Is Frampton Ireland's best ever boxer?

[Jimmy2020]

Conlan thinks so. What do we think?

[Coco]

Conlan thinks so. What do we think?

Obv up there but he wasnt clearly better than McGuigan, both had great wins but not the longitude.
Are either better than Fury!

Who else? Collins beat Eubank but generally beat figjters at the end of their career, McCauley, then I cant really comment on some of the old timers, saying that Tom Sharkey was born in Ireland!

[Jimmy2020]

Conlan thinks so. What do we think?

Obv up there but he wasnt clearly better than McGuigan, both had great but not the longitude.
Are either better than Fury!

Neither are better than Fury but is he Irish?

[Coco]

Ive had a quick flick through the records and I think Framptoms outweighs McGuigans.

Also I forgot about Wayne McCulloch.

Well Fury boxed for Ireland!! And apparently couldnt go to the olympics because they didnt have his granddad's birth cert! But I think his cousin Andy Lee swore on his baby's life that it was true.

Also 'Irish' Mickey Ward!
And wasnt Muhammad Ali's gran born in County Clare?

[cormack]

Mcguigan for me all the way

[high tower 1]

I think Frampton pips McGuigan. I still don’t know how he lost to Warrington.

[rio]

For me it 100% depends on if you consider Fury irish. He did box and win the irish title vs Rogan. If you do then Fury is the best ever irish boxer by a country mile.
Mcgugian was before my time so I can't really compare him to Frampton. His reputation seems pretty consistent......great fighter but not a great person.

[mickey1975]

Bazza for me.

[bigjack]

The Clones Cyclone for me

[dookus]

Very close, but I would say McGuigan for having the slightly better wins (Pedroza had a huge number of defences). I wouldn't argue with anyone having Frampton no. 1, however, for taking a legit world title at a second weight.

[Coco]

Very close, but I would say McGuigan for having the slightly better wins (Pedroza had a huge number of defences). I wouldn't argue with anyone having Frampton no. 1, however, for taking a legit world title at a second weight.

You could say that Pedroza was clearly weight drained, at the end of his career and got at the right time.
He was then clearly outboxed by the American in his first defence before the Yank mysteriously retired on his stool half way through the fight.
Then Cabrela was a very late replacement and then he lost to the average Cruz.
Then then lost to a below world class Jim McDonnell.

[Noxy]

McGuigan was spectacular, like a cyclone. Massive crossover appeal too. But he didn’t achieve as much as Carl or some other Irishmen.
Barry won the WBA title and defended it twice, which is excellent but also not unheard of. Was he ever the best feather in the world? Possibly but that’s questionable.

[Muttley]

McGuigan was spectacular, like a cyclone. Massive crossover appeal too. But he didn’t achieve as much as Carl or some other Irishmen.
Barry won the WBA title and defended it twice, which is excellent but also not unheard of. Was he ever the best feather in the world? Possibly but that’s questionable.

Conlan thinks so. What do we think?

Obv up there but he wasnt clearly better than McGuigan, both had great wins but not the longitude.
Are either better than Fury!

Who else? Collins beat Eubank but generally beat figjters at the end of their career, McCauley, then I cant really comment on some of the old timers, saying that Tom Sharkey was born in Ireland!

we must also not forget little Dave McAuley. For me it is between McAuley, Steve Collins and Carl Frampton. I think when we talk about Ireland's greatest fighter we should only take those born and brought up in Ireland. Fury may well have Irish roots but as far as i know, has lived in England all his life

[Noxy]

Very close, but I would say McGuigan for having the slightly better wins (Pedroza had a huge number of defences). I wouldn't argue with anyone having Frampton no. 1, however, for taking a legit world title at a second weight.

You could say that Pedroza was clearly weight drained, at the end of his career and got at the right time.
He was then clearly outboxed by the American in his first defence before the Yank mysteriously retired on his stool half way through the fight.
Then Cabrela was a very late replacement and then he lost to the average Cruz.
Then then lost to a below world class Jim McDonnell.

Yes, he seemed to peak at a young age. He went off the boil a bit after he won the title.

[Muttley]

McGuigan was spectacular, like a cyclone. Massive crossover appeal too. But he didn’t achieve as much as Carl or some other Irishmen.
Barry won the WBA title and defended it twice, which is excellent but also not unheard of. Was he ever the best feather in the world? Possibly but that’s questionable.

Azumah Nelson was pretty much recognised as the No.1 featherweight in the McGuigan era

[dookus]

Very close, but I would say McGuigan for having the slightly better wins (Pedroza had a huge number of defences). I wouldn't argue with anyone having Frampton no. 1, however, for taking a legit world title at a second weight.

You could say that Pedroza was clearly weight drained, at the end of his career and got at the right time.
He was then clearly outboxed by the American in his first defence before the Yank mysteriously retired on his stool half way through the fight.
Then Cabrela was a very late replacement and then he lost to the average Cruz.
Then then lost to a below world class Jim McDonnell.

Yes, all those points are valid too, I wouldn't argue with putting Frampton above McGuigan.

Thinking about it further, in some ways maybe Collins was actually the best. His chin and strength at super-middle were ridiculous, better even than Froch, and how on earth he made middle is beyond me. That said - a bit like McGuigan - his best wins were against faded opponents, albeit two each over Benn and Eubank is absolutely nothing to sniff at.

[Jimmy2020]

We'll never know with Fury. No papers, no proof re: his dad and grandad.

[coghaugen11]

Brendan Ingle always said it was ‘by far’ Steve Collins.

It’s Jimmy McLarnin for me.

[JamesPhilips]

Surely Andy Lee is worth a mention?

[Coco]

[knockout]

If you include Fury then you have to Include Gene Tunney , Billy Conn.

Tunney had Irish born parents I believe and Conn I think parents or grandparents?!

Even Andy Lee ( who was a great fighter and is a great coach ) was born and raised in the East End and lived there until he was 14 or so , at which point he was already an amazing schoolboy talent for Repton.

So it depends on your personal view on nationality / heritage etc

Born and Raised in Ireland then it’s hard to pick between Frampton and McGuigan for me.

Frampton has a longer stint at or around the top but there was no WBO in Barry’s time .

Andy Lee is a bit behind them but was unlucky with his loss to Chavez who was probably off his face on PEDs and his draw with PQ could have gone the other way if PQ had made the weight. If I am right Lee never really was the home fighter that often and that makes a difference

[brian13]

All depends on criteria.

I have to say Katie Taylor. Amateur and Professional dominance. Wayne Mc Cullough would be second on the Amateur & Pro criteria in my view but his professional career was outstanding.

If we are dealing with Professional only then Frampton (I know his weight class got removed from the olympics) is absolutely in the mix, Collins's and Mc Guigan too.

I think Mick Conlan will eventually be in the conversation. Jay Quigley could also be in it too as he was the first Irish fighter to win the World championship.

[knockout]

Brian : good points about incorporating amateur careers.

As always it’s hard to compare different eras and throwing the amateur careers into the mix makes it even harder.

I think Barry was from an era with no government Irish support for Amateur boxing ( I could be wrong ) and it was in an era when Eastern Block fighters never went pro and were fully government supported 30 year old men. Having said that he still had quite a few losses to “non-elite” fighters.

Wayne was in the transition period of amateur boxing, a lot of amazing Eastern European’s around and of course Cuba was back at the 1992 Olympics after missing 84 and 88.

His pro career was lengthy and he was based in USA so Naseem aside , he didn’t touch the WBO title. I was wondering if it would have worked out better for him if he had signed with Warren and stayed at super bantam at gone WBO ... then I checked Marco Antonio Barrera held that time in mid 90s!!

I don’t think women’s boxing has enough depth for Katie Taylor to be in the mix, that’s just my opinion.

[Oiky]

I'd put frampton above mcguigan

[JamesPhilips]

I'd put frampton above mcguigan

It's a difficult one. I think Mcguigan was the better fighter but Frampton achieved more.