MAGIC MCGUIGAN

Former WBA world featherweight champion Barry Mcguigan’s key career moments

1. EUSEBIO PEDROZA

Loftus Road, June 8, 1985. The night it all came true for Mcguigan. It began with his father, Pat, singing ‘Danny Boy’ in the ring and ended with Barry outhustling Pedroza, a fine champion, over 15 rounds to snatch his WBA featherweight title.

2. JUAN LAPORTE

Arguably Mcguigan’s best performance, this non-title fight at Belfast’s Kings Hall in 1985 was proof the Irishman belonged among the best featherweights in the world. Laporte, a former WBC champion, had no answer to his energy.

3. BERNARD TAYLOR

Mcguigan made the first defence of his WBA featherweight title back in Belfast and successfully retained the belt with an eighth round stoppage of Bernard Taylor, a previously unbeaten American.

4. DANILO CABRERA

Mcguigan had to go into the fourteenth round against Cabrera, but eventually broke him down for a stoppage in what was his second defence of his WBA title.

5. STEVE CRUZ

Mcguigan doesn’t call this his best night, nor his best performance, but will describe it as his “bravest”. He relinquished his WBA title to Cruz, losing a close decision after 15 rounds, but battled the searing Las Vegas heat and somehow made it to the finish line.

6. VALERIO NATI

Mcguigan had the Kings Hall crowd rocking the night he stopped Valerio Nati inside six rounds to claim the vacant European featherweight crown.

7. VERNON PENPRASE

The British title, a belt held dear by Mcguigan, became the property of the Irishman in April 1983 when he outclassed Vernon Penprase inside two rounds.

8. JIM MCDONNELL

It won’t go down as a vintage Mcguigan performance, but a fourth round cuts defeat to Mcdonnell marks Mcguigan’s last outing as a pro and, as important as any win, was all the evidence he needed to know the game was up.

9. PETER EUBANK

Mcguigan suffered a razor-thin points loss to Eubank in just his third fight. However, he used it as a springboard and gained revenge via an eighth round stoppage four months later.

10. SELVIN BELL

Mcguigan, the popular 1978 Commonwealth Games gold medallist, turned professional against Bell at Dalymount Park, Dublin. He won the fight in round two.