Barry McGuigan and nicknamed The Clones Cyclone, is a retired Irish professional boxer from Clones, County Monaghan, Republic of Ireland who became the WBA and lineal featherweight champion. Barry was a fan favorite for Irish and British audiences, as he represented neutrality and peace in a time when Northern Ireland (where he lived) was divided as part of The Troubles. He founded, and is the current President of, the Professional Boxing Association (PBA). McGuigan is the CEO and founder of Cyclone Promotions.

In 1985, McGuigan met former world featherweight champion Juan Laporte and won by a decision after ten rounds. Following one more win (a defence of his European Title against Farid Gallouze), he finally got his world title try when the long reigning WBA featherweight champion, Eusebio Pedroza of Panama, came to London to put his title on the line at Loftus Road football stadium. McGuigan became the champion by dropping Pedroza in round seven and winning a unanimous fifteen-round decision in a fight refereed by hall of fame referee Stanley Christodoulou. McGuigan and his wife were feted in a public reception through the streets of Belfast that attracted several hundred thousand spectators. Later that year, he was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year, becoming the first person not born in the United Kingdom to win the award.

McGuigan was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame and International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2005. He also fought in Ring Magazine’s 1986 Fight of the Year, and was a title character in the 8-bit computer game, Barry McGuigan World Championship Boxing. In 1985 he was voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

He was honored in an Irish ballad song released in 1984, “Clones Cyclone”, written by Johnny McCauley and sung by Big Tom.

McGuigan now manages boxers, including Northern Irish super bantamweight champion Carl Frampton.

World Liberty TV’s Executive Producer sat down with Barry McGuigan at The Ring 8 ,Annual  Holiday Party ,where Mr McGuigan and his fighter Carl Frampton were honored, see what he had to say in this exclusive interview right here in World Liberty TV, Boxing Channel.

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