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Re: How good was Barry McGuigan?

Posted: 24 Sep 2010, 07:13
by Ezzard
bollox wrote:This thread was bumped after 8 years? :o :lol:

I remember the hoopla surrounding a proposed fight with Azumah Nelson was huge in the mid 80's. There was a lot of talk and dithering around, then Barry lost to Cruz which effectively killed the fight. The Americans loved Barry that's for sure, and they hadn't really taken to Nelson despite his achievements. In their analyses a lot of the US boxing press had Barry either outpointing Nelson or stopping him with a left hook to the body

I reckon Nelson would have been a bit too good for McGuigan although it would have been a good scrap. At the time I kept thinking that McGuigan's management didn't seem to go out of their way to make the fight happen. Maybe others remember things a bit differently?
As ever it was a fight that they wanted to hype up to the max. McGuigan's defeat meant that the train didn't get out of the station.

Barry never really got his career back on track due to injuries and manager problems.

British boxing could do with a McGuigan right now.

Why and why did boxers change from being respectful gents like Barry, Frank Bruno, Pat Cowdell, Maurice Hope (guys your nan would cheer for) and become big mouthed braggarts?

Re: How good was Barry McGuigan?

Posted: 24 Sep 2010, 07:26
by bollox
Since the heat was generally accepted as the reason for the loss a Nelson fight would and probably should still have gone ahead

I watched Barry V Jim McDonnell on tv in about 89 or 90 and it was a bit sad to see

I have no definitive answer why they became loud mouths. I also prefer my boxers to be fairly quiet and respectful outside the ring. It always helps dispel the myth about boxers being neanderthals who mug grannies in their spare time

Re: How good was Barry McGuigan?

Posted: 24 Sep 2010, 07:33
by Rocky Balboa
bennie wrote:Image


Dead man's eyes. This amazing image of Barry before the start of his disastrous 15th round against Steve Cruz was captured by Chris Smith of the Sunday Times. Look at the stupid Panamanian cornerman pinching Barry's ears.
My God! I'm not a Trainer, but if I see my fighter's Eyes looking like THAT, there is NO way he's going out for the Fifteenth! His Eyes are gone, they are open but its not registering what he's seeing or hearing!

Seeing that image, its lucky Barry was not severely hurt!

Re: How good was Barry McGuigan?

Posted: 24 Sep 2010, 07:44
by Bricks
The man was a fighting dervish. Seeing a McGuigan like that was as shocking as ever seeing a Joe Calzaghe like that......these men are known for their stamina and ability to have other fighters gasping for air while they are just going into second gear.

Re: How good was Barry McGuigan?

Posted: 24 Sep 2010, 07:45
by bennie
Barry's son, Shane, is quite a tasty amateur boxer. You can youtube some of Shane's fights.

Re: How good was Barry McGuigan?

Posted: 24 Sep 2010, 09:12
by Ezzard
bollox wrote:Since the heat was generally accepted as the reason for the loss a Nelson fight would and probably should still have gone ahead

I watched Barry V Jim McDonnell on tv in about 89 or 90 and it was a bit sad to see

I have no definitive answer why they became loud mouths. I also prefer my boxers to be fairly quiet and respectful outside the ring. It always helps dispel the myth about boxers being neanderthals who mug grannies in their spare time
What they don't get is that the idiots they are trying to impress will follow them anyway. If they carry themselves with a bit of dignity they can bring in the fringe sports fans too. My nans, mum, sisters, aunts, wife, aren't sports fans but they used to like boxing when it was on TV. And they could name 9-10 active boxers at any time.

Boxing lost all those fans.

Re: How good was Barry McGuigan?

Posted: 24 Sep 2010, 10:33
by orbtastic
bennie wrote:Barry's son, Shane, is quite a tasty amateur boxer. You can youtube some of Shane's fights.
I remember being asked to look after one of McGuigan's sons at the Hamed/Ingle fight. I can't remember which one it was but he was a good lad and knew his boxing and gave me some inside info

Re: How good was Barry McGuigan?

Posted: 24 Sep 2010, 11:09
by benitezfan
barry really did not fight any worthy big name fighters,i think because of this people really dont think he was a good fighter,he was average :)

Re: How good was Barry McGuigan?

Posted: 24 Sep 2010, 12:26
by Crease
mrshot wrote:in my books he is not even in the top 100, :OhYes: :bag:
I dare you to name 100 boxers who have fought at Featherweight and who would defeat McGuigan.

I'm betting you couldn't name 30. :lol:

Re: How good was Barry McGuigan?

Posted: 24 Sep 2010, 12:28
by Crease
Deno1986 wrote:People should keep on eye out for another Irish boxer, Carl Frampton, who is managed by McGuigan. He is very similar to McGuigans style but could be better in my opinion.
Frampton looks a real fighter. :OhYes:
I reckon he will go far.

Plus my mate went with his cousin. :lol:

Re: How good was Barry McGuigan?

Posted: 24 Sep 2010, 12:31
by benitezfan
to me barry just didnt have the physical appearance to actually combat against the better fighters of the division,he looked very scrawny,his biceps were thin and he seemed to look crunched over in his stance,he still fared pretty well but not as an all time great :)

Re: How good was Barry McGuigan?

Posted: 25 Sep 2010, 03:01
by bennie
McGuigan was - and still is - built like a car-park bollard. Scrawny is the last word I would use to describe him, and to answer your earlier, equally ridiculous post, a fired-up, superbly conditioned Juan Laporte, the great Eusebio Pedroza and the unbeaten Bernard Taylor were not worthy opponents?
Granberry, you are such a c unt.

Re: How good was Barry McGuigan?

Posted: 25 Sep 2010, 04:36
by Counter-puncher
haha. nice, bennie. I would add that McGuigan has hands like coal shovels they are absolutely huge for a man of 5'7.

Re: How good was Barry McGuigan?

Posted: 25 Sep 2010, 05:00
by orbtastic
Yeah, his hands are huge for a small guy (I have shaken hands with him), his shoulders very broad too. They cast everyone at the IBHOF and his fists are comparable with much bigger guys.

Does anyone think that the death of Young Ali affected him long-term with regards to how aggressive he was in the ring? He said himself it took a long time to deal with it.

Re: How good was Barry McGuigan?

Posted: 25 Sep 2010, 09:31
by bennie
Barry still bursts into tears if you mention Young Ali.

Re: How good was Barry McGuigan?

Posted: 26 Sep 2010, 05:25
by Crease
Crease wrote:I dare you to name 100 boxers who have fought at Featherweight and who would defeat McGuigan.
I'm betting you couldn't name 30. :lol:
I will take it that you have decided not to call me out on my offer. :lol:

Re: How good was Barry McGuigan?

Posted: 27 Sep 2010, 18:55
by elmersalsa
He was good, but, how come he is in the hall of fame and not Ernesto Marcel?

If McGuigan is in the hall, these guys should be in too:
Paddy DeMarco
Rodolfo "Gato" Gonzalez
Esteban De Jesus
Tommy Yarosz
Johnny Saxton
Cocoa Kid
Ralph Dupas
Del Flanagan

And I could go on and on.

Re: How good was Barry McGuigan?

Posted: 27 Sep 2010, 19:24
by elmersalsa
I also add in the hall of fame:
Hilario Zapata
Santos Laciar
Sot Chitalada
Wilfredo Vazquez
Yoko Gushiken

Re: How good was Barry McGuigan?

Posted: 27 Sep 2010, 21:20
by Darling
:D

Re: How good was Barry McGuigan?

Posted: 01 Oct 2010, 10:41
by McCannW14
benitezfan wrote:to me barry just didnt have the physical appearance to actually combat against the better fighters of the division,he looked very scrawny,his biceps were thin and he seemed to look crunched over in his stance,he still fared pretty well but not as an all time great :)
Barry McGuigan had hands like shovels and huge shoulder. At 5'5" and 126 he was far from scrawny. He was incredibly strong and had as good a chin as any Featherweight in history.

Have you ever met him and shaken hands with him? I have, twice, back when he was champion and after the Collins v Benn fight.

Re: How good was Barry McGuigan?

Posted: 01 Oct 2010, 11:27
by actjac
As a kid I will never forget watching his fights and feeling the electricity in the moments prior to the introductions as his father Pat would unite Protestants and Catholics as they would all join in his leading them in the Irish song Danny Boy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dB61AAHB ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKxoIn6I ... re=related

His father was a talented and popular performer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTvCqE4T ... re=related