5 great Irish boxers from history

Irish boxer Katie Taylor will make history this weekend. The Undisputed Lightweight Champion of the world will defend her belts against Amanda Serrano. The clash will be the first women's boxing match to headline Madison Square Garden, the most historically significant venue in the sport.

In its modern form, boxing emerged in Ireland and England in the 19th century. Though the ranks of professional boxing in America were often populated by Irish immigrants and their descendants in the 20th century, this list will only feature those who were born in the island itself.

In honor of Katie Taylor, here's a look at five more great Irish boxers from history in no particular order.

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#5. Steve Collins - Most successful modern Irish boxer

Steve Collins vs. Nigel Benn [Instagram @boxingnewsandhistory]

Steve Collins was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1964. He fought professionally from 1986 to 1997 and held the WBO Middleweight and Super Middleweight Titles. Collins' only losses were to Mike McCallum, Sumbu Kalambay, and Reggie Johnson. He retired with a record of 36-3 with 21 knockouts.

Collins is one of the most successful Irish boxers ever. His most well-known bouts are his fights with Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank. He fought and defeated both men twice in 1995 and 1996. As a professional, Collins began training at the Petronelli Brothers Gym in Massachusetts, where Marvin Hagler also honed his skills. The Irishman won his first world title in 1994 after stopping Chris Pyatt in the fifth round.

#4. Jimmy McLarnin - Perhaps the greatest-ever Irish boxer

Jimmy McLarnin [Instagram: @boxhingnewsandhistory]

Jimmy McLarnin was born in Ireland in 1907. He moved to Canada at a young age and began his professional boxing career in Vancouver. He moved to Chicago early in his career. Like many Irish boxers, McLarnin spent most of his career boxing overseas. The boxing record of a fighter like McLarnin is difficult to verify as bouts often went unrecorded at the time. However, it is currently estimated at 55-11-3.

McLarnin began boxing as a teenager. He won his first world title in 1933 when he knocked out Young Corbett III in the first round. After defeating Corbett, McLarnin had three back-to-back fights with Barney Ross. He also fought Pancho Villa, Benny Leonard, Joe Glick, Sammy Mandel, and Tony Canzoneri.

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#3. Mike McTigue - Former Light Heavyweight World Champion

Mike McTigue [Instagram @old_time_mollywhoppers]

Mike McTigue was born in County Clare, Ireland, in 1892. He was the Light Heavyweight Champion of the world from 1923 to 1925 and boxed professionally from 1914 to 1930. His estimated record is 77 wins, 26 losses, and 13 draws and no-contests. There were 58 other bouts that were 'Newspaper decision/Draws', which are not included in the official win-loss column. Some consider McTigue to be the greatest Irish boxer of all time.

Mike McTigue fought the likes of Jack Sharkey, Tommy Loughran, Mickey Walker, Jack Delaney, Battling Siki, Battling Levinsky, and Tiger Flowers. He also had two tough bouts with Harry Greb, who is considered to be one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in history. McTigue was forced to retire in 1930 after his boxing license was revoked. He opened a bar in New York, which became a popular hub for fight fans and fighters.

#2. Carl Frampton - Two-weight boxing world champion

Carl Frampton vs. Jamel Herring in 2021

Carl Frampton is the most recent Irish boxer on this list. He made his pro debut in 2009 and retired in 2021. He has a record of 28-3 with 16 knockouts. Frampton was a world champion in both the super bantamweight and featherweight divisions. He was born in Belfast and boxed for the Irish national team as an amateur.

Frampton's most notable opponents include Josh Warrington, Nonito Donaire, Leo Santa Cruz, Scott Quigg, Kiko Martinez, and Jamel Herring. He retired immediately after his loss to Herring in 2021.

Check out the full Carl Frampton vs. Nonito Donaire fight here:

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#1. Barry McGuigan - Former WBA Featherweight Champion

McGuigan vs. Perez

Barry McGuigan is one of the most recognizable and celebrated Irish boxers in history. He boxed professionally from 1981 to 1989 and held the WBA Featherweight World Title from June 1985 to June 1986. McGuigan also represented Ireland at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow.

One of his toughest fights came in 1986 when he defended his title against Steve Cruz at Caeser's Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. The bout was held outdoors and the heat of the Nevada sun was too much for the Irish boxer. He lost via unanimous decision after 15 rounds. In the aftermath, he was hospitalized for severe dehydration. The contest was awarded The Ring Magazine Fight of the Year for 1986.

McGuigan also fought Eusebio Pedroza, Danilo Cabrera, Bernard Taylor, and Young Ali, who tragically died after their 1982 bout. Following the bout with Ali, McGuigan nearly retired from boxing. He is known across Ireland for his great success despite growing up in a border town in the country during 'The Troubles'.