McGuigan to become a promoter

  
Former world featherweight champion Barry McGuigan as now thrown his hat into the boxing promotion ring, signing up the highly regarded Carl Frampton, he has announced that his first professional show will be at the Ulster Hall in Belfast on September 18.

Carl Frampton

According to McGuigan the September 18 card will also feature Prizefighter winner Willie ‘Big Bang’ Casey, and this will be the first of six shows he will promote over the next 12 months. 

Speaking to www.Irish-boxing.com and also Steve Bunce (live recording above) McGuigan said, “We will be promoting six shows over the next year and all will be broadcast by Setanta Sports (Ireland), providing a wonderful platform for the best young boxers to showcase their talents to a large audience.

McGuigan welcomed home after becoming world champion

In 1985 more than 19 million people tuned in to watch Barry McGuigan step into the Loftus Road ring to face Eusebio Pedrosa for the WBA featherweight crown. It was the first outside broadcast at a live fight by the BBC.

McGuigan was given a hero’s welcome on his return to Belfast, Dublin and Clones and even getting back to his West End hotel after the fight, crowds banged on the side of the van. Phil Coulter, renowned songwriter, musician and entrepreneur, sat beside the new champion. His advice to him was: “Enjoy it all. Take it all in now and hang on to it, believe me it won’t last.”

Belfast became a temple of communal worship on fight night for a territory divided the rest of the week, McGuigans first defence of his title was against American Bernard Taylor at the City’s King’s Hall, stopping his unbeaten challenger in round five, McGuigan’s reception that night on his home coming was legendery.

Hostillities were high in  Northern Ireland then and sectarian violence dominated the news, McGuigan however brought the people of Ireland together with one common goal to support there home boy.

”I had to navigate my way through a troubled time in Ireland. There were a lot of human lessons in that. I learned to grow up in boxing.

“I have a lot of very special memories fighting in the Ulster Hall – particularly winning the British title against Vernon Penprase in 1983, defending it and the European title against Clyde Ruan in 1984. There is always a special atmosphere for boxing and since they have done it up it looks stunning as well.

“The life of a boxer is educational. In my case in Northern Ireland it took on an even more important dimension because of the politics. But apart from that it teaches you to be a man.” 

We wish Barry the best of luck with his boxing promotions and if he can be has succsessful a promoter has he was a fighter and boxing pundit, we are in for some good nights ahead in the name of Barry McGuigan promotions.