Buddy McGirt | |
---|---|
Statistics | |
Real name | James Walter McGirt |
Nickname(s) | Buddy |
Rated at | |
Height | 5 ft 6 1⁄2 in (169 cm) |
Reach | 70 in (178 cm) |
Nationality | American |
Born |
Brentwood, New York, U.S. |
January 17, 1964
Stance | Orthodox |
Boxing record | |
Total fights | 80 |
Wins | 73 |
Wins by KO | 48 |
Losses | 6 |
Draws | 1 |
James Walter "Buddy" McGirt (born January 17, 1964) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1982 to 1997, and currently works as a boxing trainer. He is a two-weight world champion, having held the IBF junior welterweight title in 1988, and the WBC and lineal welterweight titles from 1991 to 1993.
McGirt’s aspirations of becoming a professional boxer existed at a young age."They said I was too small," McGirt says now. "They said I couldn't do it. I said I could. I said I'd be the first world champion from Long Island - so the guy they said couldn't do it is the one who did it." Fulfilling this childhood dream, he did so with a vengeance, turning professional in the year 1983, the year he graduated from Brentwood High School.
In 1988, McGirt defeated Frankie Warren, avenging what was at that time his only defeat, to win the IBF light welterweight title. In his second defense, he lost the title to Meldrick Taylor.
In November 1991, he defeated Simon Brown to win the Lineal and WBC welterweight titles.
Buddy was a scrappy, talented fighter who had an outstanding career in the ring. He defeated men such as Simon Brown, Livingstone Bramble, Saoul Mamby, Edwin Curet, Howard Davis, Frankie Warren, Tony Baltazar, Gennaro Leon, Patrizio Oliva, Gary Jacobs, Tommy Ayers, Willie Rodriguez, Ralph Twinning, Buck Smith, Kevin Pompey, Rafael Williams, John Senegal, Eric Martin, Joe Manley, Tyrone Moore, Nick Rupa, Joe Gatti and George Heckley.
At the beginning of 1993, McGirt was the world's top-ranked 147-pound boxer, one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world; but in the first week starting off the year he tore up his left shoulder while training. Without his money punch, the left hook, he had to box virtually one-handed for a total of 24 rounds in two championship fights. He won the first fight, but he lost his title in the second. McGirt lost the title to Pernell Whitaker in 1993. The following year, he again lost to Whitaker in an attempt to regain the title.