Freddie Gilroy, a Belfast southpaw, boxed out of the St John Bosco Boxing Club. He claimed bronze at the Melbourne Games, beating the Russian favourite Boris Stepanov and Mario Sitri of Italy en-route to the semi-final where he was controversially outpointed by Germany’s Wolfgang Behrendt, the eventual Olympic champion. Hollywood movie star Liam Neeson, a former amateur boxer in his native Ballymena, previously described Gilroy as his childhood hero.
Following the Olympics, Gilroy embarked on a professional career, compiling a record of 28 wins and 3 losses, and won British, Commonwealth, and European titles, as well as challenging for the World title in 1960 in London, losing a unanimous decision to Alphonse Halimi. In his last fight, in 1962, Gilroy emerged victorious over fellow Belfast man Johnny Caldwell via a ninth round stoppage in a legendary bout. Flyweight Caldwell also won an Olympic bronze in Melbourne, and in what is widely regarded as one of the greatest fights ever to be held in Ireland, Gilroy triumphed when a cut to Caldwell’s eye stopped him from carrying on.
Ireland