Irish World Champions

ah,sure

I'm trying to put together a list of Irish World Champions.

So far, I have 10 -

Jack McAuliffe, lightweight:1886

George Gardner, light-heavy: 1903

Mike McTigue, light-heavy: 1923-25

Rinty Monaghan, fly: 1947-49

Johnny Caldwell, bantam: 1961-62

Barry McGuigan, WBA feather: 1985-86

Dave McCauley, IBF fly: 1987-1992

Eamonn Loughran, WBO welter: 1993-96

Steve Collins, WBO middleweight: 1994-95, WBO super-middle: 1995-97

Wayne McCullough, WBC bantam: 1995-97

Is anyone left out? And who ranks as our top champion out of that lot?

Big Ears

Jimmy McLarnin-Two time Welterweight champion of the World. Record wise he's clearly our best ever but of course overshadowed by the two modern era successes(McGuigan and Collins)

Paddy Maher(disputable, vacant title won against poor
contender)-Heavyweight champion

Tom Sharkey(disputable, won on a bull**** DQ)-Heavyweight champion

Paddy Ryan-Heavyweight champion in bareknuckle days

'Nonpareil' Jack Dempsey-Middleweight champion of the World, not to be confused with the Manassa Mauler, who took his name from this fighter.

Dave Sullivan-World Featherweight champion

I'm sure there's more but that's all I can think of at the minute.

cowzerp

Barry Mcguigan in my opinion was our most talented world champ but these 2 lads would both deserve to be mentioned up there with him..
they both held it longer and steve won it at 2 weights which might sway it for him! Steve gets my Vote after thinking about it..

Steve Collins, WBO middleweight: 1994-95, WBO super-middle: 1995-97

Wayne McCullough, WBC bantam: 1995-97 if he had barry's power he would of destroyed everyone!

dlofnep

John L. Sullivan. First heavyweight champ of the world

sligobhoy67

dlofnep wrote: »

John L. Sullivan. First heavyweight champ of the world

I think this thread is about Irish born fighters. I dont think that JLS ever stepped foot in Ireland.

ah,sure

sligobhoy67 wrote: »

I think this thread is about Irish born fighters. I dont think that JLS ever stepped foot in Ireland.

Aye, when you pull up a boxrec search of Irish champs and also Norn Irish champs, only those 10 appear.

Gene Tunney's parents, for instance, were both from Mayo. But as he was born in New York he's classed as American. Now (and the big fella Jimmy Magee of all people said this today) if we counted the Irish Americans we'd have dozens.

And Mike McTigue - won it on St Patrick's Day in Dublin back 86 years ago.

Appy Anniversary 'Bould' Mike

dlofnep

sligobhoy67 wrote: »

I think this thread is about Irish born fighters. I dont think that JLS ever stepped foot in Ireland.

Aye yeah, both his parents were from Ireland. He'd certainly be classified as Irish by everything but what a piece of paper said

sligobhoy67

dlofnep wrote: »

Aye yeah, both his parents were from Ireland. He'd certainly be classified as Irish by everything but what a piece of paper said

not disagreein wit ya

alanceltic

For a country steeped in a history of boxing its amazing how short the list is, it just goes to show how damn hard it is in saying that I would be extremely confident that the next couple of years should see the list added to

mike4819

"... I dont think that JLS ever stepped foot in Ireland"

Sullivan definitely did visit Ireland, (sorry, not sure about the year though).

During his stay, he visited the famous site of the legendary Dan Donnelly fight.:)

ah,sure

mike4819 wrote: »

"... I dont think that JLS ever stepped foot in Ireland"

Sullivan definitely did visit Ireland, (sorry, not sure about the year though).

During his stay, he visited the famous site of the legendary Dan Donnelly fight.:)

Dan Feckin Donnelly. I've been there too, how many people apparently crammed into that space in the Curragh, 30,000? according to this article..

http://www.irishexaminerusa.com/mt/2006/07/12/irelands_greatest_puglist.html

I suppose we have another for the list!

Big Ears

ah,sure wrote: »

Aye, when you pull up a boxrec search of Irish champs and also Norn Irish champs, only those 10 appear.

Some of the ones I listed are there aswell, infact I think McLarnin is the only one who isn't.

sligobhoy67

mike4819 wrote: »

"... I dont think that JLS ever stepped foot in Ireland"

Sullivan definitely did visit Ireland, (sorry, not sure about the year though).

During his stay, he visited the famous site of the legendary Dan Donnelly fight.:)

stand corrected. Didnt know that

ah,sure

Big Ears wrote: »

Some of the ones I listed are there aswell, infact I think McLarnin is the only one who isn't.

cheers Big Ears

If you look at McLarnin's DQ victory, the referee was none other than Wyett Earp

walshb

alanceltic wrote: »

For a country steeped in a history of boxing its amazing how short the list is, it just goes to show how damn hard it is in saying that I would be extremely confident that the next couple of years should see the list added to

Not to be too down beat; but who?

I can't think of any, Lee, Duddy, McCloskey, Hyland etc.

None are good enough

Daroxtar

ah,sure wrote: »

if we counted the Irish Americans we'd have dozens.

Where was mike tysons dad from? We could claim him!

walshb

Don't forget Ali; I think I heard a while back that Co Clare was linked with him!:rolleyes:

Daroxtar

Thats right, he said his granny was irish , and most of the foremen i worked with were paddies too:D

Big Ears

ah,sure wrote: »

cheers Big Ears

If you look at McLarnin's DQ victory, the referee was none other than Wyett Earp

You must be thinking of Tom Sharkey and his 'win' over Bob Fitzsimmons

ah,sure

Big Ears wrote: »

You must be thinking of Tom Sharkey and his 'win' over Bob Fitzsimmons

That'd be what I meant alright

alanceltic

walshb wrote: »

Not to be too down beat; but who?

I can't think of any, Lee, Duddy, McCloskey, Hyland etc.

None are good enough

Well Dunne has his shot this wkend, Duddy looks certain to get a shot within 6 months, judgeing by Macklins performance at the weekend he could possible live with any of the champs if he can manage to keep his act together, its early days but Sutherland could have the making of a good pro and to look further much down the line you would have to keep one eye on Suthclife in the ams who looks like he was bred for pro boxing, I dont rate McCloskey or Hyland at all and doubt they will ever get close to even contesting for a worl title by thats just my 2pence worth

ah,sure

Peter Maher, heavyweight: 1895-6

Jack McAuliffe, lightweight: 1886

Dave Sullivan, featherweight: 1898

Jack 'The Nonpareil' Dempsey, middleweight: 1890-91

George Gardner, light-heavy: 1903

Mike McTigue, light-heavy: 1923-25

Jimmy McLarnin, welter, 1933-34, 1934-35

Rinty Monaghan, fly: 1947-49

Johnny Caldwell, bantam: 1961-62

Barry McGuigan, WBA feather: 1985-86

Dave McCauley, IBF fly: 1987-1992

Eamonn Loughran, WBO welter: 1993-96

Steve Collins, WBO middleweight: 1994-95, WBO super-middle: 1995-97

Wayne McCullough, WBC bantam: 1995-97

Bernard Dunne, WBA super-bantam, 2009-

Zaph

On the tv last night they said that Dunne was the 17th Irish world champion, so there's another two to add to the list if that's correct.

Big Ears

Zaph wrote: »

On the tv last night they said that Dunne was the 17th Irish world champion, so there's another two to add to the list if that's correct.

Tom Sharkey will be one they've counted I reckon and possibly Paddy Ryan aswell.