Barry McGuigan

Barry McGuigan, MBE
McGuigan (centre)
Born	Finbar Patrick McGuigan (1961-02-28) 28 February 1961 Clones, County Monaghan, Republic of Ireland
Other names	The Clones Cyclone
Statistics
Weight(s)	Featherweight
Height	5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Reach	70 in (178 cm)
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	35
Wins	32
Wins by KO	28
Losses	3
Medal record Men's amateur boxing Representing Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games 1978 Edmonton Bantamweight

Finbar Patrick "Barry" McGuigan MBE (born 28 February 1961) is an Irish boxing promoter and former professional boxer. Born in Clones, County Monaghan, Ireland, McGuigan was nicknamed The Clones Cyclone and held the WBA and lineal featherweight titles from 1985 to 1986. At regional level he also held the British and European featherweight titles between 1983 and 1985. In 1985, McGuigan became BBC Sports Personality of the Year. In 2005, he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

McGuigan founded, and is the current president of, the Professional Boxing Association (PBA).

He is the founder and CEO of Cyclone Promotions.

McGuigan is a dual citizen of both Ireland and the United Kingdom.

Background

Barry McGuigan was born in Clones, County Monaghan, Ireland. His father was singer Pat McGuigan (died 1987). Pat McGuigan sang "Danny Boy" before several of his son's matches. This inspired the Hacienda Brothers' song "If Daddy Don't Sing Danny Boy", written by boxer and musician Chris Gaffney.

As an amateur, McGuigan represented Northern Ireland in the Commonwealth Games at Edmonton in 1978 and represented Ireland at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. He became a UK citizen so that he could compete for British titles.

During his professional career, McGuigan fought at a number of venues in Ireland and Britain. He attracted an enormous following in the mid-1980s, particularly to the King's Hall in Belfast which he regularly filled to capacity. McGuigan is a Roman Catholic, and at a time when Catholics and Protestants were clashing during The Troubles, he married a Protestant, Sandra Mealiff. As of 2010, they remain married after over three decades.

McGuigan stated that the support he received from both Protestants and Catholics in Ireland was because:

"[the] shadows ran deep. And my fights felt a little like sunshine. Both sides would say: 'Leave the fighting to McGuigan.' You see, it was also entertainment – people loved to forget the Troubles a while. The fact that I wouldn't wear green, white and gold or put on a sign that said this is who I represent was powerful. It was a very mature and dangerous thing to do. I wouldn't choose sides. People appreciated that."

He and his wife have both been patrons for children's cancer charity CLIC Sargent.

Amateur career

McGuigan began his juvenile boxing career at the Wattlebridge Amateur Boxing Club, County Fermanagh, and later moved to the Smithborough Amateur Boxing Club, County Monaghan. Under the guidance of trainers Danny McEntee and Frank Mulligan, he rapidly established himself as an exceptional boxer. He won the All Ireland Amateur Championship in 1976 having defeated Martin Brereton. Notable opponents during his teenage years included Dubliner James Coughlan, whom he defeated at the age of 15, as well as Gordon McNeil (of Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne) and Eric Clarke (of Hackney, London).

McGuigan represented Northern Ireland in the Commonwealth Games at Edmonton 1978 and represented the Republic of Ireland at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.

1980 Olympic results

Barry McGuigan competed at the 1980 Moscow Olympics as a featherweight; his record was:

• Round of 32: defeated Issack Mabushi (Tanzania) referee stopped contest in third round
• Round of 16: lost to Winfred Kabunda (Zambia) by decision, 1-4

Professional career

McGuigan began his professional boxing career on 10 May 1981, beating Selvin Bell by technical knockout (TKO) in two rounds in Dublin. After another win, he suffered his first setback, losing a hotly disputed decision to Peter Eubank (brother of Chris Eubank) over eight rounds at Corn Exchange at the Brighton Dome. After his first loss, McGuigan notched up two more wins, including one over Terry Pizzarro, and then he was given a rematch with Eubank. The second time around, McGuigan prevailed, by a knockout in the eighth round.

In 1982, McGuigan won eight fights, seven by knockout, but one of these almost destroyed his career and his life. Fighting Young Ali, on 14 June 1982, McGuigan won by a knockout in six rounds; Ali fell into a coma and died two days later. According to the book The Ring: Boxing The 20th Century. Ali's death affected McGuigan so much that he was not sure he wanted to carry on as a boxer. He also defeated Paul Huggins and Angelo Licata during this period. In 1983, he won four fights, earning the British Title against Vernon Penprase. This period marked his first trip to fight outside Europe (when he beat Lavon McGowan by a knockout in the first round in Chicago), before he got his first try at a European title.

On 16 November, Italy's Valerio Nati boxed McGuigan for the vacant European Featherweight title in Belfast. McGuigan won the crown with a knockout in the sixth round. He then became the number one featherweight challenger for the WBA. In 1984, he won six bouts, all by knockout. Among the fighters he beat were former world title challengers Jose Caba and Felipe Orozco. McGuigan also overcame contenders Paul DeVorce and Charm Chiteule, retained his British and European titles against Clyde Ruan, and held on to the latter belt against Esteban Eguia to keep alive his chances of a world title fight.

In 1985, McGuigan met former world featherweight champion Juan Laporte and won by a decision after ten rounds. Following one more win (a defence of his European title against Farid Gallouze), McGuigan finally earned a tilt at a world title. Long-reigning WBA featherweight champion, Eusebio Pedroza of Panama, put his title on the line at Loftus Road football stadium in London. McGuigan became the champion by dropping Pedroza in round seven and winning a unanimous fifteen-round decision in a fight refereed by hall of fame referee Stanley Christodoulou. McGuigan and his wife were feted in a public reception through the streets of Belfast that attracted hundreds of thousands of well-wishers. Later that year, he was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year, becoming the first person not born in the United Kingdom to win the award.

McGuigan made his first defences against American Bernard Taylor, who was stopped in the ninth round, and Danilo Cabrera, who was knocked out in fourteen rounds. This proved to be a controversial stoppage: the fight was ended when the challenger bent over to pick up his mouthpiece after losing it, a practice that is allowed in many countries but not in Ireland. Cabrera was not aware of this rule and the fight was stopped. Although Cabrera's corner protested the outcome, McGuigan remained the winner by a knockout. For his next defence, he went to Las Vegas in June 1986, where he faced relatively unknown Steve Cruz from Texas as a late replacement for Ramon Fernando Sosa who pulled out for having two detached retinas. It proved to be a gruelling fifteen-round title bout under a blazing late-afternoon sun and 110-degree heat in the ring. McGuigan held the lead halfway through, but suffered dehydration because of the extreme heat and wilted near the end, being knocked down in rounds ten and fifteen. He eventually lost a close decision and his world belt, which he was never to reclaim. After the fight, McGuigan required hospitalisation because of his dehydrated state.

After that fight McGuigan retired partly due to the death of his father in 1987. WIth his relationship with previous manager Barney Eastwood at an end, McGuigan returned to the ring between 1988 and 1989, under the management of Frank Warren. He beat former world title challengers Nicky Perez and Francisco Tomas da Cruz, as well as contender Julio César Miranda, before facing former EBU featherweight champ and future WBC and WBA super featherweight challenger Jim McDonnell. McGuigan lost by TKO when a gash over his right eye, caused by a McDonnell left hook in the second round, forced the referee to stop the fight in the fourth. McGuigan then retired permanently from boxing. His record was 32 wins and 3 losses, with 28 victories by knockout.

Professional boxing record

35 fights	32 wins	3 losses
By knockout	28	1
By decision	4	2

No.	Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round, time	Date	Location	Notes
35	Loss	32–3	Jim McDonnell	TKO	4 (10), 1:43	31 May 1989	G-Mex Leisure Centre, Manchester, England
34	Win	32–2	Julio César Miranda	TKO	8 (10), 1:12	1 Dec 1988	Pickett's Lock Stadium, London, England
33	Win	31–2	Francisco Tomas da Cruz	TKO	4 (10), 1:43	25 Jun 1988	Kenilworth Road, Luton, England
32	Win	30–2	Nicky Perez	TKO	4 (10), 2:55	4 Apr 1988	Alexandra Pavilion, London, England
31	Loss	29–2	Steve Cruz	UD	15	23 Jun 1986	Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, US	Lost WBA and The Ring featherweight titles
30	Win	29–1	Danilo Cabrera	TKO	14 (15), 1:40	15 Feb 1986	The Royal Dublin Society, Dublin, Ireland	Retained WBA and The Ring featherweight titles
29	Win	28–1	Bernard Taylor	RTD	8 (15), 3:00	28 Sep 1985	King's Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland	Retained WBA and The Ring featherweight titles
28	Win	27–1	Eusebio Pedroza	UD	15	8 Jun 1985	Loftus Road Stadium, London, England	Won WBA and The Ring featherweight titles
27	Win	26–1	Farid Gallouze	TKO	2 (12), 1:20	26 Mar 1985	Wembley Arena, London, England	Retained European featherweight title
26	Win	25–1	Juan Laporte	PTS	10	23 Feb 1985	King's Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland
25	Win	24–1	Clyde Ruan	KO	4 (12), 2:50	19 Dec 1984	Ulster Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland	Retained British and European featherweight titles
24	Win	23–1	Felipe Orozco	KO	2 (10), 2:10	13 Oct 1984	King's Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland
23	Win	22–1	Paul DeVorce	TKO	5 (10), 1:30	30 Jun 1984	King's Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland
22	Win	21–1	Esteban Eguia	KO	3 (12), 0:45	5 Jun 1984	Royal Albert Hall, London, England	Retained European featherweight title
21	Win	20–1	Jose Caba	TKO	7 (10)	4 Apr 1984	King's Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland
20	Win	19–1	Charm Chiteule	TKO	10 (10)	25 Jan 1984	King's Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland
19	Win	18–1	Valerio Nati	KO	6 (12), 2:33	16 Nov 1983	King's Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland	Won vacant European featherweight title
18	Win	17–1	Ruben Dario Herasme	KO	2 (10), 2:58	5 Oct 1983	Ulster Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland
17	Win	16–1	Lavon McGowan	KO	1 (10), 2:59	9 Jul 1983	DiVinci Manoe, Chicago, Illinois, US
16	Win	15–1	Samuel Meck	TKO	6 (10), 2:58	22 May 1983	Navan Exhibition Centre, Navan, Ireland
15	Win	14–1	Vernon Penprase	TKO	2 (12), 2:50	12 Apr 1983	Ulster Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland	Won vacant British featherweight title
14	Win	13–1	Paul Huggins	TKO	5 (12)	9 Nov 1982	Ulster Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland
13	Win	12–1	Jimmy Duncan	RTD	4 (10)	5 Oct 1982	Ulster Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland
12	Win	11–1	Young Ali	KO	6 (8), 2:47	14 June 1982	World Sporting Club, London, England	Ali dies of injuries sustained in the fight
11	Win	10–1	Gary Lucas	KO	1 (8)	22 Apr 1982	Lakeland Forum, Enniskillen, Northern Ireland
10	Win	9–1	Angelo Licata	TKO	2 (8), 2:45	23 Mar 1982	Ulster Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland
9	Win	8–1	Angel Oliver	TKO	3 (8), 2:16	23 Feb 1982	Ulster Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland
8	Win	7–1	Ian Murray	TKO	3 (8)	8 Feb 1982	World Sporting Club, London, England
7	Win	6–1	Luis de la Sagra	PTS	8	27 Jan 1982	Ulster Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland
6	Win	5–1	Peter Eubank	TKO	8 (8), 2:40	8 Dec 1981	Ulster Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland
5	Win	4–1	Terry Pizzaro	TKO	4 (8)	26 Oct 1981	Ulster Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland
4	Win	3–1	Jean-Marc Renard	PTS	8	3 Aug 1981	Ulster Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland
3	Loss	2–1	Peter Eubank	PTS	8	3 Aug 1981	Corn Exchange, Brighton, England
2	Win	2–0	Gary Lucas	TKO	4 (6), 1:20	20 Jun 1981	Empire Pool, London, England
1	Win	1–0	Selvin Bell	TKO	2 (6)	10 May 1981	Dalymount Park, Dublin, Ireland

After boxing

McGuigan attempted to establish an association to protect the rights of boxers against what he, and others, considered omnipotent managers and promoters. In this regard, McGuigan maintains he had had a difficult time during his own career. A previously very close relationship with his manager, Barney Eastwood, deteriorated badly over time and led to a successful libel case against him by Eastwood several years later. He participated in The Grand Knockout Tournament 1987 charity event television special. In the 1980s, he was a chat show host on BBC1.

McGuigan lives near Whitstable, Kent, with his wife. He currently works as a boxing pundit for Sky TV. Two biographies of McGuigan have been written. He is currently a boxing manager and promoter through Cyclone Promotions. McGuigan's relationship with world champion, Carl Frampton, whom he managed and promoted, ended in 2017. The matter was finally settled out of court in November 2020. McGuigan's daughter, Nika, died in 2019 aged 33.

He is the Chairman of the Professional Boxing Association, an organisation he has wanted to set up for over a decade, with the intention of teaching boxers the importance of education, and indeed educating them.

McGuigan has tried his hand at acting, appearing in the movie Malicious Intent in 2000. He also served as referee on the UK television game show Grudge Match, hosted by Nick Weir. He appeared in the third series of ITV's Hell's Kitchen in September 2007, where he was eventually crowned the winner after winning the public vote. In August 2009, he co-presented Charity Lords of the Ring with Lucy Kennedy.

On 3 January 2024, Cyclone Promotions Ltd and McGuigan's Gym Ltd, of which McGuigan was a director, passed into liquidation.

McGuigan is credited as appearing in the film One Night in Millstreet.

In November 2024, McGuigan appeared as a contestant on the twenty-fourth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!.

Other recognition

McGuigan was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 2000 and International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2005. He also fought in Ring Magazine's 1986 Fight of the Year, and was a title character in the 8-bit computer game, Barry McGuigan World Championship Boxing. McGuigan was honoured in an Irish ballad song released in 1984, "Clones Cyclone", written by Johnny McCauley and sung by Big Tom. The popular German musician and composer Udo Lindenberg also dedicated his song "Jonny Boxer" to McGuigan in 1986. The Bournemouth-based band The Worry Dolls named a track "Barry McGuigan" on their album, The Man That Time Forgot.

He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1994.

See also

• List of featherweight boxing champions

External links

• Boxing record for Barry McGuigan from BoxRec (registration required)
• CLIC Sargent – children's cancer charity