I have just got back from a wedding in ireland today, on the border. As usual i took some reading material, and decided on "cyclone, my story" -it seemed apt... I then realised that it was 27 years ago today when Barry took Pedroza's title. In defence of Mcguigan slatings in another thread,,he ended one of the longest reigns in modern history,,he boxed in eire and northern ireland in difficult times to attempt to revive the noble art on both sides of the border in irelands most turbulent era's,,was the owner of one of the best body shots i've seen,,,,oh and he had one of the greatest moustache's in sport (running nigel mansell to a close second).. ..so lets celebrate the achievement of a british boxer rather then give him stick today..:good
Well said. He went through a lot in his career, including one of the guys he fought falling in to a coma and eventually dying. I'm not sure how anyone comes back from that, but he did. His book is an excellent read, all the better because he wrote it himself. I'm sure that anyone who's read it will remember the hilarious story about his wrestle with a chimp at a zoo when he was a kid, brilliant
it's an easy and imformative read, very interesting life-happy to do a swap if you have any british boxing biographies you've finished with:good
crock of ****, barry is a unionist, and boxing has always been nonsectarian here, all this **** of how he "brought two communities together" is a load of pish, he was a catholic unionist married to a protestant unionist. read eastwoods book instead, barry really ****ed him over, and he has eastwood to thank for keepin him away from azumah nelson
Barry McGuigan a Unionist? I don't think Barry gives two ****s about politics in that sense, Barry always comes across as a straight down the middle Irishman. To second guess where he would stand on the constitutional issue is a load of balls, yes "bringing communities together" is a tired cliche that gets trotted out all the time here but its fair to say Barry had massive support on both sides of the divide during what was an extremely turbulent period. Great boxer and great man, I don't see why people want to hate, its bull**** to me!!
I think he was a good fighter not a great fighter. his failure to fight Azumah Nelson is terrible blemish and scar on his career. He would have earned more credit losing to Nelson than the likes of Cruz and McDonell.
What ever his views he kept them to himself and made a lot of people happy when they did not have a lot of hope. So in my book that makes him a good fighter but a great man.
i was merely talking in boxing terms mate,, as i said he attempted to revive boxing, i didn't refer to bringing communities together or attempt to get over-political. This is a boxing forum after all , i will read barney's book though as i am intrigued:good
Barry's a great ambassador for peace, always has been. Saw him on tv the other night when he was talking about integrated education being the way of the future. Whether or not his boxing career brought communities together is irrelevant. I would be pretty confident that people from both sides of the divide have shared friendly conversations in pubs about his sporting achievements. Seems like a top bloke.
