Barney Eastwood

Who is Barney Eastwood?

Barney Eastwood is an Irish boxing promoter and bookmaker.

Eastwood was introduced to boxing through the weekly boxing tournaments at the nearby US air base and by the tutelage of a school teacher of his from County Cork. At 19 years of age Eastwood was married, to his wife Frances, and was living in Carrickfergus running a pub and assist in the running of a local boxing club. In the late 1950s Eastwood was running small boxing shows in Belfast.

Eastwood was most notable for promoting the career of Barry McGuigan, however after McGuigan's surprise defeat to Steve Cruz in Las Vegas, United States the relationship between the two soured and this led to a costly and acrimonious legal battle between the two.

During the 1980s and 90s, Eastwood ran "Eastwood's Gym" along with John Breen on Belfast's King Street. In February 2008 it was announced that Barney Eastwood would be selling his chain of 54 Betting Shops to UK chain Ladbrokes for £135 Million.