Mick Leahy, middleweight champ?

[gombeenman]

Anybody have information about the cork roots of Mick Leahy. He was British middleweight champion in the 50s & challenged for the European title once. He also beat Sugar Ray Robinson! He was based in Coventry but was born in Cork. That's all I know...

[miahp]

Think he was related to the Leahy family of Blackpool the most famous of whom was Donie who played soccer with Cork Celtic and League of Ireland. There was also a hurler in the family nicknamed something like " Bobba".

[RedCityKid]

Donie was my granduncle and baba was my grandfather my fathers name is Mick Leahy will ask them about him and come back to you

[RedCityKid]

Donie was my granduncle and baba was my grandfather my fathers name is Mick Leahy will ask them about him and come back to you

Hey just spoke to the grandfather (baba) He was no relation to us but the grendfather knew him well. He was from Spangle Hill originaly and he learned to box in Collins Barracks. His family was poverty stricken according to my grandfather(that must have been bad for him to say that cos we aint the trumps or anything) He said he was a really nice man a true gentleman. He went to Coventry I think just to get fights and stayed there then. He did fight sugar ray but not sure that he beat him. Well thats all I cud get dont know who his actual family is but it aint donie or baba anyway.

[miahp]

Thanks for that redcity, you come from a famous sporting family. Re the original query : help would probably be available from the Cork ex-Boxers association. Tim O' Sullivan , sports therapist, Maylor st. used to be involved but I think his business is closed. Somebody like Brendan Mooney in the Examiner should be able to put you in contact with them.

[gombeenman]

Thanks for that all! Somebody in work mentioned him & I was just curious. Couldn't find much on the net about him. He did manage to beat Sugar Ray in Paisley '64. Obviously Sugar Ray was well past his best at the end of his career but all the same..

http://www.cyberboxingzone. com/boxing/sugrob.htm

He was also a challenger for the European title but came up short.

[LegendaryLanger]

Mick is my uncle, and still lives in Coventry to this day. Sadly, he's wracked with alzheimers now and was in fact featured in a Coventry newspaper to that effect recently.
They (my Dad's family) all grew up on Spangle Hill but moved to Leamington Spa where they all remain. Only my Dad ever came back.
Mick had a fine career. He was the British middleweight champ, won the Lonsdale belt and lost a decision to Laszlo Papp for the European title. He certainly did beat Sugar Ray even though the great man had about 20 years boxing under his belt at that stage. Still, it was a nice memory from a tough career.
I've met a lot of people who have good memories of his fights from the 50s and 60s. There was a lot of excitement around the bouts in those days so I suppose he was a bit of a folk hero at the time.
Mick was always a good bloke and missed Cork.
Cheers.

[rednotdead01]

Mick Leahy is my uncle.. Its true he was born in cork.. st peters road i believe, but grew up in spangle hill, he joined the army and later had to become a british citizen to fight for the title..Michael won the British Middleweight in 1964, though shortly had to give up fighting after he was involved in a serious accident with a lorry parked illegally with no lights on a dark covenrty road. Uncle Michael then worked for Massey ferguson for many years. He was diagnosed with Alzheimers last year he is doing ok considering. I hear that the irish want to erect a plaque in his name on the house he was born at...which i think is a cracking idea.... i know his mam..cathrine leahy..would have been very proud and I remember trying on the very boxing gloves her won the title with many times as i was growing up...i will let the family know you're asking after him !! hope this is of help..regards siobhan

[rednotdead01]

Mick Leahy is my uncle.. Its true he was born in cork.. st peters road i believe, but grew up in spangle hill, he joined the army and later had to become a british citizen to fight for the title..Michael won the British Middleweight in 1964, though shortly had to give up fighting after he was involved in a serious accident with a lorry parked illegally with no lights on a dark covenrty road. Uncle Michael then worked for Massey ferguson for many years. He was diagnosed with Alzheimers last year he is doing ok considering. I hear that the irish want to erect a plaque in his name on the house he was born at...which i think is a cracking idea.... i know his mam..cathrine leahy..would have been very proud and I remember trying on the very boxing gloves her won the title with many times as i was growing up...i will let the family know you're asking after him !! hope this is of help..regards siobhan

I got it wrong it was something like St pauls or pauls road he was born at