On This Day: August 11th
1948: Dublin middleweight Mick McKeon (circled) defeated Frenchman Aime Joseph-Escudie at the 1948 Olympic Games. His third victory at the Games following wins over Canada’s John Keenan and Iranian Hossein Toussi, this would have been enough for a bronze medal in modern times, but until 1952 only one bronze was awarded at each weight. The Corinthians fighter lost to Johnny Wright of Great Britain in the semi-finals and then injury then saw McKeon concede his bronze medal box-off with Italian Ivano Fontana.
1978: 17 year old Clones bantamweight Barry McGuigan and Belfast lightweight Gerry Hamill claimed gold at the Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Canada.
Future World champion McGuigan had defeated Scot George Lowe, Guyana’s Michael Anthony, and Canadian Bill Rannelli en-route to the final where he overcame Papua New Guinea’s Tumat Sogolik, being floored in the second round but emerging with a split-decision win.
Before his win in the decider over Kenyan Patrick Waweru, Hamill had beaten Indian Bakshish Singh, Aussie Brian Tink, and Zambian Teddy Makofi.
On the same day, Belfast’s Kenny Beattie was defeated in his welterweight final by Jamaican future three-weight World champion Mike McCallum.
Belfast flyweight Hugh ‘Little Red’ Russell also claimed bronze at the Games in Canada.
