Barry McGuigan Barry McGuigan Finbar Patrick 'Barry' McGuigan MBE (born 28 February 1961) is an Irish retired professional boxer and current boxing promoter. Born in Clones, County Monaghan, Ireland, McGuigan was nicknamed "The Clones Cyclone" and became the WBA and lineal featherweight world champion. He was very popular with Irish and British audiences, representing neutrality and peace in a time when Ireland, where he lived, was affected by The Troubles. In 2005 he was inducted into the international boxing hall of fame. He founded, and is the current president of, the Professional Boxing Association (PBA). McGuigan is the founder and CEO of
Barry McGuigan the United Kingdom to win the award. McGuigan made his first defence against American Bernard Taylor, who was stopped in the ninth round, and then against Danilo Cabrera, who got knocked out in fourteen rounds. This proved to be a controversial stoppage: the fight was stopped after the challenger bent over to pick up his mouthpiece after losing it, a practice that is allowed in many countries but not in Ireland. Cabrera was not aware of this, and the fight was stopped. Although Cabrera's corner protested the outcome, McGuigan remained the winner by a knockout. For his next defence, he