BoxRec

bennie wrote: ↑09 Mar 2021, 08:42 Former heavyweight hope Danny McAlinden has sadly passed away at the age of 73. He had been diagnosed with cancer several years ago.
McAlinden is not a name that sits alongside Anthony Joshua, Frank Bruno, Henry Cooper or Tommy Farr but he could punch and he smashed Jack Bodell in two rounds to win British and Commonwealth titles in the open air at Villa Park in 1972, in what is generally regarded as the least scientific title fights ever seen on these shores. McAlinden waded in and made it a saloon brawl and the fans loved every second. Victory secured him a triple title showdown with European champion Joe Bugner but McAlinden, managed by an ageing Jack Solomons, took a tune-up with unknown American Morris Jackson and was shockingly stopped in three rounds in London, and the Bugner fight went out of the window. In came the legendary Joe Frazier, who found the going surprisingly tough against a fired-up Bugner at Earls Court in July 1973, before Frazier took the 12-round decision.
McAlinden, a Northern Irishman based in Coventry, never really recovered and lost his British and Commonwealth titles to Bunny Johnson in January 1975 and also lost to Richard Dunn in a crack at winning back those titles. He played out the subsequent years of his career winning by knockout or losing by knockout and finally called it a day in 1981 with a record of 31-12-2 (28). His best wins came over Bodell, Rahman Ali (brother of Muhammad), Roberto Davila, Carl Gizzi and Bill Drover. He also held Ray Patterson to a draw, brother of Floyd, and looked unlucky to drop an eight-round decision to giant American Jack O'Halloran in London in 1970, later to find fame in the Superman movies.

My Name Is Earl wrote: ↑14 Mar 2021, 18:37

bennie wrote: ↑09 Mar 2021, 08:42 Former heavyweight hope Danny McAlinden has sadly passed away at the age of 73. He had been diagnosed with cancer several years ago.
McAlinden is not a name that sits alongside Anthony Joshua, Frank Bruno, Henry Cooper or Tommy Farr but he could punch and he smashed Jack Bodell in two rounds to win British and Commonwealth titles in the open air at Villa Park in 1972, in what is generally regarded as the least scientific title fights ever seen on these shores. McAlinden waded in and made it a saloon brawl and the fans loved every second. Victory secured him a triple title showdown with European champion Joe Bugner but McAlinden, managed by an ageing Jack Solomons, took a tune-up with unknown American Morris Jackson and was shockingly stopped in three rounds in London, and the Bugner fight went out of the window. In came the legendary Joe Frazier, who found the going surprisingly tough against a fired-up Bugner at Earls Court in July 1973, before Frazier took the 12-round decision.
McAlinden, a Northern Irishman based in Coventry, never really recovered and lost his British and Commonwealth titles to Bunny Johnson in January 1975 and also lost to Richard Dunn in a crack at winning back those titles. He played out the subsequent years of his career winning by knockout or losing by knockout and finally called it a day in 1981 with a record of 31-12-2 (28). His best wins came over Bodell, Rahman Ali (brother of Muhammad), Roberto Davila, Carl Gizzi and Bill Drover. He also held Ray Patterson to a draw, brother of Floyd, and looked unlucky to drop an eight-round decision to giant American Jack O'Halloran in London in 1970, later to find fame in the Superman movies.

Nice one bennie. I wondered if there'd be a Danny tribute.

My first live boxing show was Danny v Larry Middleton at a raucous smoke-filled Belle Vue. As a young teenager went with me dad and his mates and had my first glass of bitter shandy. Uncle Judd had a betslip for the Yank by ko..."he broke
Bugner's jaw a few weeks ago" and "McAlinden can't take a punch" was his repetitive theme.

Always enjoyed Danny's fights from the telly and though he found his level, after fancifully being touted as a possible world
champion, he was always value for money. A pity the big domestic showdown with Bugner evaporated as Big Joe
became a world player, and their careers went in the opposite direction, but being a British champion is never to sniffed at.

The diagnosis and subsequent treatment for it, of tongue cancer, would have been horrific for him and his loved ones.
The after effects are truly life changing. RIP Danny.