James Walter "Buddy" McGirt (born January 17, 1964) is a boxing trainer, and retired boxer. He was born in Brentwood, New York.
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In 1988, McGirt defeated Frankie Warren, avenging his only defeat, to win the IBF light welterweight title.[1] In his second defense, he lost the title to Meldrick Taylor.[2]
Three years later, in November 1991, he defeated Simon Brown to win the Lineal and WBC welterweight titles.[3][4]
McGirt lost the titles to Pernell Whitaker in 1993.[5] The following year, he again lost to Whitaker in an attempt to regain the title. In 1997, McGirt retired with a record of 73-6-1 (48 KOs).
After his career as a boxer ended, he became a trainer. McGirt trains many top ranked fighters, including Antonio Tarver, Timo Hoffmann and James McGirt Jr.. He has recently taken 3 English fighters, Paul Smith, Brian Mihtar, Matthew Macklin, and Audley Harrison. He won the Boxing Writers' Association of America Trainer of the Year Award for 2002.
Some of his high-profile fights have ended in defeats for his fighters, including Lamon Brewster who lost his WBO title in a rematch to Wladimir Klitschko, (IBF, WBO, Ring Magazine Heavyweight champion), Antonio Tarver who lost to Bernard Hopkins, Tomasz Adamek who lost WBC title to Chad Dawson, Paulie Malignaggi who lost to Ricky Hatton (which saw Malignaggi leave McGirt in search of a new trainer), and Arturo Gatti who was KO'd by Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Carlos Baldomir.
However, McGirt has had some successes in title fights of some of his fighters. Those successes include Antonio Tarver's two victories over Roy Jones Jr, Vernon Forrest's victories over both Carlos Baldomir and Sergio Mora, and Arturo Gatti's victories over Gianluco Branco, Leonard Dorin, Jesse James Leija, and Thomas Damgaard.
His son, James McGirt Jr., is also a professional boxer.
McGirt also trains Kurt Pellegrino's boxing, his first venture into MMA.
Buddy was trained and managed by Al Certo.
| Preceded by Terry Marsh retires |
IBF Light Welterweight Champion 14 February 1988 – 3 September 1988 |
Succeeded by Meldrick Taylor |
| Preceded by Simon Brown |
WBC Welterweight Champion 29 November 1991– 6 March 1993 |
Succeeded by Pernell Whitaker |
| Lineal Welterweight Champion 29 November 1991– 6 March 1993 |