Buddy McGirt
James Walter "Buddy" McGirt (born January 17, 1964, Brentwood, New York) is an American boxing trainer and retired boxer.
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[edit] Professional boxing career
In 1988, McGirt defeated Frankie Warren, avenging his only defeat, to win the IBF light welterweight title.[1] In his second defense, he lost the title to Meldrick Taylor.[2]
In November 1991, he defeated Simon Brown to win the Lineal and WBC welterweight titles.[3][4]
McGirt lost the titles to Pernell Whitaker in 1993.[5] The following year, he again lost to Whitaker in an attempt to regain the title. In 1997, he retired with a record of 73-6-1 (48 KOs).
[edit] Career as a boxing trainer
After his career as a boxer ended, he became a trainer. McGirt trains many top ranked fighters, including Antonio Tarver, Timo Hoffmann and James McGirt Jr.. He has recently taken 3 English fighters, Paul Smith, Brian Mihtar, Matthew Macklin, and Audley Harrison. He won the Boxing Writers' Association of America Trainer of the Year Award for 2002.
Some of his high-profile fights have ended in defeats for his fighters, including Lamon Brewster who lost his WBO title in a rematch to Wladimir Klitschko, (IBF, WBO, Ring Magazine Heavyweight champion), Antonio Tarver who lost to Bernard Hopkins, Tomasz Adamek who lost WBC title to Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi who lost to Ricky Hatton (which saw Malignaggi leave McGirt in search of a new trainer), and Arturo Gatti who was KO'd by Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Carlos Baldomir. However, McGirt has had some successes in title fights of some of his fighters. Those successes include Antonio Tarver's two victories over Roy Jones Jr., Vernon Forrest's victories over both Carlos Baldomir and Sergio Mora, and Arturo Gatti's victories over Gianluco Branco, Leonard Dorin, Jesse James Leija, and Thomas Damgaard.
McGirt's son, James McGirt Jr., is also a professional boxer. McGirt also trains Kurt Pellegrino's boxing, his first venture into MMA.
[edit] See also
Buddy was trained and managed by Al Certo.
[edit] References
- ^ Matthews, Wallace. The Buddy System, Newsday, February 28, 1988
- ^ Berger, Phil. Taylor Stops McGirt in 12th For I.B.F. Title, The New York Times, September 4, 1988
- ^ Big Win For Little Mac, Sports Illustrated, December 9, 1991
- ^ McGirt gets chance, captures welter title, Reading Eagle, December 1, 1991
- ^ THE SUMMER OF SWEAT: BUDDY MCGIRT, BRENTWOOD'S DETHRONED WELTERWEIGHT, FIGHTS HIS WAY BACK, Newsday, September 7, 1993
| Preceded by Terry Marsh retires |
IBF Light Welterweight Champion 14 February 1988 – 3 September 1988 |
Succeeded by Meldrick Taylor |
| Preceded by Simon Brown |
WBC Welterweight Champion 29 November 1991– 6 March 1993 |
Succeeded by Pernell Whitaker |
| Lineal Welterweight Champion 29 November 1991– 6 March 1993 |
