Barney Eastwood

[Fray Bentos]

Wasn’t Barney loaded away from the ring?

He was a famous bookie in Northern Ireland, a multi-millionaire.

[Coco]

Wasn’t Barney loaded away from the ring?

He was a famous bookie in Northern Ireland, a multi-millionaire.

It was after the McGuigan stuff that he sold the bookies and made crazy money.

[bennie]

Barney was not a man to cross. He eventually took Barry McGuigan for £450,000 (plus costs) and nearly killed off Boxing News in another libel court victory. Plus, he successfully pulped Mickey Duff's biography (Twenty and Out) over remarks made about him in the book.

[Noxy]

Yes, not one to cross. He was also a very interesting character. He gets married at 19, buys a pub, becomes a bookmaker, makes a mint, stable marriage, does a great job as a promoter with a string of world champions. He really seemed to know his own mind and was never employed but always a businessman/entrepreneur. That’s practically unheard of.

[My Name Is Earl]

Barney was not a man to cross. He eventually took Barry McGuigan for £450,000 (plus costs) and nearly killed off Boxing News in another libel court victory. Plus, he successfully pulped Mickey Duff's biography (Twenty and Out) over remarks made about him in the book.

Also received substantial damages and an apology from the bbc over comments from one of their
programmes, about 10 years after the McGuigan windfall.

As an aside, McGuigan thanking 'Mr Eastwood' after each fight was as famous as Bruno's "you know
what i mean 'Arry'. There was even a comedy record made.

[dookus]

Barney was not a man to cross. He eventually took Barry McGuigan for £450,000 (plus costs) and nearly killed off Boxing News in another libel court victory. Plus, he successfully pulped Mickey Duff's biography (Twenty and Out) over remarks made about him in the book.

Also received substantial damages and an apology from the bbc over comments from one of their
programmes, about 10 years after the McGuigan windfall.

As an aside, McGuigan thanking 'Mr Eastwood' after each fight was as famous as Bruno's "you know
what i mean 'Arry'. There was even a comedy record made.

Years before Father Ted...

[mickey1975]

I’ve got Duffs book.

[My Name Is Earl]

Also received substantial damages and an apology from the bbc over comments from one of their
programmes, about 10 years after the McGuigan windfall.

As an aside, McGuigan thanking 'Mr Eastwood' after each fight was as famous as Bruno's "you know
what i mean 'Arry'. There was even a comedy record made.

Years before Father Ted...

[Muttley]

I saw he‘d passed. He was 87 so he didn’t do badly. He was great for boxing, especially in NI. I think McGuigan would have been a success with any manager. I was more impressed with how Eastwood handled Dave McAuley and Ray Close. McAuley hadn’t had many fights and Eastwood got him 3 world title fights. He also got Close 3 title shots (Ray happened to fail a medical for the third).

I agree about the way Barney handled McAuley and Close. and i'm co pleased both were successful But McAuley used to frighten the life out of me with the amount of punches he took. He was a tough tough man and deserved every success. He did it the hard way, alright. Hopefully he's doing ok. is anyone in contact with him?

[Muttley]

I always feel that McGuigan treated Barney extremely badly. They made each other a lot of money but McGuigan got greedy and greed always leads to a fall.

McGuigan has a reputation for being greedy!

As a kid watching him, he was an absolute hero, seemingly a great guy, IMO short of HOF but still one of the best Britain has produced.
I watched that afore mentioned documentary and you feel in awe, just a shame he is a greedy bastard

If he is a greedy so and so then the upcoming court case with Frampton will reveal it

[Coco]

Also received substantial damages and an apology from the bbc over comments from one of their
programmes, about 10 years after the McGuigan windfall.

As an aside, McGuigan thanking 'Mr Eastwood' after each fight was as famous as Bruno's "you know
what i mean 'Arry'. There was even a comedy record made.

Years before Father Ted...

Is that Jim McDonald off Corrie?

[bigjack]

Years before Father Ted...

Class

[Noxy]

I saw he‘d passed. He was 87 so he didn’t do badly. He was great for boxing, especially in NI. I think McGuigan would have been a success with any manager. I was more impressed with how Eastwood handled Dave McAuley and Ray Close. McAuley hadn’t had many fights and Eastwood got him 3 world title fights. He also got Close 3 title shots (Ray happened to fail a medical for the third).

I agree about the way Barney handled McAuley and Close. and i'm co pleased both were successful But McAuley used to frighten the life out of me with the amount of punches he took. He was a tough tough man and deserved every success. He did it the hard way, alright. Hopefully he's doing ok. is anyone in contact with him?

He served me a drink in the bar of his hotel a few years back. The Halfway House near Larne. He was grand then and I hope he still is. McAuley‘s a top bloke. Down to earth guy.

[bigjack]

He served me a drink in the bar of his hotel a few years back. The Halfway House near Larne. He was grand then and I hope he still is. McAuley‘s a top bloke. Down to earth guy.

Macauley was a warrior and undervalued and underrated. One of my favourite fighters in 80s

Mine too i remember the crowd used to chant 'Come on the Larne man',Bassa 1 was about as good as it gets in boxing.

[Noxy]

Macauley was a warrior and undervalued and underrated. One of my favourite fighters in 80s

Mine too i remember the crowd used to chant 'Come on the Larne man',Bassa 1 was about as good as it gets in boxing.

Too right! To have been there (I wasn’t unfortunately). I was at Blanco 1 and Matlala. Great nights!

[bigjack]

Mine too i remember the crowd used to chant 'Come on the Larne man',Bassa 1 was about as good as it gets in boxing.

Too right! To have been there (I wasn’t unfortunately). I was at Blanco 1 and Matlala. Great nights!

2 more great fights there,great ko of Baby Jake too

[Muttley]

I agree about the way Barney handled McAuley and Close. and i'm co pleased both were successful But McAuley used to frighten the life out of me with the amount of punches he took. He was a tough tough man and deserved every success. He did it the hard way, alright. Hopefully he's doing ok. is anyone in contact with him?

He served me a drink in the bar of his hotel a few years back. The Halfway House near Larne. He was grand then and I hope he still is. McAuley‘s a top bloke. Down to earth guy.

That's good to hear. Thanks

[Ketchel]

The investment in McGuigan by Eastwood was second to none. He had Ken Buchanan over sparring and teaching Barry. He had Teddy Atlas over in the Castle Street Gym in Belfast. No stone was going to be left unturned to make Barry a success. How many managers go this far for their fighters?

[bennie]

I’ve got Duffs book.

Me too. It was written by Bob Mee and only pulped after Eastwood went through the courts. The book gets better every time you read it but Duff slags off all those he had in his pocket and all those he didn't, and the latter tells you a lot about the strength of character of the likes of George Biddles, Eddie Thomas, Doug Bidwell, Jack Solomons, George Francis, George Gainford... He was very careful what he wrote about F rank Warren because he knew Warren would sue. The only men he seemed to like were Archie Kasler and Gypsy Joe Somerville. He didn't even speak to his own father.
Incidentally, I once saw Duff walk up to Peter Keenan, the greatest Scot never to win a world title, and Keenan immediately slung a big right hand which just missed Duff's jaw. Duff had co-promoted most of Jim Watt's world title fights with Keenan and had clearly, or should I say allegedly, short-changed Keenan.

[SticknMove]

The management and promoting of a boxers career can be more interesting than the boxer that people get excited about. My old trainer introduced me to Jarvis Astaire..... hadn't a clue about him....until much later after his name cropped up with the ole cartel that involved Duff.

[SticknMove]

Barney Eastwood operated at very sensitive time in NI... already a successful bookmaker promoting a ready made star. Barry was a terrific fighter.. a whirlwind of all action that transcended the nonsense in that province... Barney knew too.

[mickey1975]

Barney Eastwood operated at very sensitive time in NI... already a successful bookmaker promoting a ready made star. Barry was a terrific fighter.. a whirlwind of all action that transcended the nonsense in that province... Barney knew too.

Barney must have had some serious connections in Belfast.

[mickey1975]

Duke McKenzie, Billy Schwer and Henry Wharton were the only boxers are his funeral.
Dean Powell’s was like a who’s who.

[THEBUTCH]

At Mickey Duff's funeral ?

[dapug]

Duke McKenzie, Billy Schwer and Henry Wharton were the only boxers are his funeral.
Dean Powell’s was like a who’s who.

Mickey Duff was buried within two days of his death as is the Jewish custom and he had been out of the public eye for at least ten years. Dean Powell on the other hand was a very well known and current member of the boxing fraternity and as his death was suicide the funeral was some time after his actual death. This may explain the difference in attendance at the respective funerals. Both men massively knowledgable boxing men. RIP.