BACK IN THE RING: Fans turn out for a night with Irish boxing legend Barry McGuigan
Sport

BACK IN THE RING: Fans turn out for a night with Irish boxing legend Barry McGuigan

BARRY MCGUIGAN won the world featherweight boxing title against the undisputed champion Eusebio Pedrosa in 1985.

The Panamanian, Pedroso had held the title for just over seven years and had successfully defended his crown against 18 different contenders.

The fight was held at Loftus Road, the home of Queens Park Rangers Football Club, in England, attracting a capacity crowd, with McGuigan winning unanimously after 15 rounds.

75,000 fans line the street for the World champion Barry McGuigan

McGuigan was famed, not just for becoming the featherweight champion of the world but also for uniting the communities across the UK and Ireland in their support for him.

Fans were treated to an overview of the legendary Irish boxer's career

Following the Loftus Road fight, McGuigan went on to become the first person to win the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year who was born outside of the UK.

Some 36 years later and McGuigan is still attracting capacity crowds.

At the Premier Suite in Cannock, Scott Murray and his team have been working with McGuigan to put on a stage show that brings to life the iconic images and film clips that document his life and boxing career.

Meeting his hero; Carl Dolan from Smethwick meeting Barry McGuigan ahead of the show

In what has been a rollercoaster of life's ups and downs, the audience was treated to a personal insight to the context of film clips and photos that capture McGuigan’s career.

They include the Pedroza win, the hero's welcome home that came when 75,000 people turned out to witness his return to Ireland and the 43 degree heat of the Las Vegas desert during the fight between McGuigan and Steve Cruz.

The Scott family from Cannock, Birmingham and Co. Fermanagh

All are discussed.

But then, there was also the tense political backdrop and Troubles in Northern Ireland that existed in the late 1970's and early 1980's.

Early on in his career McGuigan had to cross the border between the Republic and Northern Ireland to train, before his mum encouraged him to find a more local gym.

A youthful McGuigan in training

The Catholic/Protestant love story between Barry and his wife Sandra, the girl he knew since the age of three, and went on to marry in 1981, is also covered.

In conversation with Derry native and BBC Radio Presenter Bob Brolly, the Barry McGuigan Life Story is accompanied by McGuigan - following in his father’s footsteps - joining Birmingham-based band The Teds as lead singer for one concert.

Barry McGuigan joins The Teds and starts the set with the Van Morrison classic Brown Eyed Girl

McGuigan’s Clones-born father Pat was a singer who, in 1968, represented Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest.

He sang Barry into the ring for many of his fights with a rendition of Danny Boy.

Poignantly, it was Pat's death in 1987 that contributed towards Barry's retirement from boxing.