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Former Irish heavyweight champion in ‘critical condition’ after contracting COVID-19

Former Irish heavyweight champion Coleman ‘Collie’ Barrett is in ‘critical condition’ in hospital.

The 37-year-old is the second Irish fighter to have contracted the coronavirus and according to his family is very ill and in intensive care.

Fellow fighters and former punchers have been sharing the news and calling for prayers online.

Barrett hasn’t fought since 2010 when he beat Norbert Sallai in Letterkenny.

However in and around 2012 he was looking for fights with Tyson Fury and Martin Rogan.

The Galway southpaw argued having won the Irish title by beating Colin Kenna in February 2010 and never losing it in the ring, that he should be involved in any green belt bout.

Indeed, Team Fury were looking to make the fight when talks stalled with ‘Big Rogie’.

Neither clash came off and Barrett a cousin to Irish Olympian Francie Barrett hasn’t been on the scene much since.

The first real news of the heavyweight since isn’t good news, as it was confirmed he was in intensive care due to COVID-19.

Barrett is the second member of the Irish fight family to test positive for the virus.

Fellow Galway native and two weight Irish champion Peter McDonagh was the first of the fight family to officially confirm they had tested positive for the Cornavirus.

The recently retired fighter revealed the virus has left him bed ridden for over a week.

In fact, the Connemara born puncher suggested his week with COVID-19 was been more grueling than his recovery from a serious brain tumour.

The retired Galway puncher also advised people to keep up social distancing and put their health first.

“The country needs to come to complete shut down trust me I’ve got this virus I pissed a brain tumour a year ago this has knocked me for six I’ve been in bed over a week I can see why older people are dieing lock everyone down or is money more important than life to some people.”

We here at Irish-boxing.com would like to wish Barrett a speedy recovery, our thoughts and prayers and with him and his family at this time.

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Integral part of the Irish boxing community for over 13 years

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