Barry Starts A New Chapter In His Life.

Barry Starts A New Chapter In His Life. "My dream is to make Troy James a name you’ll remember". The ESF would like to wish Barry the very best of luck for the future. We firmly believe this is a fantastic career decision from such an iconic figure in world boxing - here is the text from his recent Mirror column.

A new Year and a new chapter in the life of Barry McGuigan. Next Friday in Middlesbrough I make my debut as a co-promoter alongside Barry Hearn. It is a tremendously exciting challenge to be involved in a different side of the sport I love. The hope is to build a stable of fighters usingmy experience in the ring to give boxers the best chance to succeed. Our first signing, Troy James, is an exciting super-featherweight from Coventry. He will appear on the Middlesbrough bill. With the help of a backer I am looking to develop facilities in the south-east corner of Kent that fighters can use as a base or as a training camp. Of course my expertise as a fighter is always on tap but that is not intended to usurp the role of their own trainers.

My principal role is to develop their careers, to give them the right kind of guidance out of the ring which allows them to maximise their prospects. Why now? It is almost 20 years since I quit the ring. In that time I have developed lots of other interests, and a kind of second career as a boxing pundit and personality. This has kept me more than busy. The change in approach came a couple of years ago when my son Shane said he wanted to give boxing a go. He came to the sport relatively late. It was not something I or his mother were keen to encourage. Sandra respects his choices but refuses to watch him fight. She went through enough with me.

I took an amateur coaching licence in order to work with Shane at Aylesham ABC near Canterbury alongside Great Britain coach Lee Pullen. We have brought Shane through to win three national titles. The training, the gym work, the stuff that made such an impression on me all those years ago and which I grew to love, rekindled my interest. Fighters are the most incredible breed of people. To succeed in boxing demands all the qualities that you need for life.

Good luck Barry!

Published 02/02/2009 | Ref: ALAN IRWIN

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