Who is the best Northern irish boxer ever?

For such a small country, we have produced a lot of good if not great boxers in the amateurs as well as the pros.

We've had some good pros like Neil Sinclair(who was a good amateur and boxed out of my gym), Wayne McCullough(another good amateur), Brian Magee(a solid amateur) and of course the most recent is the young Carl Frampton(another good amateur) as well as some good amateurs like Paddy Barnes. Not bad for a country smaller than most american states and a population lower than a lot of big cities. :good

You have the HOFer(maybe not deservedly) Barry McGuigan, McGuigan didn't have a particularly decorated amateur career unlike a lot of our boxers but he had a fantastic pro career that saw him crowned the featherweight championship of the world. McGuigan is also famous for uniting the people of Northern Ireland during the Troubles. He transcened boxing and didn't support either side, he was a catholic but didn't wear green white and gold on his shorts and didn't identify himself with either side. It's this more anything why he is so famous over here. I like this quote from Barry himself -

"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."


I think our best boxer is John Caldwell, who had a great a amateur career and a great pro career that saw him become a world champion. He also had a big unification fight with the legendary brazilian Eder Jofre. He lost that fight but he managed to go 10 rounds with the Brazilian.

He got beat by another Northern Irishman Freddie Gilroy shortly after and in that fight the damage that Caldwell recieved to his eyes pretty much ended his career. He was never the same after that. Despite that though I feel that it is Caldwell is our best boxer.

What say you ESB?

 

Flip forgot to put McGuigan in atsch Yes I would have McGuigan as the second best behind Caldwell

 

Just found out about Jimmy McClarnin, who was a two-time welterweight world champion and a Hall of Famer. Don't know much about him though so I won't say anything about him, he was only born in NI too so some might count him as american. For anyone familiar with him did he consider himself Irish or American?

 

Yes I know mate, I know the history of my own country

If you want we can say 'the best fighters who were born in the region that is now Northern Ireland' :good

 

I've heard of Rinty but he's another guy I don't know a lot about, the best to come out of Ireland you say :think

 

I'll catch a few fights of his later on today, after I finish watching this Solo Boxeo card from last night :good

 

McLarnin retired Benny Leonard?

 

Oh yeah I remember that from a documentary now actually. What would be a good fight of his to watch do you think? You seem to know a lot of about him, are you from Ireland?