This is the intensely personal life story of one of Irelands most colourful boxing heavyweights. Big Joe as he's affectionately known, got his first ring baptism of fire when he fought the national junior champion Steve Collins. His second fight proved young Joe had come on.
B
y the age of 24 he had recorded over 80 wins, 7 irish titles and was also a Golden Gloves champion. A mean body puncher with a durable chin, this broad shouldered blonde Dubliner with film star looks fought 11 times wearing the green vest of Ireland. He's considered unfortunate not to have made the Olympics and he attracted more attention when he went the distance with Lennox Lewis and beat future WBA champion Bruce Seldon. This fight had it all and entralled those ringside like New York's 'The Raging Bull' Jake LaMotta, 'Great fight, kid, great fight.'Encouraged by Floyd Patterson to try his luck in the USA he joined Mike Tyson's training camp in the Catskill mountains with the great Cus D'amato. Joe became like a brother to Mike and, in these pages he gives a rare and fascinating insight of the early 'iron' Mike Tyson who once said of Joe after a particularly vicious sparring session he was the toughest whiteman on the planet. The two had become the firmest of friends.
Joe eventually signed pro under Barney Eastwood's stable after a dispute with the I.A.B.A The dreams of the boxer were curelly shattered when he was forced to quit following a serious road accident on the night of his second pro fight. Changing fortunes saw Joe struggle to get his life back on track. His personal life hit the headlines after a public feud exploded from the fallout of his split from his glamourous fiancee, the irish model Lisa Murphy. She'd left him for the millionaire and 'Lord of the Dance', Michael Flatley. The downward spiral continued, with a new pub business venture pitting Joe against organised protection racketeers armed with guns, axes and Machettes. Joe was shot and later charged with attempted murder. He survived until another twist saw him jalied for his part in a luxury car ringing scam.
A Man with any lesser character would have folder, but Joe's an irish man with a massive heart whose adrenaline buzz was always boxing. In May 2004 after an absence of 12 years Big Joe Egan made his ring comeback at 38 years old. The toughest whiteman on the planet was back.
