In the mid-1980s Northern Ireland was blessed with a
golden generation of acclaimed boxers. Barry McGuigan as world featherweight
champion was grabbing most of the headlines and Hugh Russell was a respected
British champion, but starting to emerge from their shadows was the man who
would go onto achieve more than either of them, Dave 'Boy' McAuley from Larne
in Co Antrim.
At this stage in early 1986 McAuley was working his way up
in the game but he would go onto become British flyweight champion and
eventually the IBF world champion at the same weight. His first two
unsuccessful attempts for the WBA version of the world title against Fidel
Bassa were each voted Fight of the Year in 1987 and 1988.
This
Good Evening Ulster report sees him and manager Barney Eastwood preparing for a
British title final eliminator fight against Charlie Brown at the Ulster Hall.
McAuley would win the fight and take the British title six months later. His
eventual five successful defences of the world title sets him up as one of the
greatest Irish boxers of the modern age.