but yeah, McGuigan still put up a great fight and made it really hard for Cruz even though he was being beaten down by summer Texas heat and had a sprained ankle. He was a hell of a fighter!!!! as for Cruz, he is OK but could've done better, he still coudln't finish the irishman.
@DanIrish409 this was mcguigen final hoorah wasnt it? they are both "hell of a" fighters.. you are obviously biased...this sounds like your justification,..what if...
@DanIrish409 The fight was not in Texas I believe this is at caesars palace and if my memory serves me correctly it was a very hot day for an outdoor event. Also Mancini and Kim were on the card.
@Seanbowenyyeah, if the fight was in a place like New York or up somewhere in new England, or in any other cooler climate, McGuigan would've dominated and maybe even stopped him late.
So who was the bright spark who thought it was a good idea to pit a lily white skinned Irishman against a Mexican from Texas in the middle of the desert for 15 rounds ?
Always wanted to see Azumha Nelson vs Barry McGuigan! That fight would have a ben massive anywhere. And the boxing world @ the time {85/86} really wanted it.
Barry's people didn't want any thing to do with Nelson. Nelson would have taken Barry's head off. But i still think Barry would have given Nelson a harder fight than many people would have predicted.
@seanboweny I agree, if the fight had been in a cool climate, McGuigan wins. The heat KILLED HIM, I still remember him saying in the later rounds to his corner, pray for me boys because the heat had drained him so much. I still wonder to this day why he never wanted a rematch with Cruz in Ireland, this lose ruined Barry IMO. I think he retired for a few yrs after this fight only to make a few fight comeback years later.
Stevie Cruz had the fastest right hand counter punch ever. Cruz floored guys like Tracy Paterson, Jorge Paez and Rafael Ruelas with counter rights that seemed to come out of no where. It was fun to watch Cruz fight. This fight is one of my favorite fights of all time. Barry was a beast when Cruz beat him. Great fight!!!
The shame of it is that Cruz lost the title almost immediately, confirming the fluke nature of the win. IIRC the guy who beat Cruz held the title a good while, though.
@selish77 Antonio Esparagoaza. Held it from Dec 1986 or Jan 87 till 1991. A great fighter. Cruz put up one hell of a fight and tried as he might to have retained his tittle. It's on Utube. A cracking fight!!
Ive never heard of Cruz before this fight, I'm also a big Barry McGuigan fan. After watching this fight, I'm now a Steve Cruz fan aswell, two great boxers.
He retired and made a comeback a few years later beating Julio Miranda and Francesco Thomas Da Cruz ,finally losing by TKO TO Jim Mc Donnell before calling it a day for the last time
That's like saying if Mike Tyson was in his prime he would've beaten James Buster Douglas... the fact is that it was Barry's fault for taking the fight in ridiculous conditions in the first place. End of.
I keep hearing all this stuff about McGuigan falling short because of the heat against Stevie Cruz. I think STEVIE CRUZ had a lot more with McGuigan falling short. This wasn't fight of the year in 1986 because Cruz just stood there and soaked up rays. Besides, there's REAL proof of a better fighter having heat get to him: Sugar Ray Robinson against Joey Maxim in the steambath of Yankee Stadium. Robinson was well ahead when he collapsed. Cruz fought a GREAT fight against McGuigan
The better man won in that ring and it wasn't Barry. Although to honor him they should have him as a boxer on fight night rd.4 and throw cruz on their for a rivalry match.
'After the fight, McGuigan required hospitalisation because of his dehydrated state' Heat is always a factor, especially if your from Ireland where heat is nearly non-existant..Get your rain coats boys!
Yup, Barry was a way more superior fighter than Cruz but he wasn't training long enough in the Vegas temperature to acclimatize to the heat. A real shame. Still, he was one of Ireland's best.
At what point was it the heat? McGuigan didn't dominate early rounds and was knocked down in the 8th, if not for the bullshit standing eight count rule, the fight would have been over there. Where do you think he trained....in a hot gym, probably especially hot since his trainers surely knew he was fighting in a desert. Cruz was a great amatuer fighter with over 150 fights and probably less then 5 losses. He gave Esperagoza all he wanted up till the 8th or so round and Esperagoza was a great
I'm not going to get into a name calling contest, for that is where the true idiosy lies, and what idiots rely on! The probably did affect McGuigan more than Cruz. My point was that Cruz was a great fighter, that many had not heard of. I knew this because I trained in the gym with him, and was sure he was going to win that fight and title at only 22yrs old, and only two weeks to prepare. As I said, McGuigan was not exhausted say for the first 9 rds, and was not dominate, and was knocked down
The heat wasnt the only factor. Mcguigan entered the ring with a badly sprained ankle (doctors said it needed weeks to heal properly) and a perforated eardrum. Also his relationship with his manager was so bad that they were already considering legal separation. Cruz was in shape as he was preparing for a rematch with lenny valdez, while mcguigan had to adjust from preparing to meet a squat, come-forward fighter (sosa) to a neat compact defenced, speedy box-fighter.
because its tru man if you lived here in ireland then had to go figh 12 rounds in mexico out side in the middle of summer you would know what im talkin about
tbh i think that mcguigan was effected by the heat,iv been to irland and the UK and i can honestly say coming back its and unreal difference. that being said cruz was a a great and hugly underated fighter, and he won fair and squre. barry should have prepared more cleaverly.
barry is a proud irishman who like many of us hated the whole nothern conflict so please can we discuss his brilliant boxing carrer and stop the bullshit he is from clones rep of ireland bt what does it matter
Barry is a bob and weaver, the ex-prince would have had trouble with him for sure. Hamed would have to rely on his usual flying one-hit-wonder punch to have a chance. Just watch the vids, McGuigan was an exceptional boxer, proper style.
your right Barry was a top fighter, and he had an excellent style. But I think people underestimated Naz for just a one hit wonder. He made real good boxers who had same style as barry look average.
I pains me to say this but Mcguigan was one of all time hero's, I even was tearful as a kid watching him lose this fight, but I had the chance to meet him at the Khan vs Gomez fight and he is actually quite rude and dismissive and I couldn't have been more polite and respectfull, even his children had a arrogant manner, I respect his talent as a boxer but most people within the boxing community think he is a pompous dick and they were right he is.
why the fuck does he hold both? cus hes british and says so, he fought for british titles and always talks about "british boxing" open your fuckin eyes.
He holds both passports because he retained his Irish one because that is what he believes he is. His route to the top at the time was hindered by the fact that Irish boxing was in the doldrums and there was no chance of exposure. He chose, after much deliberation and thought, to go down the route of British Champion. He is after all a sportsman and not a politician. Barry talks plenty about Irish boxing on Setanta. Wise up you idiot and join the 21st century.
bullshit, hes british and proud, and he doesnt need a british passport if he has an irish one you fuckin moron unless he wanted it. not to mention everyone thinks hes an arrogant asshole in person.
Everyone? I've been in Barry's company when people have come and asked for autographs when we were at dinner and he's pulled them up and asked them to sit down and chatted happily to them. Dont judge a person by what others tell you..judge what you know. You are the moron mate...trust me you are.
no you fuckin are son, you obviously dont know "barry" because hes gone on record many times as saying hes british and that he represents british boxing.
fuck you and your brit friend then, ive seen him with my own eyes talk non-stop about british boxing this, future of british boxing that,british here,british there, british everywhere. you obviously dont know him that well.
You've seen him on a British Channel commentating and he was talking about British Boxing...what a man you are eh. Have you mentioned this to anyone else Einstein?
tell you what mate..Im know him a whole lot better than you could ever imagine.
haha,yeah british channels, british newspapers, british media talking about british boxing.... what could that mean i wonder? doesnt sound like a guy desperate to keep his irish identity.
and mention what to whom? its widely known and accepted that barry mcguigan is a brit.hence, barry the brit
yeah he's aclled that by uneducated muppets like you. I'm sure you would say that to his face. Why dont you take your one man TAL band and go and talk to some of the other dinosaurs that crawl from beneath rocks every now and then. Your days are over my man...while your at it read up on the McGuigan family history. Jump two generations back then come back and tell me you know what you are talking about you isnignificant clown.
haha oh yeah im really gona shit myself from 2 foot nathin pensioner barry the brit, your actin like your his fuckin son or sumthin. hes a brit, end of
legend...if he had better footwork i'm sure he'd have been considered a 'great' he had awesome hand speed,great combinations and a good fighting brain...
load of bollocks, mcguigan was a good amature thats it, he was out there long enough to climatise to the weather,like i said before look at ali when he fought in zaire in rumble in the jungle and in manilla, they were heavyweights but they accepted the climate and altitude and beat it! george foreman didn blame it on the weather, its simple the better fighter won, no excuses you mugs!!
Barry was a Western European fighting outdoor in a ballpark at 110 degrees. How you can compare him to Mohammed and George beggars belief! I was at the fight and it's clear from the off Barry was wilting from the middle rounds...in fact Cruz struggled with the heat himself. I would even debate that barry actually won the fight on points as he dominated a large percentage of it. Cruz was nowhere near as talented a fighter as Barry.
i can compare him with ali in manilla and zaire because he was in the same boat not only him but frazer and foreman, look at the heat there no far from the jungle in zaire, i have no doubt that ali and the rest struggled with heat and even the altitude there but they carried more weight than barry but still got into it and at no point blamed it on the heat and altitude at the outcome of the fight, this fight near enough finished mcguigan and cruz lost the title 1or2 fights after!!
You are also commenting that they STRUGGLED with the heat...OF COURSE THEY DID FFS! Barry was hospitalised after this fight for serious dehydration...punches didnt cause that.
Barry lost the fight because his management team wanted the fight staged when Barry wanted to pull out due to an injury. Eastwood was only interested in his pocket. That's why he was a Promoter/Manager...that's what they do.
ali was an african american so was foreman you cant compare someone with pale skin who isnt from a hot country to somebody who is black and from the US, mcguigan was admitted to the hospital after the fight for dehydration u tit, he had beaten better fighters before that for fuck sake he beat pedroza the bloke still holds the record for succesful defences of the title in that division he had defended his title 19 times before he faced mcguigan, get a grip nd use abit common sense for fucks sake
that fight was aset up it was to hot for barry coz barry was in a different league with that guy so they put him in a hot enviroment thay cruz was use to
well what about ali in manilla and rumble in the jungle, they were heavyweights but beat the altitude there, no excuse, Mcguigan lost, he fought cruz, the hardest man he met and lost!!!
An excuse? McGuigan's clearly suffering from dehydration. He dominated almost completely from 1 to 12 (see 3:09) with a few exceptions and showed resilience in fighting back despite the obvious disadvantages of someone from the British Isles fighting outdoors in the desert. There's a reason they don't do that anymore. It's easy to disregard this as an excuse but then a critic like you who spends most of his time in front of the screen is hardly likely to know anything about dehydration.
Don't take me wrong. I like McGuigan. He is an extremely nice guy but I was not convinced of his big title win and when I saw him lose this fight my suspicious were confirmed.
But as I said, wasn't the other fighter, Cruz, in the same boat ?
Poor McGuigan. I never thought he was a convincing winner of the big title. My suspicions were proved true when he lost miserably against a... replacement. The heat and lack of water was an excuse. Wasn't the other fight in the same boat ?
Don King and all them guy's are the same they eat off your plate till theres nothing left then they feed you to the lions, I have a VHS tape of this fight and ive seen it about 80 times no clinching toe toe fighting i was expecting Barry to go in and win within the first few rounds knowing that cruz was a replacement and had only two weeks to get ready for this fight but its turned into one of my all time fav matches because of the heart these two fighters showed that day
Well said. My father was not a prof fighter, but an army boxer. He said that Barry was a superb fighter - he was. I remember this , fought somewhere in a desert. Poor Barry. It was a very unfair way to go out.
Barry was a good fighter with alot of heart and yes an all around nice guy and he just got off a long flight and into a ring where the temp was about 105 to 110 that day something he wasnt use to BUT Cruz was an unknown a guy who shouldnt of even been in the ring that day and it was one hell of a fight one of the best they both gave it there all but Barry got beat in a fight that should have been a cake walk when that happens its time to rethink your life and it's prospects
barry mcguigan is a boxing legend, he was a genuine world champion, and is a genuine good guy. With regards to this fight, he was so badly let down by his manager, its unreal, and Barry knows iT...and don.t forget, this was in the days of 15 rounders, if it was over 12, he wins the fight clearly, not an opinion, a fact. And Cuyoherna called it right, he never recovered from this defeat.
barry was one of the greats!! Unfortunatly eastwood was a snakin jaysus!!If barry was around today he'd be a promoters dream!!Had the pleasure of sharing a dressing room in his amateur days...a pure gentleman!!
Barry was an absolute hero and this fight was a big mistake, completely agree with old45marine, proper management wouldn't have let it happen. Still a great man - a true fighter win or lose.
This fight was a management disaster for McGuigan.His promoters were more intrested in money than their fighter.I am sure that Steve Cruz would not have agreed to fight in an open air ring in the winter. Barry was fucked from the start in that heat
Barry would have hammered him had this fight been in Britain. What Barnie Eastwood was thinking i don't know. The heat got to him, Cruz was used to it, Barry wasn't.
stevie is my cousin. he kicked barry's ass at a time when barry was on top of his game. if you get a chance, check out the whole fight. it's a great fight and a huge upset. stevie had been fighting since we were kids, I'm glad he got a chance to be the champ. wooo hooo!!!
who r u u sleazin son of a whore, i'd like to see u say that sort of a comment to bazza face u pussy. by the way when did u ever get in the ring and show some balls nevermind fight in a world title fight, stupid fuck
watching this fight and other fighters like this in boxing is really hard to match up against to be honest
now tell me how ppl think that 2 men rolling about the floor in skin tight trunks on which looks like theyre trying to rape each other is more exciting than this
in simpler words i mean how does ppl think ufc is mor exciting than this
hey cfcnlr dont knock other sports just cause dont like or understand them im a boxer.you i take it are not i admire anyone who is willing to risk their lives to prove their the best at something only fighters will understand wot i mean!
I am a Boxer and Although I have mma fighters for friends Who knock my sport i bring up the one flaw which is also it's basis on calling it the superior sport, it's unpredictable. I saw fights being promoted out the ass and then the fight sucks!
Could have, should have, whatever! The point is he did'nt n that's that! Laporte was past it n still shook him b4 losing, Pedroza was old, n Taylor was all flash n no substance. See McGuigan 4 what he was...A strong, aggresive, n exciting fighter who flashed across the horizon briefly b4 disapearing into the sunset. Good but not hall of fame material!
For starters Juan LaPorte was 25 years of age when he fought Barry and fought a further 4 times in the next 14 years for version of World Titles. Get a grip mate.
Laporte despite his age n still being somewhat dangerous was past his prime. Pedroza was at end of his long title reign n was no longer strong enough to hold Barry off! Taylor though gifted was lacking in the heart dept n folded. Barry gave it his all n was exciting but he still falls short of being hall of fame material due to the relative shortness of both his career n title reign.
I now see this is about Laporte. I liked Laporte who was a fixture at the Garden but the truth of the matter is after losing a non-title bout to a 500 fighter who's name slips me n then the title to Gomez he did'nt win any major bouts. He still had the power to put a scare into anyone but his decline was very evident. His rugged bouts with Sanchez, Pedroza, n Chavez as well as his knockout win over Lockridge are classics.
It's not about Laporte specifically. It's more about Barry. The fighter you are refering to is Gerald Hayes and laporte apparently had a shoulder injury prior to that fight and Hayes. Hayes was a decent fighter as well.I just think you are short changing Barry with the comments about Laporte and Pedroza.
I don't think I've shortchanged McGuigan. I said he was a strong aggresive fighter who was very popular with fight fans. He always drew good ratings. Mix that in with the whole smalltown boy from Ireland appeal with the father singing at his fights n the networks had a winner! Take his overall career however, n u have to admit it's not a long one. It's bcuz of this as well as his sudden fall from the top that I'm saying what I'm saying!
He lost against Cruz and then had a serious of personal problems.
Barry is one of the very few fighters to step out of the ring and NOT return despite lucrative deals offered to him. His career was short through his own choice.
Azumah & his promoter Carl King did everything they could to lure McGuigan into a match, but Barry wisely refused to meet Nelson, who would have undoubtedly administered a severe beatdown over the Irishman had they ever met in the ring.
On the contrary - it's not a matter of what I 'want' to believe, it's the simple truth. I was a huge fan of McGuigan until I saw him repeatedly duck his biggest challenger, finally retiring in his prime in order to avoid Nelson.
what on earth r u chattin about. u clearly know shit all about the fight game. keep ur dull and nondescript comments to urself cus thats all their good for. u've obviously got some vendetta against mcguigan with that chat
The heat beat Barry and Cruz was far more acclimatized seeing as he's from Texas. I think Mcguigan would've beat Nelson because of his style and lethal left hook. We all saw how Nelson dealt with Jeff Fenech who lacked Barry's technical ability.
Was it the heat? Yeah, I'm sure it had something to do with it. Then again, I remember that when McGuigan fought Bernard Taylor in Ireland, the indoor heat took a toll on Taylor. I was glad to see McGuigan lose, but I wanted to see him get knocked out by Nelson instead of losing to an apprentice plumber. Cruz fought the fight of his life, and he never scaled such heights again as a pro.
I always felt the McGuigan wasn't worthy of the hype (although beating Pedroza and Bernard Taylor weren't SMALL deals). Nelson did a lot more to prove himself, and I believe that McGuigan went out of his way to NOT fight Azumah. Besides, Nelson was the WBC (ie. REAL) champ since that was the belt that Salvador Sanchez (even thought it was never unified with Pedroza) who had been one of the best P4P until his premature death
Are you saying Azumah turned down money to fight McGuigan? Azumah NEVER turned down money to fight McGuigan. That is a complete lie, and you know it. Azumah would have fought Barry for free (I know this for a fact)!!!!!
The one fight Azumah wanted, and never got was the McGuigan fight.
real champ? how about pedroza reigning for seven years, that not real enough. u clearly know shit all mate, pipe down, bazza would never have fuckin turned down any fight, thats why this madness went ahead in 43 degree heat in a carpark in vegas. bet u wouldn't have seen Nelson freezin his African nuts off for fifteen rounds against an eskimo!! cruz was a tex mex who grew up eating sand, Baz was had never even read about that kind of heat
As I said previously "Besides, Nelson was the WBC (ie. REAL) champ since that was the belt that Salvador Sanchez (even thought it was never unified with Pedroza) who had been one of the best P4P until his premature death."
Pedroza's long WBA reign saw the WBC reign of Kotey,Little Red Lopez, Salvador Sanchez,Laporte,Gomez and Nelson.Wait, forget Laporte Pedroza did fight him.
That's a valid excuse,even Robinson collapsed against Maxim because of heat.But a true Hall of Famer comes back,Barry never truly recovered from this loss.
Th heast was an excuse !! Steve was there too, remember ?! I always felt that Barry did not deserve to be champ. He was not good enough and it was so proved in the fight with UNknown Steve Cruz.
ok i know barry should i off won and i wish he did but alot of you are saying about how hot it was and in the desert blah blah blah think about steve was also there in same conditions.... thnik bout it
jamesyboy you wernt born lol, barry was from cool northern ireland used to our temperate weather ,steve cruz was a mexican american from texas ,well used to high temeratures and humidity, it was 15 rounds in a desert car park ,madness ,if it had been indoors barry would of won i,why no rematch i dont know,if i remember rightly cruz lost the title quickly and barry was never the same either,crazy to of fought that fight with a mexican in that heat
the heat drained him, absolute wrong advice to fight at that time of day in the desert for a 15 rounder. barry was a relentless fighter who threw incredible amounts of punches with force behind em. as others have said, in the right conditions barry would have won.
AWFUL MUSIC THO. HAD TO WATCH WITH THE SOUND DOWN
If he brought a warring country together than he should've applied for the Nobel Peace Prize instead of being put in the Hall of Fame. He was a limited fighter who beat an old Eusebio Pedroza and didn't do anything as a champion. His father's singing was worse than his boxing skills.
His father was ill during the period Barry was boxing. He was a well renowned singer and represented his country. I can assure you he could sing my friend.
Steve Cruz was just too much for poor limited McGuigan. Both fighters were in the heat and in the ring and the better fighter won. Also I don't see how Barry's good enough to be in the Hall of Fame. He doesn't deserve to be especially since he's now claiming to have been sick when he lost. Sore loser.
Jess Willard and Jim Braddock are in the hall of fame for f*cks sake. McGuigan has done loads for the sport out of the ring and he united a warring country when he fought - name another fighter who has done that?
Even during the fight Cruz's cornermen were commenting on the fact that the heat was killing Barry. Cruz himself commented he was struggling. Barry was injured taking this fight. Barry was a far better fighter than Steve Cruz.
erik 77 barry was very much like ricky hatton,terrific body puncher ,cruz wasnt nothing special,he lost the title first fight,as i said before cruz was a mexican american from texas,well used to high temperatures and the heat,must of been up to a hundred degrees,of course heat took its toal ,15 rounds ,how he lasted that long beats me
that steve cruz was fuck all special. he couldnt put mcguigan away in 15 rounds and in the heat and conditions he was used to and trained in. mcguigan would have put him away in 6 rounds under normal conditions.
Fair-dos to Barry.Even tho he went through with this dodgy ill-advised fight in the DESERT, with the sun still beating down on him for 15 rounds- he still got up Every time for more.He was so drained of energy(& water) that he couldn't even lift his hands in defense. He would have beaten the sh*t out of Cruz in a normal setting.
How the hell did Barry agree to a fight in searing heat outside in Vegas?! His handlers should have been shot!
xpat73 4 months ago
EDGY
whotaughtyou 7 months ago
but yeah, McGuigan still put up a great fight and made it really hard for Cruz even though he was being beaten down by summer Texas heat and had a sprained ankle. He was a hell of a fighter!!!! as for Cruz, he is OK but could've done better, he still coudln't finish the irishman.
DanIrish409 8 months ago
@DanIrish409 this was mcguigen final hoorah wasnt it? they are both "hell of a" fighters.. you are obviously biased...this sounds like your justification,..what if...
StLukey7 8 months ago
@DanIrish409 The fight was not in Texas I believe this is at caesars palace and if my memory serves me correctly it was a very hot day for an outdoor event. Also Mancini and Kim were on the card.
bb62g 7 months ago
@Seanbowenyyeah, if the fight was in a place like New York or up somewhere in new England, or in any other cooler climate, McGuigan would've dominated and maybe even stopped him late.
DanIrish409 8 months ago
So who was the bright spark who thought it was a good idea to pit a lily white skinned Irishman against a Mexican from Texas in the middle of the desert for 15 rounds ?
TheJohhnyrotten 8 months ago
Always wanted to see Azumha Nelson vs Barry McGuigan! That fight would have a ben massive anywhere. And the boxing world @ the time {85/86} really wanted it.
Barry's people didn't want any thing to do with Nelson. Nelson would have taken Barry's head off. But i still think Barry would have given Nelson a harder fight than many people would have predicted.
kc1973able 10 months ago
@seanboweny I agree, if the fight had been in a cool climate, McGuigan wins. The heat KILLED HIM, I still remember him saying in the later rounds to his corner, pray for me boys because the heat had drained him so much. I still wonder to this day why he never wanted a rematch with Cruz in Ireland, this lose ruined Barry IMO. I think he retired for a few yrs after this fight only to make a few fight comeback years later.
RIPRICKJAMES 11 months ago
Stevie Cruz had the fastest right hand counter punch ever. Cruz floored guys like Tracy Paterson, Jorge Paez and Rafael Ruelas with counter rights that seemed to come out of no where. It was fun to watch Cruz fight. This fight is one of my favorite fights of all time. Barry was a beast when Cruz beat him. Great fight!!!
damage915 1 year ago
Does anyone remember the boxing game?! It was great for the time!!
manomogul 1 year ago
!!!!!!!!HEY LISTEN UP I HAVE HIS SIGNITURE PLEASE I AM TRYING TO SELL IT IM STARTING ITS PRICE A £30 PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!!!!!
darktigerblader54321 1 year ago
The shame of it is that Cruz lost the title almost immediately, confirming the fluke nature of the win. IIRC the guy who beat Cruz held the title a good while, though.
selish77 1 year ago
@selish77 Antonio Esparagoaza. Held it from Dec 1986 or Jan 87 till 1991. A great fighter. Cruz put up one hell of a fight and tried as he might to have retained his tittle. It's on Utube. A cracking fight!!
kc1973able 10 months ago
mcguigan couldnt get away from cruz's short counter right hand
162773 1 year ago
Ive never heard of Cruz before this fight, I'm also a big Barry McGuigan fan. After watching this fight, I'm now a Steve Cruz fan aswell, two great boxers.
JerryLFC31 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Hey great site for these fights as career sets on dvd and much much more.
w w w . b o x i n g c a r e e r d v d s. c o m
SuperHatemail 1 year ago
Barry would have won if it wasnt for the heat.
Doderhultarn89 2 years ago
What happened to Barrys boxing career after this fight?
droskynstarman 2 years ago
He retired and made a comeback a few years later beating Julio Miranda and Francesco Thomas Da Cruz ,finally losing by TKO TO Jim Mc Donnell before calling it a day for the last time
scraggi 2 years ago
McGuigan was a brilliant fighter but I think Naseem Hamed would've beaten him in his prime... probably by KO
NazhitsREALLYHARD 2 years ago
That's like saying if Mike Tyson was in his prime he would've beaten James Buster Douglas... the fact is that it was Barry's fault for taking the fight in ridiculous conditions in the first place. End of.
NazhitsREALLYHARD 2 years ago
i love this video, and it's a great pity the scorpions soundtrack was removed.
hawkeyepierce12 2 years ago
Barry McGuigan is a bum
mileswilde 3 years ago
What's your definition of 'a bum'?
coffeeshopping 3 years ago
google "Barry McGuigan"
hectorj88 3 years ago
I keep hearing all this stuff about McGuigan falling short because of the heat against Stevie Cruz. I think STEVIE CRUZ had a lot more with McGuigan falling short. This wasn't fight of the year in 1986 because Cruz just stood there and soaked up rays. Besides, there's REAL proof of a better fighter having heat get to him: Sugar Ray Robinson against Joey Maxim in the steambath of Yankee Stadium. Robinson was well ahead when he collapsed. Cruz fought a GREAT fight against McGuigan
cbaldwinjr 3 years ago
barry was the champ at the time why go there make him come to you.. although the yanks always slip a gooden in....
salstream 3 years ago
barry was a great fighter.
lens2optic 3 years ago 2
i shall now name you mixed idiot ! if you knew anything about endurance training ,it involves conditioning to the conditions like temp and altitude,
twistedchicke21 3 years ago
heat, heat, heat, shut the fuck up!
The better man won in that ring and it wasn't Barry. Although to honor him they should have him as a boxer on fight night rd.4 and throw cruz on their for a rivalry match.
MixedBeauty2686 3 years ago
Anyone that says the heat wasn't a factor is a moron. That makes you a moron. Enjoy being a moron. Moron!
RabPuskas 3 years ago 2
'After the fight, McGuigan required hospitalisation because of his dehydrated state' Heat is always a factor, especially if your from Ireland where heat is nearly non-existant..Get your rain coats boys!
motokouk 3 years ago 11
a true irishman
liamboiiIRL 3 years ago 3
Barry was much better that cruz,the heat got to him,if this was fought indoor's,barry would have stopped him...
dhlfh 3 years ago 3
Yup, Barry was a way more superior fighter than Cruz but he wasn't training long enough in the Vegas temperature to acclimatize to the heat. A real shame. Still, he was one of Ireland's best.
BTC141 3 years ago 2
Great fight between two proud warriors!!
Chuckernut5 3 years ago
Showed some Heart in The Ring There.
madder128 3 years ago
it was the heat that killed barry in this fight you could tell the heat was making him dizzy by the end of the fight
irishrover1967 3 years ago
At what point was it the heat? McGuigan didn't dominate early rounds and was knocked down in the 8th, if not for the bullshit standing eight count rule, the fight would have been over there. Where do you think he trained....in a hot gym, probably especially hot since his trainers surely knew he was fighting in a desert. Cruz was a great amatuer fighter with over 150 fights and probably less then 5 losses. He gave Esperagoza all he wanted up till the 8th or so round and Esperagoza was a great
davidlegal1234 2 years ago
listen idiot it is well know that mexican and south american fighters are more prepared for the heat than us who live in cold wet places
irishrover1967 2 years ago
I'm not going to get into a name calling contest, for that is where the true idiosy lies, and what idiots rely on! The probably did affect McGuigan more than Cruz. My point was that Cruz was a great fighter, that many had not heard of. I knew this because I trained in the gym with him, and was sure he was going to win that fight and title at only 22yrs old, and only two weeks to prepare. As I said, McGuigan was not exhausted say for the first 9 rds, and was not dominate, and was knocked down
davidlegal1234 2 years ago
hey bro i remember the figth steve cruz from dallas tx only 2 weeks noticed to the figth steve said if i win this round i be the champ
unlovo 2 years ago
The heat wasnt the only factor. Mcguigan entered the ring with a badly sprained ankle (doctors said it needed weeks to heal properly) and a perforated eardrum. Also his relationship with his manager was so bad that they were already considering legal separation. Cruz was in shape as he was preparing for a rematch with lenny valdez, while mcguigan had to adjust from preparing to meet a squat, come-forward fighter (sosa) to a neat compact defenced, speedy box-fighter.
Mcguigan tried to pull out.
tinrib656 2 years ago
Ken Buchanan had no problem fighting Ismael Laguna in the heat, why should Barry get to use that as an excuse?
mhagler91491 2 years ago
because its tru man if you lived here in ireland then had to go figh 12 rounds in mexico out side in the middle of summer you would know what im talkin about
irishrover1967 2 years ago
barry dominated the early rounds. He was not knocked down in the 8th. If Esperagoza was such a great how come you dont even know his name.
If you are going to comment on things try and get the facts right you halfwit.
RabPuskas 2 years ago
tbh i think that mcguigan was effected by the heat,iv been to irland and the UK and i can honestly say coming back its and unreal difference. that being said cruz was a a great and hugly underated fighter, and he won fair and squre. barry should have prepared more cleaverly.
TheChimeMan 2 years ago
barry is a proud irishman who like many of us hated the whole nothern conflict so please can we discuss his brilliant boxing carrer and stop the bullshit he is from clones rep of ireland bt what does it matter
gdthemanc 3 years ago 2
Barry has always come across as a very nice guy. He is also a good TV commentator
traf1852 3 years ago 2
Barry Mcguigan is my best mates uncle! i've met him! he's small! but really nice!
TheeRandomME 3 years ago
you guys are arguing about barry's nationality and thats exactly what he hated and still hates the whole northern ireland conflict!
BoxingBadBoy77 3 years ago
i met barry mcguigan once. he was at my post office once. brilliant bloke.
whyemceeay 3 years ago 2
I didn't realise Barry was rude and dismissive as a poster points out. Not very nice that.
GOATAli 3 years ago
The heat made him lose.
Oh, and for the record, Barry would have knocked Hamed all over the (corner) shop.
15 rounder, fitter, worked harder. Barry numero uno
sweetypie000 3 years ago
yeh right naz would have broke barry in half!!
shersingh1 3 years ago
He'd have too to beat him yes.
Barry is a bob and weaver, the ex-prince would have had trouble with him for sure. Hamed would have to rely on his usual flying one-hit-wonder punch to have a chance. Just watch the vids, McGuigan was an exceptional boxer, proper style.
:)
sweetypie000 3 years ago 2
your right Barry was a top fighter, and he had an excellent style. But I think people underestimated Naz for just a one hit wonder. He made real good boxers who had same style as barry look average.
shersingh1 3 years ago
YAAAAAAAAAAW
Lynnch1 3 years ago
in an air conditioned arena this wouldve been a totally different fight
thugsouljaa 3 years ago
I pains me to say this but Mcguigan was one of all time hero's, I even was tearful as a kid watching him lose this fight, but I had the chance to meet him at the Khan vs Gomez fight and he is actually quite rude and dismissive and I couldn't have been more polite and respectfull, even his children had a arrogant manner, I respect his talent as a boxer but most people within the boxing community think he is a pompous dick and they were right he is.
SHAKKO1 3 years ago
That attitude is the reason why he lost.
VayLoc310 3 years ago
everyone knows hes a wanker, the fact that he chooses to be british over irish even though hes from CLONES proves this.
IrelandRaven 3 years ago
Barry holds both passports and if asked he will always state he is Irish.
Your just another one that perpetuates the troubles with your inane bitter biggoted view. Idiot!
LucasJackson1965 3 years ago
why the fuck does he hold both? cus hes british and says so, he fought for british titles and always talks about "british boxing" open your fuckin eyes.
IrelandRaven 3 years ago
He holds both passports because he retained his Irish one because that is what he believes he is. His route to the top at the time was hindered by the fact that Irish boxing was in the doldrums and there was no chance of exposure. He chose, after much deliberation and thought, to go down the route of British Champion. He is after all a sportsman and not a politician. Barry talks plenty about Irish boxing on Setanta. Wise up you idiot and join the 21st century.
LucasJackson1965 3 years ago
bullshit, hes british and proud, and he doesnt need a british passport if he has an irish one you fuckin moron unless he wanted it. not to mention everyone thinks hes an arrogant asshole in person.
IrelandRaven 3 years ago
Everyone? I've been in Barry's company when people have come and asked for autographs when we were at dinner and he's pulled them up and asked them to sit down and chatted happily to them. Dont judge a person by what others tell you..judge what you know. You are the moron mate...trust me you are.
LucasJackson1965 3 years ago
no you fuckin are son, you obviously dont know "barry" because hes gone on record many times as saying hes british and that he represents british boxing.
you're straight up lying.
IrelandRaven 3 years ago
I know him very well my friend. That's why Im in a better position than you to comment.
Take you bitter twisted views and away and annoy someone else.
RabPuskas 3 years ago
fuck you and your brit friend then, ive seen him with my own eyes talk non-stop about british boxing this, future of british boxing that,british here,british there, british everywhere. you obviously dont know him that well.
IrelandRaven 3 years ago
You've seen him on a British Channel commentating and he was talking about British Boxing...what a man you are eh. Have you mentioned this to anyone else Einstein?
tell you what mate..Im know him a whole lot better than you could ever imagine.
LucasJackson1965 3 years ago
haha,yeah british channels, british newspapers, british media talking about british boxing.... what could that mean i wonder? doesnt sound like a guy desperate to keep his irish identity.
and mention what to whom? its widely known and accepted that barry mcguigan is a brit.hence, barry the brit
IrelandRaven 3 years ago
yeah he's aclled that by uneducated muppets like you. I'm sure you would say that to his face. Why dont you take your one man TAL band and go and talk to some of the other dinosaurs that crawl from beneath rocks every now and then. Your days are over my man...while your at it read up on the McGuigan family history. Jump two generations back then come back and tell me you know what you are talking about you isnignificant clown.
LucasJackson1965 3 years ago
haha oh yeah im really gona shit myself from 2 foot nathin pensioner barry the brit, your actin like your his fuckin son or sumthin. hes a brit, end of
IrelandRaven 3 years ago
CHECK OUT ALL THE SOAR LOSERS!!!!
mrluke13 3 years ago
damn, ya got sweet HL
franggio666 3 years ago
legend...if he had better footwork i'm sure he'd have been considered a 'great' he had awesome hand speed,great combinations and a good fighting brain...
pdelaressure 3 years ago
mcguigan isn't a pound for pound fighter, not in the same league p4p as honeyghan, naz, and eubank
boxingkid89 3 years ago
barry is one of the best boxing technicians i have ever seen.wish he had fought fenech.
davesaussieduster 3 years ago 2
load of bollocks, mcguigan was a good amature thats it, he was out there long enough to climatise to the weather,like i said before look at ali when he fought in zaire in rumble in the jungle and in manilla, they were heavyweights but they accepted the climate and altitude and beat it! george foreman didn blame it on the weather, its simple the better fighter won, no excuses you mugs!!
madogvalleyboy 3 years ago
Barry was a Western European fighting outdoor in a ballpark at 110 degrees. How you can compare him to Mohammed and George beggars belief! I was at the fight and it's clear from the off Barry was wilting from the middle rounds...in fact Cruz struggled with the heat himself. I would even debate that barry actually won the fight on points as he dominated a large percentage of it. Cruz was nowhere near as talented a fighter as Barry.
bingokeane 3 years ago
i can compare him with ali in manilla and zaire because he was in the same boat not only him but frazer and foreman, look at the heat there no far from the jungle in zaire, i have no doubt that ali and the rest struggled with heat and even the altitude there but they carried more weight than barry but still got into it and at no point blamed it on the heat and altitude at the outcome of the fight, this fight near enough finished mcguigan and cruz lost the title 1or2 fights after!!
madogvalleyboy 3 years ago
Mohammed and George are North Americans.
You are also commenting that they STRUGGLED with the heat...OF COURSE THEY DID FFS! Barry was hospitalised after this fight for serious dehydration...punches didnt cause that.
Barry lost the fight because his management team wanted the fight staged when Barry wanted to pull out due to an injury. Eastwood was only interested in his pocket. That's why he was a Promoter/Manager...that's what they do.
bingokeane 3 years ago
You are forgetting something. Ali vs Foreman was fought in the evening after it had cooled down considerably.
RogerYomama 3 years ago
plus they werent from a freezing cold country with pale skin.
IrelandRaven 3 years ago
ali was an african american so was foreman you cant compare someone with pale skin who isnt from a hot country to somebody who is black and from the US, mcguigan was admitted to the hospital after the fight for dehydration u tit, he had beaten better fighters before that for fuck sake he beat pedroza the bloke still holds the record for succesful defences of the title in that division he had defended his title 19 times before he faced mcguigan, get a grip nd use abit common sense for fucks sake
dazza2610 3 years ago
that fight was aset up it was to hot for barry coz barry was in a different league with that guy so they put him in a hot enviroment thay cruz was use to
rugbylover95 3 years ago
well what about ali in manilla and rumble in the jungle, they were heavyweights but beat the altitude there, no excuse, Mcguigan lost, he fought cruz, the hardest man he met and lost!!!
madogvalleyboy 3 years ago
An excuse? McGuigan's clearly suffering from dehydration. He dominated almost completely from 1 to 12 (see 3:09) with a few exceptions and showed resilience in fighting back despite the obvious disadvantages of someone from the British Isles fighting outdoors in the desert. There's a reason they don't do that anymore. It's easy to disregard this as an excuse but then a critic like you who spends most of his time in front of the screen is hardly likely to know anything about dehydration.
FoxtrotRed 3 years ago
Wasn't the other fighter in the same boat ?
Don't take me wrong. I like McGuigan. He is an extremely nice guy but I was not convinced of his big title win and when I saw him lose this fight my suspicious were confirmed.
But as I said, wasn't the other fighter, Cruz, in the same boat ?
traf1852 3 years ago
Poor McGuigan. I never thought he was a convincing winner of the big title. My suspicions were proved true when he lost miserably against a... replacement. The heat and lack of water was an excuse. Wasn't the other fight in the same boat ?
traf1852 3 years ago
Don King and all them guy's are the same they eat off your plate till theres nothing left then they feed you to the lions, I have a VHS tape of this fight and ive seen it about 80 times no clinching toe toe fighting i was expecting Barry to go in and win within the first few rounds knowing that cruz was a replacement and had only two weeks to get ready for this fight but its turned into one of my all time fav matches because of the heart these two fighters showed that day
AVipersDen 3 years ago
Well said. My father was not a prof fighter, but an army boxer. He said that Barry was a superb fighter - he was. I remember this , fought somewhere in a desert. Poor Barry. It was a very unfair way to go out.
transonicbuoy1 3 years ago
Barry was a good fighter with alot of heart and yes an all around nice guy and he just got off a long flight and into a ring where the temp was about 105 to 110 that day something he wasnt use to BUT Cruz was an unknown a guy who shouldnt of even been in the ring that day and it was one hell of a fight one of the best they both gave it there all but Barry got beat in a fight that should have been a cake walk when that happens its time to rethink your life and it's prospects
AVipersDen 3 years ago
barry mcguigan is a boxing legend, he was a genuine world champion, and is a genuine good guy. With regards to this fight, he was so badly let down by his manager, its unreal, and Barry knows iT...and don.t forget, this was in the days of 15 rounders, if it was over 12, he wins the fight clearly, not an opinion, a fact. And Cuyoherna called it right, he never recovered from this defeat.
Borapchap 3 years ago
it was the heat...i cried wen barry lost wen i was a kid....but it WAS the heat that beat him...not cruz....
ulster4ever 3 years ago
damn barry got owned,
i was too 'wee' to watch this, is there a collection of clips showing Barry's career?
strunway 3 years ago
Why didn't they ever have a rematch?
generic53 3 years ago
That bum would never have beaten Barry had it been in a sensible location. Mc Guigans manager was a cheating bastard.
cloghogue 3 years ago
im interested, what do u mean?
strunway 3 years ago
A crook. No need for any more explanation.
LucasJackson1965 3 years ago
Steve cruz was a bum. Barry was beaten by the heat!
jhanlon18 3 years ago
barry was one of the greats!! Unfortunatly eastwood was a snakin jaysus!!If barry was around today he'd be a promoters dream!!Had the pleasure of sharing a dressing room in his amateur days...a pure gentleman!!
grass1963 4 years ago 3
Barry was an absolute hero and this fight was a big mistake, completely agree with old45marine, proper management wouldn't have let it happen. Still a great man - a true fighter win or lose.
whilegordonburns 4 years ago
This fight was a management disaster for McGuigan.His promoters were more intrested in money than their fighter.I am sure that Steve Cruz would not have agreed to fight in an open air ring in the winter. Barry was fucked from the start in that heat
old45marine 4 years ago 2
never forget this fight. i gambled my whole weeks dole money on it thinking he'd win? ive always hated mcguigan since then.
mw145 4 years ago
the fact u were on the dole u stupid fuck says it all, u dum fuck, Baz was a fuckin hero
blaino83 3 years ago
shut it asshole!
mw145 3 years ago
Barry would have hammered him had this fight been in Britain. What Barnie Eastwood was thinking i don't know. The heat got to him, Cruz was used to it, Barry wasn't.
hoviskingsmill 4 years ago 2
stevie is my cousin. he kicked barry's ass at a time when barry was on top of his game. if you get a chance, check out the whole fight. it's a great fight and a huge upset. stevie had been fighting since we were kids, I'm glad he got a chance to be the champ. wooo hooo!!!
risenine 4 years ago 2
Stevie had his 15 minutes of fame but once he started losing, he just KEPT losing. Ended up his career a BIG LOSER.
generic53 3 years ago
Im stevies brother. He was one tough hombre,he had the cojones senior. Arreeeba areeba.
mardarchord1 3 years ago
barry mcguigan only lost because the fight was set in Las Vegas and he got dehydrated because he wasn't used to that sort of heat.
HBbillyc33 4 years ago 3
UFC can kiss my ass!!!
MrCheech951 4 years ago 3
in normal conditions barry would win
vT0M 4 years ago
IIRC, this is the fight in which McGuigan was overheard pleading to his manager between rounds to "say a little prayer for me Barney"...LOL!
baronleone 4 years ago
what? and that's funny?
bingokeane 4 years ago
who r u u sleazin son of a whore, i'd like to see u say that sort of a comment to bazza face u pussy. by the way when did u ever get in the ring and show some balls nevermind fight in a world title fight, stupid fuck
blaino83 3 years ago
watching this fight and other fighters like this in boxing is really hard to match up against to be honest
now tell me how ppl think that 2 men rolling about the floor in skin tight trunks on which looks like theyre trying to rape each other is more exciting than this
in simpler words i mean how does ppl think ufc is mor exciting than this
cfcnlr 4 years ago
hey cfcnlr dont knock other sports just cause dont like or understand them im a boxer.you i take it are not i admire anyone who is willing to risk their lives to prove their the best at something only fighters will understand wot i mean!
BALLYHEIGUEBOY 4 years ago
i am a boxer
the only reason i dont like ufc is because they run their mouves about boxing and class it as an inferior sport
maybe they should have respect for other sports then maybe ill have respect for them
cfcnlr 4 years ago
I'm a amatuer boxer.
Boxing beat UFC in 2007.
No point wasting your time convincing UFC fans that boxing is better, TV ratings do that for us.
peterhamjam 4 years ago 2
I am a Boxer and Although I have mma fighters for friends Who knock my sport i bring up the one flaw which is also it's basis on calling it the superior sport, it's unpredictable. I saw fights being promoted out the ass and then the fight sucks!
KCkickass 4 years ago
What on earth was BMcG doing fighting in 85 deg heat and like 85% humidity?
The lure of the big purse, but you have still got to breathe.
TroyaE117 4 years ago
Could have, should have, whatever! The point is he did'nt n that's that! Laporte was past it n still shook him b4 losing, Pedroza was old, n Taylor was all flash n no substance. See McGuigan 4 what he was...A strong, aggresive, n exciting fighter who flashed across the horizon briefly b4 disapearing into the sunset. Good but not hall of fame material!
emildon1 4 years ago
For starters Juan LaPorte was 25 years of age when he fought Barry and fought a further 4 times in the next 14 years for version of World Titles. Get a grip mate.
bingokeane 4 years ago
Laporte despite his age n still being somewhat dangerous was past his prime. Pedroza was at end of his long title reign n was no longer strong enough to hold Barry off! Taylor though gifted was lacking in the heart dept n folded. Barry gave it his all n was exciting but he still falls short of being hall of fame material due to the relative shortness of both his career n title reign.
emildon1 4 years ago
I never mentioned anything about his hall of fame credentials. You simply cannot say Juan LaPorte was past it at 25. That's a nonsense.
bingokeane 4 years ago
I now see this is about Laporte. I liked Laporte who was a fixture at the Garden but the truth of the matter is after losing a non-title bout to a 500 fighter who's name slips me n then the title to Gomez he did'nt win any major bouts. He still had the power to put a scare into anyone but his decline was very evident. His rugged bouts with Sanchez, Pedroza, n Chavez as well as his knockout win over Lockridge are classics.
emildon1 4 years ago
It's not about Laporte specifically. It's more about Barry. The fighter you are refering to is Gerald Hayes and laporte apparently had a shoulder injury prior to that fight and Hayes. Hayes was a decent fighter as well.I just think you are short changing Barry with the comments about Laporte and Pedroza.
bingokeane 4 years ago
I don't think I've shortchanged McGuigan. I said he was a strong aggresive fighter who was very popular with fight fans. He always drew good ratings. Mix that in with the whole smalltown boy from Ireland appeal with the father singing at his fights n the networks had a winner! Take his overall career however, n u have to admit it's not a long one. It's bcuz of this as well as his sudden fall from the top that I'm saying what I'm saying!
emildon1 4 years ago
He lost against Cruz and then had a serious of personal problems.
Barry is one of the very few fighters to step out of the ring and NOT return despite lucrative deals offered to him. His career was short through his own choice.
Anyway, no point in discussing this further.
bingokeane 4 years ago
Azumah & his promoter Carl King did everything they could to lure McGuigan into a match, but Barry wisely refused to meet Nelson, who would have undoubtedly administered a severe beatdown over the Irishman had they ever met in the ring.
baronleone 4 years ago
Not true. if you want to believe that that's your business.
bingokeane 4 years ago
On the contrary - it's not a matter of what I 'want' to believe, it's the simple truth. I was a huge fan of McGuigan until I saw him repeatedly duck his biggest challenger, finally retiring in his prime in order to avoid Nelson.
baronleone 4 years ago
Im in a far better position to know the truth than you. You are wrong.
bingokeane 4 years ago
what on earth r u chattin about. u clearly know shit all about the fight game. keep ur dull and nondescript comments to urself cus thats all their good for. u've obviously got some vendetta against mcguigan with that chat
blaino83 3 years ago
The heat beat Barry and Cruz was far more acclimatized seeing as he's from Texas. I think Mcguigan would've beat Nelson because of his style and lethal left hook. We all saw how Nelson dealt with Jeff Fenech who lacked Barry's technical ability.
Caribdus 4 years ago
You forget that nelson beat fenech in a rematch, also no matter how hard mcguigan hits, it's not wilfredo gomez' caliber.
Cuyoherna 4 years ago
Mismanaged at a crucial time in his career. Eastwood should have said no to the fight time being changed.
bodge2222 4 years ago
everyone loves barry :)
mightyPants 4 years ago
someone should post that song that dermot morgan did!
keanejp 4 years ago
Was it the heat? Yeah, I'm sure it had something to do with it. Then again, I remember that when McGuigan fought Bernard Taylor in Ireland, the indoor heat took a toll on Taylor. I was glad to see McGuigan lose, but I wanted to see him get knocked out by Nelson instead of losing to an apprentice plumber. Cruz fought the fight of his life, and he never scaled such heights again as a pro.
Odawg96 4 years ago
Why were you glad to see him lose?
bingokeane 4 years ago
I always felt the McGuigan wasn't worthy of the hype (although beating Pedroza and Bernard Taylor weren't SMALL deals). Nelson did a lot more to prove himself, and I believe that McGuigan went out of his way to NOT fight Azumah. Besides, Nelson was the WBC (ie. REAL) champ since that was the belt that Salvador Sanchez (even thought it was never unified with Pedroza) who had been one of the best P4P until his premature death
Odawg96 4 years ago
Common misconception about Nelson. He was offered considerable amounts to fight and frequently turned it down. You are wrong.
bingokeane 4 years ago
Are you saying Azumah turned down money to fight McGuigan? Azumah NEVER turned down money to fight McGuigan. That is a complete lie, and you know it. Azumah would have fought Barry for free (I know this for a fact)!!!!!
The one fight Azumah wanted, and never got was the McGuigan fight.
mrhrphillips 4 years ago
That's what I am saying. The fight was offered to him and he turned it down.
bingokeane 4 years ago
real champ? how about pedroza reigning for seven years, that not real enough. u clearly know shit all mate, pipe down, bazza would never have fuckin turned down any fight, thats why this madness went ahead in 43 degree heat in a carpark in vegas. bet u wouldn't have seen Nelson freezin his African nuts off for fifteen rounds against an eskimo!! cruz was a tex mex who grew up eating sand, Baz was had never even read about that kind of heat
blaino83 3 years ago
As I said previously "Besides, Nelson was the WBC (ie. REAL) champ since that was the belt that Salvador Sanchez (even thought it was never unified with Pedroza) who had been one of the best P4P until his premature death."
Pedroza avoided Sanchez; McGuigan avoided Nelson.
Odawg96 3 years ago
Pedroza's long WBA reign saw the WBC reign of Kotey,Little Red Lopez, Salvador Sanchez,Laporte,Gomez and Nelson.Wait, forget Laporte Pedroza did fight him.
Cuyoherna 3 years ago
That's a valid excuse,even Robinson collapsed against Maxim because of heat.But a true Hall of Famer comes back,Barry never truly recovered from this loss.
Cuyoherna 3 years ago
Th heast was an excuse !! Steve was there too, remember ?! I always felt that Barry did not deserve to be champ. He was not good enough and it was so proved in the fight with UNknown Steve Cruz.
ChromeRed 4 years ago
I see you are 19. You'll know a lot about him then!!!
bingokeane 4 years ago
yeah right....he didnt do too shabby against the not so UNknown eusebio pedroza...get a clue!!!!!
kockachumpy 4 years ago
ok i know barry should i off won and i wish he did but alot of you are saying about how hot it was and in the desert blah blah blah think about steve was also there in same conditions.... thnik bout it
jamesyboy098 4 years ago
jamesyboy you wernt born lol, barry was from cool northern ireland used to our temperate weather ,steve cruz was a mexican american from texas ,well used to high temeratures and humidity, it was 15 rounds in a desert car park ,madness ,if it had been indoors barry would of won i,why no rematch i dont know,if i remember rightly cruz lost the title quickly and barry was never the same either,crazy to of fought that fight with a mexican in that heat
merseyside 4 years ago
I hope you are referring to Northern Ireland in a geographical context, because Barry was from the Republic of Ireland. :)
But you are correct, he wasn't used to the high temperatures. None of us pasty white Micks are ;)
irelandsjohn 4 years ago
the heat drained him, absolute wrong advice to fight at that time of day in the desert for a 15 rounder. barry was a relentless fighter who threw incredible amounts of punches with force behind em. as others have said, in the right conditions barry would have won.
AWFUL MUSIC THO. HAD TO WATCH WITH THE SOUND DOWN
lambydan 4 years ago
If he brought a warring country together than he should've applied for the Nobel Peace Prize instead of being put in the Hall of Fame. He was a limited fighter who beat an old Eusebio Pedroza and didn't do anything as a champion. His father's singing was worse than his boxing skills.
1966tinman 4 years ago
His father was ill during the period Barry was boxing. He was a well renowned singer and represented his country. I can assure you he could sing my friend.
bingokeane 4 years ago
Steve Cruz was just too much for poor limited McGuigan. Both fighters were in the heat and in the ring and the better fighter won. Also I don't see how Barry's good enough to be in the Hall of Fame. He doesn't deserve to be especially since he's now claiming to have been sick when he lost. Sore loser.
erik1977box 4 years ago
Jess Willard and Jim Braddock are in the hall of fame for f*cks sake. McGuigan has done loads for the sport out of the ring and he united a warring country when he fought - name another fighter who has done that?
innit27 4 years ago
Are you some sort of cretin?
Even during the fight Cruz's cornermen were commenting on the fact that the heat was killing Barry. Cruz himself commented he was struggling. Barry was injured taking this fight. Barry was a far better fighter than Steve Cruz.
bingokeane 4 years ago
erik 77 barry was very much like ricky hatton,terrific body puncher ,cruz wasnt nothing special,he lost the title first fight,as i said before cruz was a mexican american from texas,well used to high temperatures and the heat,must of been up to a hundred degrees,of course heat took its toal ,15 rounds ,how he lasted that long beats me
merseyside 4 years ago
Lets just hope he wins hells kitchen
tadryanski 4 years ago
that steve cruz was fuck all special. he couldnt put mcguigan away in 15 rounds and in the heat and conditions he was used to and trained in. mcguigan would have put him away in 6 rounds under normal conditions.
JamLeigh05 4 years ago
Fair-dos to Barry.Even tho he went through with this dodgy ill-advised fight in the DESERT, with the sun still beating down on him for 15 rounds- he still got up Every time for more.He was so drained of energy(& water) that he couldn't even lift his hands in defense. He would have beaten the sh*t out of Cruz in a normal setting.
dalymc 4 years ago