Brian Magee

I'm interested in knowing more about this Irishman, who isn't very well publicized internationally.

I haven't seen much of him beyond the loss to an up-and-coming Froch (who he had pretty well in hand, consistent with the judges' scorecards showing him ahead at the time of the late-round stoppage...setting an eerie precedent for what happened to Taylor).

He was able to laterally dodge the telegraphed lunges of Froch, and counter well with the straight left, halting Froch's momentum with intelligently timed clinches and offensive bursts, keeping control of center ring or forcing Froch to fight backwards most of the time. Credit to Froch for his relentless commitment and landing the big shot as Magee's clinching attempts began to slow down and become more predictable...but had that opening escaped him another four and a half minutes...

Upon review of his record, it appears he's never really been dominated. Is that a fair assessment?

He came very close to popping Froch's cherry. He was knocked down four times by a still useful Robin Reid and only lost by a few points (indicating that he may have won a majority of rounds). Losing an airtight split decision to a still useful Vitali Tsypko and drawing with Tony Oakey are respectable enough blemishes.

Obviously Larsen was old and inactive, but Magee wasn't much younger (or more active) when he went to Denmark and took it out of the judges' hands with a very high workrate and a furious finish to collect his biggest scalp.

Is he well-liked - or even well-known, domestically?

Reportedly he's got a fondness for glutting on fast food and blowing up between engagements. Is this trait looked on with the same sort of grinning forgiveness by his countrymen that Mancunians afford to Ricky Hatton, or is he perceived as someone who didn't take the sport seriously enough to ever deserve getting much past Commonwealth level?

 

No ****. As?

I know. Read the sentence again, I was inquiring about perception. :good

 

I hear he may be getting in with the hot-and-cold Paul Smith. What do you think of his chances there?

 

I don't think highly of "Smigga" myself, but he'd certainly be considered a good name on the resume, no?

It would make for a pretty uplifting story, to put together a string of quality wins at a seasoned age. Much in the same vein as Rogie (although Magee's obviously a good deal more skilled than Rogie).

 

Ah, so he was. I got that wrong then. So the KO may have been academic, but he still gave a very good account of himself and kept it a close contest until the end, I thought.