Noel Magee
Encyclopedia
Noel Magee is a former professional boxer and former Commonwealth light heavyweight Title holder. Magee fought at super middleweight
but also fought as a light heavyweight
and cruiserweight towards the end of his career.
Ardoyne
area of Belfast and came from a boxing obsessed family. Magee's younger brother Eamonn
stated that for his mother "boxing was as important as school". Magee's three brothers were also boxers with two of them, Eamonn and Terry
, having careers as professional boxers. His brother, Eamonn, was also a Commonwealth champion.
in the final. Magee again beat Collins later that year in a trial for the international team.
, England
, in which Magee knocked out Nigel Prickett.
in November 1989 for the British Super Middleweight Title, however he lost this fight when the referee stopped the fight in the 9th round. After this loss Magee went on a winning streak beating his next seven opponents before he again fought for another this time the British Light Heavyweight Title against Maurice Core in August 1992 but the result was the same, Magee, was stopped in the ninth despite having Core down twice during the fight. Magee's following fight was also a defeat, this time at the hands of Dariusz Michalczewski
for the Vacant IBF Inter-Continental Light Heavyweight Title. Magee also lost his challenge for the European (EBU) Light Heavyweight Title against Fabrice Tiozzo.
that he was considering a changing promoters.
The following week Eastwood lined up a fight with the then unbeaten Commonwealth Light Heavyweight Title holder Garry Delaney. The fight took place in May 1995 at the Festival Hall, Basildon
, Essex
, England. Magee was a huge underdog with the bookies offering odds of 10/1 for a Magee win. Magee made his superior hand and foot speed tell by winning the fight with a stoppage in the seventh to take the only major title belt in his professional career.
Magee lost his first defense of his title to Nicky Piper
and after this Magee lost his will to continue boxing and two years later, after a brief two fight comeback including a loss to Darren Corbett
for the Irish Cruiserweight Title, Magee retired from boxing.
Super middleweight
Super Middleweight is a boxing and Muay Thai weight division that has a weight limit of 168 pounds .- 1960s–1983 :There was interest in a division between Middleweight and Light Heavyweight in the late 1960s, the mid-1970s, and the early 1980s...
but also fought as a light heavyweight
Light heavyweight
In boxing, the light heavyweight is a weight division above 168 pounds [12 Stone or 76.204 kilograms] and up to 175 pounds [12.5 stone or 79.38 kilograms]), falling between super middleweight and cruiserweight...
and cruiserweight towards the end of his career.
Background
Magee grew up in the strongly nationalistIrish nationalism
Irish nationalism manifests itself in political and social movements and in sentiment inspired by a love for Irish culture, language and history, and as a sense of pride in Ireland and in the Irish people...
Ardoyne
Ardoyne
Ardoyne is an Irish nationalist, working class and mainly Catholic district in north Belfast, Northern Ireland. It gained notoriety due to the large number of incidents during "The Troubles". It is home to approximately 20,000 inhabitants...
area of Belfast and came from a boxing obsessed family. Magee's younger brother Eamonn
Eamonn Magee
Eamonn Magee nicknamed the Terminator is a former boxer who is now a trainer with the Breen Team in Belfast...
stated that for his mother "boxing was as important as school". Magee's three brothers were also boxers with two of them, Eamonn and Terry
Terry Magee
Terry Magee is a former professional boxer. Magee, the older brother of Eamonn and Noel, fought at Light Middleweight but also fought at heavier weights towards the end of his career.-Background:...
, having careers as professional boxers. His brother, Eamonn, was also a Commonwealth champion.
Amateur career
Magee, like his younger brother Eamonn, boxed to national level for Ireland. The highlight of his short amateur career was in 1985 when, at the age of nineteen, he won the Irish Light Heavyweight Title, defeating a young Steve CollinsSteve Collins
Stephen Collins, more commonly known as Steve Collins, is a former professional boxer. Known as the "The Celtic Warrior", Collins is the former WBO middleweight and super middleweight champion....
in the final. Magee again beat Collins later that year in a trial for the international team.
Professional career
Still only 19 years of age, Magee on 22 May 1985, turned professional under the mentorship of Pat Brogan, winning his first fight at the European Sporting Club, StokeStoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, in which Magee knocked out Nigel Prickett.
Title fight defeats
It was four years before he fought for his title fight when he took on fellow Belfastman Sam StoreySam Storey
Sam Storey is a former professional boxer. Storey fought at Super Middleweight and won the British Super Middleweight Title in 1995....
in November 1989 for the British Super Middleweight Title, however he lost this fight when the referee stopped the fight in the 9th round. After this loss Magee went on a winning streak beating his next seven opponents before he again fought for another this time the British Light Heavyweight Title against Maurice Core in August 1992 but the result was the same, Magee, was stopped in the ninth despite having Core down twice during the fight. Magee's following fight was also a defeat, this time at the hands of Dariusz Michalczewski
Dariusz Michalczewski
Dariusz Michalczewski is a retired Polish- German boxer and former Lineal, WBO, WBA, & IBF light heavyweight champion and WBO cruiserweight champion.-Early career:...
for the Vacant IBF Inter-Continental Light Heavyweight Title. Magee also lost his challenge for the European (EBU) Light Heavyweight Title against Fabrice Tiozzo.
Commonwealth title victory
After this series of title fight defeat Magee was becoming disillusioned with boxing and had informed his promoter Barney EastwoodBarney Eastwood
Barney Eastwood is an Irish boxing promoter and bookmaker.Eastwood was introduced to boxing through the weekly boxing tournaments at the nearby US air base and by the tutelage of a school teacher of his from County Cork...
that he was considering a changing promoters.
The following week Eastwood lined up a fight with the then unbeaten Commonwealth Light Heavyweight Title holder Garry Delaney. The fight took place in May 1995 at the Festival Hall, Basildon
Basildon
Basildon is a town located in the Basildon District of the county of Essex, England.It lies east of Central London and south of the county town of Chelmsford...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, England. Magee was a huge underdog with the bookies offering odds of 10/1 for a Magee win. Magee made his superior hand and foot speed tell by winning the fight with a stoppage in the seventh to take the only major title belt in his professional career.
Magee lost his first defense of his title to Nicky Piper
Nicky Piper
Nicky Piper MBE is a retired Welsh super middleweight and light heavyweight boxer from Ely, Cardiff. His career was at its peak in the 1990s becoming the Commonwealth Light-heavyweight champion in 1995. He was trained by Charlie Pearson and self managed...
and after this Magee lost his will to continue boxing and two years later, after a brief two fight comeback including a loss to Darren Corbett
Darren Corbett
Darren Corbett , nicknamed Raging Bull, is a Northern Irish professional boxer. Corbett's weight fluctuated significantly throughout his career and although he had some fights at both heavyweight and light-heavyweight, the bulk of his contests and his success came at cruiserweight.-Amateur:Corbett...
for the Irish Cruiserweight Title, Magee retired from boxing.