Finbar Patrick "Barry" McGuigan MBE (born 28 February 1961) is an Irish boxing promoter and former professional boxer.

This inspired the Hacienda Brothers' song "If Daddy Don't Sing Danny Boy", written by boxer and musician Chris Gaffney.

Notable opponents during his teenage years included Dubliner James Coughlan, whom he defeated at the age of 15, and Gordon McNeil (of Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne) and Eric Clarke (of Hackney, London).

This period marked his first trip to fight outside Europe (when he beat Lavon McGowan by a knockout in the first round in Chicago), before he got his first try at a European title.

[citation needed] On 16 November, Italy's Valerio Nati boxed McGuigan for the vacant European Featherweight title in Belfast.

[citation needed] In 1985, McGuigan met former world featherweight champion Juan Laporte and won by a decision after ten rounds.

Long-reigning WBA featherweight champion, Eusebio Pedroza of Panama, put his title on the line at Loftus Road football stadium in London.

McGuigan and his wife were feted in a public reception through the streets of Belfast that attracted hundreds of thousands of well-wishers.

This proved to be a controversial stoppage: the fight was ended when the challenger bent over to pick up his mouthpiece after losing it, a practice that is allowed in many countries but not in Ireland.

For his next defence, he went to Las Vegas in June 1986, where he faced relatively unknown Steve Cruz from Texas as a late replacement for Ramon Fernando Sosa who pulled out for having two detached retinas.

[13] McGuigan held the lead halfway through, but suffered dehydration because of the extreme heat and wilted near the end, being knocked down in rounds ten and fifteen.

He beat former world title challengers Nicky Perez and Francisco Tomas da Cruz, and contender Julio César Miranda, before facing former EBU featherweight champ and future WBC and WBA super featherweight challenger Jim McDonnell.

McGuigan lost by TKO when a gash over his right eye, caused by a McDonnell left hook in the second round, forced the referee to stop the fight in the fourth.

Ali dies of injuries sustained in the fight McGuigan attempted to establish an association to protect the rights of boxers against what he, and others, considered omnipotent managers and promoters.

He also served as referee on the UK television game show Grudge Match, hosted by Nick Weir.

[citation needed] He appeared in the third series of ITV's Hell's Kitchen in September 2007, where he was eventually crowned the winner after winning the public vote.

[25] 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.

McGuigan was honoured in an Irish ballad song released in 1984, "Clones Cyclone", written by Johnny McCauley and sung by Big Tom.

[26] The popular German musician and composer Udo Lindenberg also dedicated his song "Jonny Boxer" to McGuigan in 1986.

The Bournemouth-based band The Worry Dolls named a track "Barry McGuigan" on their album, The Man That Time Forgot.