and Felipe Orozco. He also beat fringe contender Paul DeVorce to keep his chance at a World Championship attempt alive. This article is about the year. ...

In 1985, McGuigan met former world Featherweight champion Juan Laporte and won by a decision after ten rounds. Following one more win, he finally got his world title try when the 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. Already a national hero in Ireland, 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. This article is about the year. ... Featherweight is a weight class division in the sport of boxing and wrestling (Greco-Roman). ... Juan Laporte (born November 24, 1959) is a former boxer who was born in Guayama, Puerto Rico. ... World Boxing Association (WBA) is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title, at the professional level. ... Eusebio Pedroza (born 1953) 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. ... The BBC Sports Personality of the Year award is given to one sportsman or sportswoman, usually British, every year. ...

McGuigan made his first defence against 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. This fight marked the end of McGuigan's extremely short peak as world champion.

For his next defence, he went to Las Vegas in June of 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. For further information, see Las Vegas metropolitan area and Las Vegas Strip. ... Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ... Steve Cruz (born November 2, 1963 in Fort Worth, TX) was a professional boxer in the Featherweight division. ... For other uses, see Texas (disambiguation). ...

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 before losing to future challenger Jim McDonnell by a technical knockout (cuts) in four rounds. McGuigan then retired permanently from boxing. Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ...

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 noted commentator Jack McGowan of the Belfast Telegraph is convinced McGuigan would not have beaten. However, former great Sir Henry Cooper believes that McGuigan at his peak was one of the best fighters ever to have emerged from Ireland. Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The modern International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) 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. ... WBC logo mark The World Boxing Council was initially created 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 López... Azumah Nelson (born September 19, 1958) is a former boxer and three-time world champion. ... The Belfast Telegraph is a daily evening newspaper published in Belfast, Northern Ireland by Independent News and Media. ... Sir Henry Cooper OBE, (born May 3, 1934) is a retired English heavyweight boxer. ...

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 BBC1. The 1980s refers to the years from 1980 to 1989. ... For the BBC radio station, see BBC Radio 1. ...

McGuigan currently lives in London with his wife and children, one of whom (Shane) goes to school at The King's School Canterbury and looks like becoming a professional boxer. Barry McGuigan currently works as a boxing commentator for ITV. He has tried his hand at acting, appearing in the movie Malicious Intent in 2000. He has a band. Two biographies of McGuigan have been written. The Kings School is a British independent school situated in Canterbury, Kent. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ...

More recently, fellow Clones native and boxer Kevin McBride has honoured McGuigan by adopting the nickname The Clones Colossus. Kevin Martin McBride (born May 5, 1973 in Clones, County Monaghan, Ireland) is an Irish boxer. ...

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. For other uses, see ITV (disambiguation). ... Hells Kitchen is a British cookery-based ITV reality show. ...

Other Recognition

• Inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame
• Inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2005
• Fought in Ring Magazine's 1986 Fight of the Year.
• Title character in the 8-bit computer game, Barry McGuigan World Championship Boxing
• Voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year 1985.
• Honoured in an Irish ballad song released in 1984 entitled Clones Cyclone written by Johnny McCauley and sung by Big Tom.

The modern World Boxing Hall of Fame (WBHF) is located in Riverside, California, United States, in Southern California. ... The modern International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) 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. ... Ring Magazine was established in 1922. ... Barry McGuigan World Championship Boxing is a 1985 computer game for 8-bit home computers released by Activision and later re-released by Mastertronic. ... The BBC Sports Personality of the Year award is given to one sportsman or sportswoman, usually British, every year. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A Big Tom is a fighting move in which you quickly grab someone by their shoulder and push them, leting go of their shoulder at the end of the push. ...

Trivia

Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

• McGuigan earned promotional deals such as a video game named Barry McGuigan Boxing, which won critical acclaim (awarded a "Sizzler!" in Zzap64).
• In 1986 the Irish comedian Dermot Morgan had a number one chart hit in Ireland with his song Thank you very much Mr Eastwood, sending up the Boxer's habit of thanking his manager profusely after every fight.
• McGuigan is serving as the coach for the UK team on the show, The Contender Challenge: UK vs. USA.
• Referenced in a line of the song "Murda" by UK hip-hop artist Klashnekoff

Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Namcos Pac-Man is one of the most popular video games ever made. ... Newsfield Publications Ltd (also known as Newsfield) was a British magazine publisher during the 1980s and early 1990s. ... Dermot Morgan (3 March 1952 – 28 February 1998) was an Irish schoolteacher-turned-comedian and actor, who achieved international renown as Father Ted Crilly in the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted. ... Darren Kandler, also known as Klashnekoff (pronounced K-Lash-Nek-Off), Ricochet Klashnekoff and K-Lash, is a British rapper from Hackney, London. ...

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

Barry McGuigan

• The Professional Boxing Association - Barry McGuigan spends much of his time as President of the PBA
• Professional boxing record for Barry McGuigan from Boxrec