I'm 51 now, so when Barry beat Pedroza in the summer of 85 I was 11, I loved watching his fights, and was really gutted when he lsir to Steve Cruz and McDonnel. What's people's thoughts on hie career.
I'm the same age. He was a good 15 round fighter. Pedroza was a great performance. I don't think he would have beat Azumah Nelson, I don't think anyone would argue that he would. And his management probably figured similar. I don't think his heart was really in the comeback after the loss to Cruz.
I’m 51 as well. And McGuigan was awesome. Very exciting to watch but probably not in the upper tier of great feathers
I roared him on when he was fighting Pedroza, what a great night for Ireland. The Cruz fight just seemed so... wrong. Wrong place, wrong time, wrong Opponent' .
Im 60 and followed him from his first televised fights here in the U.S. Read both books on him too. Very well schooled fighter. Long arms..good power and balance. I would dare to call him great. Short peak though. Was never the same after he lost his belt in that heat.
I'm in my 50's to and remember that fight well. Barry was a very good fighter but I don't think he should be a hall of famer. With that said, the Pedroza win was certainly career defining. To me, his career was similar to Hatton's. Stylewise, they were certainly different but both of them had huge wins over long reigning champions that were at the end of their careers. Barry was never that good again.
Brilliant body puncher. His wins over Laporte (who would go on to lose very close fights with Chavez and Nelson) and Pedroza were top notch though Pedroza was not at his peak after 19 defences. Struggled post Pedroza. Was a unifying force during the Troubles, probably got him into the Hall of Fame. Cruz fight was heartbreaking and then the loss of his father basically finished him. Azumah Nelson was very hot and cold (Villasana I, Martinez I,Laporte and Fenech I though most of these fights were at super-feather) and usually at the level of his opponents. McGuigan would bring out the best out of him. Wouldn´t be surprised of another Cowdell performance though most likely Azumah would have start of slow, absorb Barry´s vaunted body attack and from the fifth round onwards take him apart à la Fenech II. Would be a classic.
I always liked him , found him courageous and charismatic .. he looked terrific defeating Pedroza .. the upset loss to Cruz seemed to take everything out of him .. a strange, fast drop but in many ways a blessing because he was going to get a big fight with a prime Nelson and that would not have gone well form Barry.