BoxRec

I think that Cowdell would've won a brilliant bout but he'dve looked like he was run over the next day. 'Aint gonna be no rematch!'

I think Barry would have been too strong. Pat was a canny boxer, a great boxer, but McGuigan was only vulnerable if you pushed him back, and Cowdell did not have the firepower to do that.

A potentially great fight that would never quite have happened at the right time for either of them - unless Barry had gone up to super-featherweight. Pat's peak as a featherweight was around 79-81 and then a bit later he was a surprisingly strong super-feather. He was a very deceptive fighter, who had the tools to control McGuigan's pressure, but Barry was so fast, so young and ruthless, he might have worn him down. Cowdell's jab was a terrific weapon. Early in Pat's career he had a great chin, too, but it's an argument that grinding down to featherweight for the Nelson fight left him with no resistance that night (though to my knowledge he's never said it was the case). Two of the good guys too - and they always treated each other with enormous respect. I'd have loved to have seen it happen.

It would have been one of those rare British fights - if they'd have met somewhere around their featherweight peaks - where if you couldn't see it, you'd have wanted to know the result as soon as possible. Don't get many of those now. I don't know who would have won it.

Put me down for McGuigan to have won.

McGuigan in a war

I'm going with Barry also; too strong. Either on points or a late stoppage.

Barry is favourite, beanie has the right take on it...

But pat can not be totally ruled out. I can imagine him taking a decision. And I'd expect it to be close either way.