Kevin Barry (boxer)
Encyclopedia
Kevin Michael Joseph Barry (born 10 October 1959 in Christchurch
) is a noted New Zealand
former boxer
, boxing trainer, manager and occasional commentator. He is the son of noted boxing trainer Kevin Barry, Sr.
in the Light Heavyweight division.
Barry gained considerable prominence when he participated in the 1984 Olympic Games
in Los Angeles
as a contestant in the Light Heavyweight division. He won through to the semi-final, where he faced future four-time world heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield
.
In a controversial decision, referee Gligorije Novicic of Yugoslavia
disqualified a clearly dominant Holyfield for repeatedly hitting on the break. While Novicic yelled break during a Holyfield flurry of combinations, Barry went down.
As a result Barry was awarded the silver medal, although he was not permitted to contest the gold medal bout against Yugoslav Anton Josipović
since he had been technically knocked out. After the games Barry was offered a large sum to fight Holyfield, but wisely declined.
won bronze at the 1992 Summer Olympics
in Barcelona
, Barry helped persuade him to turn professional, managing Tua from 1992–2003 and acting as his trainer from 2001-3.
Under Barry's management Tua became a contender, unsuccessfully challenging heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis
in 2000. In addition Barry has a number of up and coming boxers under his guidance. Currently Kevin trains World Light Heavyweight Champion, Beibut Shumenov (Kazakhstan).
Barry is married to former New Zealand Olympic gymnast Tanya Moss
. They have three children together, (Daughter: Jordyn, and twin sons Taylor and Mitchell. They reside in Las Vegas, Nevada. He has also been a frequent commentator on New Zealand boxing broadcasts, and is a prominent member of the New Zealand boxing community. He has been active in nearly all facets of boxing - from Olympic athlete to trainer, manager, promoter and television commentator.
In 2005 Tua took Kevin Barry and Martin Pugh to court over their business arrangements. Barry and Pugh have accused Tua of manipulating them to collect revenue, yet Tua maintained that he knew little of the men's affairs and did what they told him to do out of trust. The dispute has so far given both sides legal victories: over the issue of the coastal land property, the court ruled in favor of Barry and Pugh, since Tua failed to properly clarify his ownership over the land; on the issue of the terminated 2003 contract, the court ruled in Tua's favour, concluding he clearly owed no expenses to his former management from that contract. The courts are currently preparing to handle the other issues of the boxer's company's finances.
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
) is a noted New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
former boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, boxing trainer, manager and occasional commentator. He is the son of noted boxing trainer Kevin Barry, Sr.
Kevin Barry, Sr.
Kevin Barry, Sr., ONZM, MBE was a New Zealand boxing coach.He trained numerous New Zealand boxers and was for many years one of the country's top boxing coaches. He was appointed an MBE in 1995 and made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2009. He coached his son Kevin, Jr. to a silver...
Amateur career
Kevin Barry's first international success was a bronze medal at the 1982 Brisbane Commonwealth Games1982 Commonwealth Games
The 1982 Commonwealth Games were held in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia from 30 September–9 October 1982. The Opening Ceremony was held at the QEII Stadium , in the Brisbane suburb of Nathan. The QEII Stadium was also the venue which was used for the athletics and archery competitions during the...
in the Light Heavyweight division.
Barry gained considerable prominence when he participated in the 1984 Olympic Games
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
as a contestant in the Light Heavyweight division. He won through to the semi-final, where he faced future four-time world heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield
Evander Holyfield is a professional boxer from the United States. He is a former undisputed world champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, earning him the nickname "The Real Deal"...
.
In a controversial decision, referee Gligorije Novicic of Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
disqualified a clearly dominant Holyfield for repeatedly hitting on the break. While Novicic yelled break during a Holyfield flurry of combinations, Barry went down.
As a result Barry was awarded the silver medal, although he was not permitted to contest the gold medal bout against Yugoslav Anton Josipović
Anton Josipovic
Anton Ante Josipović is a former boxer from Bosnia and Herzegovina...
since he had been technically knocked out. After the games Barry was offered a large sum to fight Holyfield, but wisely declined.
Olympic Results
- Defeated Don SmithDon SmithDonald John Smith was a Canadian professional hockey player who played for the Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Shamrocks, Montreal Wanderers and the Renfrew Creamery Kings.-Playing career:...
(Trinidad and Tobago) 5-0 - Defeated Jonathan Kiriisa (Uganda) 3-2
- Defeated Jean-Paul Nanga (Cameroon) 4-1
- Defeated Evander HolyfieldEvander HolyfieldEvander Holyfield is a professional boxer from the United States. He is a former undisputed world champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, earning him the nickname "The Real Deal"...
(United States) DQ 2 - Lost to Anton JosipovićAnton JosipovicAnton Ante Josipović is a former boxer from Bosnia and Herzegovina...
(Yugoslavia) walk-over
Professional career
Barry became a professional coach in 1990. He remains active in boxing as a trainer and manager. This Kevin Barry is not to be confused with the Australian heavyweight of the same name.Training career
Barry remained involved in boxing and became a trainer. After New Zealand Heavyweight David TuaDavid Tua
David "Tuamanator" Tua is a New Zealand professional heavyweight boxer, fighting out of South Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.He is a former WBO Asia Pacific and WBO Oriental Heavyweight champion....
won bronze at the 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Barry helped persuade him to turn professional, managing Tua from 1992–2003 and acting as his trainer from 2001-3.
Under Barry's management Tua became a contender, unsuccessfully challenging heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis
Lennox Lewis
Lennox Claudius Lewis, CM, CBE is a retired boxer and the most recent British undisputed world heavyweight champion. He holds dual British and Canadian citizenship...
in 2000. In addition Barry has a number of up and coming boxers under his guidance. Currently Kevin trains World Light Heavyweight Champion, Beibut Shumenov (Kazakhstan).
Barry is married to former New Zealand Olympic gymnast Tanya Moss
Tanya Moss
Tania Roxanne Moss is a native of Auckland, New Zealand, and a New Zealand Olympian in the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. She performed in...
. They have three children together, (Daughter: Jordyn, and twin sons Taylor and Mitchell. They reside in Las Vegas, Nevada. He has also been a frequent commentator on New Zealand boxing broadcasts, and is a prominent member of the New Zealand boxing community. He has been active in nearly all facets of boxing - from Olympic athlete to trainer, manager, promoter and television commentator.
Controversy
Kevin Barry managed boxer David Tua from 1992 to 2003, and also trained him from 2001. But in 2003, Tua ended his business relationship with Barry and financial manager Martin Pugh. Though Barry accepted his dismissal as trainer, he resisted Tua's decision to end their contract, which still had two years to go. In 2004, Tua's accountant learned that the boxer's finances with his boxing company, Tuaman Inc. Ltd., were tangled with company expenses; Tua no longer had most of his $NZ 20 million in purses from his professional matches, and important assets Tua thought he owned alone were anything but, including a piece of coastal land at Pakiri. Tuaman Inc. Ltd had business expenses flowing in various directions, involving companies and clients Tua had no knowledge of. Tua's own home was purchased with borrowed money, and the boxer's purses were linked to renovation costs for Martin Pugh's property. These findings were based on documents from Pugh's offices. Court action was inevitable.In 2005 Tua took Kevin Barry and Martin Pugh to court over their business arrangements. Barry and Pugh have accused Tua of manipulating them to collect revenue, yet Tua maintained that he knew little of the men's affairs and did what they told him to do out of trust. The dispute has so far given both sides legal victories: over the issue of the coastal land property, the court ruled in favor of Barry and Pugh, since Tua failed to properly clarify his ownership over the land; on the issue of the terminated 2003 contract, the court ruled in Tua's favour, concluding he clearly owed no expenses to his former management from that contract. The courts are currently preparing to handle the other issues of the boxer's company's finances.