Rematch bout looks unlikely

Press, 1 August 1986, Page 28

Rematch bout looks unlikely

NZPA-Reuter New York The former world featherweight champion, Barry McGuigan is apparently not interested in a rematch with Steve Cruz, who took his title. This is according to Cruz’s manager, Mr Dave Gorman. “We hear he’s thinking of moving up to junior lightweight,” Mr Gorman said.

In New York to promote the September 27 world welterweight title defence of his fighter Donald Curry against Lloyd Honeyghan of Britain, Mr Gorman said he had hoped to put Cruz back in against McGuigan before a mandatory defence against the No. 1 contender, Antonio Esparragoza, of Venezuela. “Our hopes were to go

right back to McGuigan in a rematch," Mr Gorman said. “If the money was big enough we would have gone over there to fight but I figured the fight belonged in Madison Square Garden because of the Irish support in New York City' and' we wouldn’t be too far from home.”

Cruz, a late replacement as challenger, knocked McGuigan down three times — twice in the critical fifteenth round — to win a unanimous decision in their clash in Las Vegas last June.

Mr Gorman said Cruz could make close to a million dollars in a New York fight against McGuigan. The Fort Worth, Texas fighter received SUS7O,OOO in beating the Briton.