George Feeney

George Feeney (born 9 February,1957) is a British former boxer who was British lightweight champion between 1982 and his retirement in 1985.

Born in Hartlepool, Feeney learned to box at the Boys Welfare gym, and made his professional debut in August 1977. He won ten of his first fifteen fights, which also included defeats to more experienced, quality boxers such as Tommy Davitt, Cornelius Boza-Edwards, Clinton McKenzie, and Juan Jose Gimenez.

In October 1980, he faced Ricky Beaumont in a British lightweight title eliminator and lost a narrow points decision. In March,1981, he stopped Winston Spencer in the ninth round of another title eliminator; and in January, 1982, beat Ken Buchanan on points in what was the latter's final (official) fight.

He got his shot at the British title in October that year, against defending champion Ray Cattouse at the Royal Albert Hall. In a closely fought contest, Feeney emerged the winner, after stopping Cattouse in the fourteenth round to become the new champion.

In 1983, he travelled to Italy, where he took Ray Mancini the distance in a close fight in March; and was decisively beaten on points the following month by Howard Davis, Jr.

Back in England he made the first defence of his British title in December, 1983 against Tony Willis, stopping the challenger in the first round. He made a second successful defence in February, 1984 against Paul Chance, winning the Lonsdale Belt outright.

Pursuing the European title, he travelled to Frankfurt on October, 1984 to challenge Rene Weller. The fight went the distance, with defending champion Weller retaining his title, and Feeney suffering a detached retina. This proved to be Feeney's final fight, and he retired after surgery on the eye in 1985.

George Feeney's younger brother, John Feeney, was British bantamweight champion between 1983 and 1985.