The Irish legend of the ring and former world featherweight champion tells his story for the first time In a gripping autobiography, Barry McGuigan shares his stories of extraordinary professional triumph and devastating personal tragedy. On a hot summer's night in June 1985, during one of the most emotionally charged fights of all time, McGuigan beat Eusebio Pedroza to become featherweight champion of the world. Lasting a full 15 rounds, this epic battle was watched by 27,000 spectators ringside and by a further 20 million on television around the world. Raised in the border town of Clones, Co. Monaghan, at the height of the troubles, Barry McGuigan united people across sectarian and religious divides during a difficult time in Ireland's political history. A Catholic, he married his Protestant childhood sweetheart, Sandra, in 1981. An Irishman, he fought for the British Title wearing boxing shorts in the colors of the UN's Flag of Peace, and in place of a national anthem his father, Pat McGuigan, would often sing a heartfelt rendition of Danny Boy before a fight. Engaging and intelligent, McGuigan is a renowned and revered figure in the boxing world and beyond.