Any old heads on here that can remember why a pale pasty Irish fella, went to fight a texan in the desert.. Mandatory.. Was Cruz a decent name or prospect.. Money.. Also.. Had the same fighters fought same night in Belfast instead of Sunstroke City, would Finbar have done him ?
Id say Barry wouldve done him yeah the Vegas natives in the stands were sweating buckets that day a lad from Ireland never had a chance in that heat you'd be *******sd after the ring walk
mcguigan was meant to showcase in america and they picked a strong argentinian whose name i forget to fight him. the argentinian pulled out late and cruz stepped in and the rest in history.
Fernando Sosa was the Argentinian,Cruz was a local plumber late replacement 43 degree heat Nevada desert middle of the afternoon insane.McGuigan was getting lots of interest in him Stateside but a really bad call that he himself took against advice from the people that got him to the title. His fight was actually an under card fight to Robbie Sims v Roberto Duran fight and also Tommy Hearns on the bill.
As mentioned Cruz a late (second) sub was brought in to help showcase McGuigan who was in with a real chance of cracking America. And but for the 15th round, Barry still would have won... With hindsight (for me, as I always brought into him, even picking him to beat Jim McDonnell), and to be fair foresight for some; McGuigan was never the same post LaPorte. Pedroza was an old man who looked like he was going to lose his title for at least two years prior (but McGuigan delivered, where others failed); there were criticisms of his performances in the Taylor and Cabrera fights, and the 'magic' did not appear in the comeback.
The BBC wanted the fight screened prime time UK and the venue was outside. That meant the bout took place in the midday sun. He would have crushed Cruz in the King's Hall, Belfast but I guess he was offered good money to fight in the states.
Graham was no prospect; he was there selling himself to the audience in an attempt to get Hagler in the ring. The other Bomber, as well as McGuigan and Honeyghan did have fights on the same bill in Chicago in 83, when all three were prospects.
