Danny McAlinden

Daniel McAlinden (1 June 1947 – 8 March 2021) was a boxer from Northern Ireland. He won the British and Commonwealth heavyweight championship in 1972 when he defeated Jack Bodell in two rounds at Aston Villa football ground. Nicknamed "Dangerous Dan", he was managed by George Middleton who had managed Randolph Turpin when he was world middleweight champion in 1951. McAlinden was born in Newry and, at the age of 15, moved to Coventry. In 1966, McAlinden represented Northern Ireland at the Kingston British Empire and Commonwealth Games, winning a bronze medal in the heavyweight division. In 1967, he fought at the European Championship in Rome. He turned professional in 1969 and, in his second fight, stopped future British champion Richard Dunn. On the program of the Joe Frazier versus Muhammad Ali I bout on 8 March 1971 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York, McAlinden outpointed Ali's brother, Rahaman, undefeated in seven fights, after six rounds in a contest for rising boxers. McAlinden was at one time considered a potential opponent for world champion George Foreman's first title defence. However, in 1973 his form dipped and he eventually lost his title in 1975 to Bunny Johnson in nine rounds. He attempted to win back the title in 1975 against champion Richard Dunn but lost in round two. He fought on until 1981. In total he had 45 fights with a 31–12–2 record, winning 28 by knockout.

In 2010 it was reported that McAlinden was suffering from cancer of the tongue.

Professional boxing record

 * align="center" colspan=8|31 Wins (28 knockouts, 3 decisions), 12 Losses (8 knockouts, 4 decisions), 2 Draws
 * align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Result
 * align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Record
 * align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Opponent
 * align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Type
 * align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Round
 * align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Date
 * align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Location
 * align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Notes
 * -align=center
 * Loss
 * 8–8
 * align=left| Denton Ruddock
 * TKO
 * 5
 * 30 March 1981
 * align=left|Aston Villa Leisure Centre, Birmingham
 * align=left|Referee stopped the bout at 1:57 of the fifth round.
 * Loss
 * 20–21–8
 * align=left| Tony Moore
 * PTS
 * 8
 * 14 December 1980
 * align=left|Burlington Hotel, Dublin
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 10–21–6
 * align=left| David Fry
 * TKO
 * 6
 * 22 September 1980
 * align=left|Maysfield Leisure Centre, Belfast
 * align=left|
 * Loss
 * 9–3–3
 * align=left| George Scott
 * PTS
 * 8
 * 20 November 1979
 * align=left|Maysfield Leisure Centre, Belfast
 * align=left|
 * Loss
 * 12–3
 * align=left| Tommy Kiely
 * TKO
 * 6
 * 22 May 1978
 * align=left|Grosvenor House, Mayfair, London
 * align=left|
 * Loss
 * 8–1
 * align=left| Neil Malpass
 * TKO
 * 3
 * 19 September 1977
 * align=left|Grosvenor House, Mayfair, London
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 1–2
 * align=left| Sean McKenna
 * TKO
 * 2
 * 26 July 1977
 * align=left|Templemore Sports Complex, Derry
 * align=left|BBBofC Northern Ireland Heavyweight Title.
 * Win
 * 12–2
 * align=left| Terry O'Connor
 * TKO
 * 1
 * 7 April 1977
 * align=left|Dudley Town Hall, Dudley
 * align=left|
 * Loss
 * 13–6–2
 * align=left| Tony Moore
 * TKO
 * 4
 * 30 November 1976
 * align=left|Dudley Civic Hall, Dudley
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 16–9–1
 * align=left| Eddie Fenton
 * TKO
 * 4
 * 14 July 1976
 * align=left|Wolverhampton
 * align=left|
 * Loss
 * 30–9
 * align=left| Richard Dunn
 * KO
 * 2
 * 4 November 1975
 * align=left|Empire Pool, London
 * align=left|BBBofC British/Commonwealth Heavyweight Titles.
 * Win
 * 6–6
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Rodell Dupree
 * KO
 * 3
 * 14 October 1975
 * align=left|Royal Albert Hall, London
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 11–2–1
 * align=left|🇩🇪 Hartmut Sasse
 * KO
 * 5
 * 3 June 1975
 * align=left|Royal Albert Hall, London
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Richie Yates
 * KO
 * 3
 * 29 April 1975
 * align=left|Royal Albert Hall, London
 * align=left|
 * Loss
 * 38–6
 * align=left|🇯🇲 Bunny Johnson
 * KO
 * 9
 * 13 January 1975
 * align=left|Grosvenor House, Mayfair, London
 * align=left|BBBofC British/Commonwealth Heavyweight Titles.
 * Loss
 * 29–5–1
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Pat Duncan
 * PTS
 * 10
 * 15 January 1974
 * align=left|Royal Albert Hall, London
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 14–12
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Vernon McIntosh
 * KO
 * 4
 * 11 December 1973
 * align=left|Royal Albert Hall, London
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 16–11
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Tony Ventura
 * TKO
 * 1
 * 13 November 1973
 * align=left|Empire Pool, London
 * align=left|Referee stopped the bout at 1:45 of the first round.
 * Loss
 * 13–3
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Morris Jackson
 * TKO
 * 3
 * 14 May 1973
 * align=left|Grosvenor House, Mayfair, London
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 3–2
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Willie Moore
 * KO
 * 5
 * 12 December 1972
 * align=left|Villa Park, Birmingham
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 58–12
 * align=left| Jack Bodell
 * KO
 * 2
 * 27 June 1972
 * align=left|Villa Park, Birmingham
 * align=left|BBBofC British/Commonwealth Heavyweight Titles. Bodell knocked out at 1:31 of the second round.
 * Loss
 * 18–1–1
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Larry Middleton
 * TKO
 * 8
 * 13 March 1972
 * align=left|King's Hall, Manchester
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 12–1
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Chuck Olivera
 * KO
 * 7
 * 9 December 1971
 * align=left|Wolverhampton Civic Hall, Wolverhampton
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 10–11
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Dick Gosha
 * TKO
 * 9
 * 8 November 1971
 * align=left|Mayfair, London
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 30–8–3
 * align=left|🇨🇦 Bill Drover
 * KO
 * 4
 * 13 September 1971
 * align=left|Mayfair, London
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 22–23
 * align=left|🇵🇪 Roberto Davila
 * TKO
 * 5
 * 9 June 1971
 * align=left|Cliffs Pavilion, Southend
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 31–9
 * align=left|🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Carl Gizzi
 * PTS
 * 10
 * 28 April 1971
 * align=left|Solihull Civic Hall, Solihull
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 7–0
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Rahaman Ali
 * PTS
 * 6
 * 8 March 1971
 * align=left|Madison Square Garden, New York City
 * align=left|
 * Draw
 * 10–5–2
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Tommy Hicks
 * PTS
 * 10
 * 24 February 1971
 * align=left|Mayfair Sporting Club, Mayfair, London
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 15–31–5
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Lou Bailey
 * PTS
 * 8
 * 19 January 1971
 * align=left|Ulster Hall, Belfast
 * align=left|
 * Draw
 * 23–10–4
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Ray Patterson
 * PTS
 * 10
 * 3 December 1970
 * align=left|Wolverhampton Civic Hall, Wolverhampton
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 9–4–2
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Tommy Hicks
 * TKO
 * 7
 * 12 November 1970
 * align=left|Southend
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 13–11–4
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Moses Harrell
 * TKO
 * 1
 * 12 October 1970
 * align=left|Mayfair Sporting Club, Mayfair, London
 * align=left|
 * Loss
 * 18–8–2
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Jack O'Halloran
 * PTS
 * 8
 * 6 July 1970
 * align=left|Mayfair Sporting Club, Mayfair, London,
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 2–5
 * align=left|🇺🇸 JD McCauley
 * KO
 * 1
 * 19 May 1970
 * align=left|Cliffs Pavilion, Southend
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 4–2–2
 * align=left|🇯🇲 Edmund Stewart
 * TKO
 * 2
 * 27 April 1970
 * align=left|Mayfair, London,
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 7–3
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Sylvester Dullaire
 * KO
 * 4
 * 17 March 1970
 * align=left|Wolverhampton
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 12–24–3
 * align=left|🇦🇬 Billy Wynter
 * TKO
 * 3
 * 5 March 1970
 * align=left|Cliffs Pavilion, Southend
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 6–8–2
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Tommy Clark
 * TKO
 * 5
 * 23 February 1970
 * align=left|Grosvenor House, Mayfair, London,
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 6–13–6
 * align=left|🇲🇶 Henri Ferjules
 * KO
 * 2
 * 12 January 1970
 * align=left|Mayfair Sporting Club, Mayfair, London,
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 10–3–1
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Phil Smith
 * TKO
 * 3
 * 17 November 1969
 * align=left|Great International Sporting Club, Nottingham
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 7–12–2
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Obe Hepburn
 * TKO
 * 4
 * 15 September 1969
 * align=left|Mayfair Sporting Club, Mayfair, London
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 11–5–3
 * align=left|🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Dennis Avoth
 * TKO
 * 1
 * 7 July 1969
 * align=left|Mayfair, London
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 2–1
 * align=left| John Cullen
 * TKO
 * 2
 * 7 July 1969
 * align=left|Mayfair, London
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * align=left| Richard Dunn
 * KO
 * 1
 * 7 July 1969
 * align=left|Mayfair, London
 * align=left|
 * }
 * align=left|Mayfair Sporting Club, Mayfair, London,
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 10–3–1
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Phil Smith
 * TKO
 * 3
 * 17 November 1969
 * align=left|Great International Sporting Club, Nottingham
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 7–12–2
 * align=left|🇺🇸 Obe Hepburn
 * TKO
 * 4
 * 15 September 1969
 * align=left|Mayfair Sporting Club, Mayfair, London
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 11–5–3
 * align=left|🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Dennis Avoth
 * TKO
 * 1
 * 7 July 1969
 * align=left|Mayfair, London
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * 2–1
 * align=left| John Cullen
 * TKO
 * 2
 * 7 July 1969
 * align=left|Mayfair, London
 * align=left|
 * Win
 * align=left| Richard Dunn
 * KO
 * 1
 * 7 July 1969
 * align=left|Mayfair, London
 * align=left|
 * }
 * KO
 * 1
 * 7 July 1969
 * align=left|Mayfair, London
 * align=left|
 * }