# Shea Neary

James Patrick "Shea" Neary (/ˈʃeɪ ˈnɪəri/ shay NEER-ee; born 18 May 1968) is a British former professional boxer who competed from 1992 to 2000. He held the WBU light-welterweight title from 1996 to 2000, and challenged once for the Commonwealth light-welterweight title in the latter year.

## Amateur career

Neary fought as an amateur from the age of 15, compiling a record of 21 fights and 3 losses.

## Professional career

Neary made his professional debut on 3 September 1992, defeating fellow debutant Simon Ford by knockout in the first round. On 8 September 1995, Neary won his first regional championship—the vacant British Central Area title—by knocking out Nigel Bradley in two rounds. Three fights later, on 26 October 1996, Neary scored a twelve-round unanimous decision over Darryl Tyson to win the vacant WBU light-welterweight title. He made five successful defences of the title, all televised nationally on ITV's The Big Fight Live. One of these defences included a sixth-round stoppage over former British light-welterweight champion Andy Holligan on 12 March 1998.
On 11 March 2000, Neary fought Micky Ward as part of the undercard to Naseem Hamed vs. Vuyani Bungu. This brought Neary international exposure for the first time, as the event was televised in the United States by HBO on their World Championship Boxing series. In a high-paced, action-packed slugfest, Ward handed Neary his first loss by stopping him in the eighth round. The fight was dramatised in the 2010 film The Fighter, with Anthony Molinari playing the part of Neary.
Neary won one more fight on 25 July 2000, scoring a ten-round points decision over Alan Bosworth. However, Neary had struggled to make weight before the fight, and was quoted as having lacked motivation coming in. On 11 November 2000, in what would be Neary's final fight, he lost via points decision to then-reigning Commonwealth light-welterweight champion Eamonn Magee. The result, judged by referee Roy Francis, was viewed as controversial.

## Personal life

Neary's father moved from Ireland to Liverpool in the 1940s, and during his career Neary was embraced as both an Irishman and a Scouser. On 2 May 2011, Neary was arrested following a brawl at the Revolution bar in Albert Dock, Liverpool, but was later cleared of assault charges in December.
Neary's son James Metcalf, nicknamed "Kid Shamrock", became a professional boxer in 2011 and competes as a light-middleweight. He has called his father "a huge inspiration growing up", and the reason he wanted to be a boxer.

## Professional boxing record

| 25 fights | 23 wins | 2 losses |
| By knockout | 16 | 1 |
| By decision | 7 | 1 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
| 25 | Loss | 23–2 | Eamonn Magee | PTS | 12 | 11 Nov 2000 | Waterfront Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland | For Commonwealth light-welterweight title |
| 24 | Win | 23–1 | Alan Bosworth | PTS | 10 | 25 Jul 2000 | Elephant and Castle Shopping Centre, London, England | |
| 23 | Loss | 22–1 | Micky Ward | TKO | 8 (12), 2:55 | 11 Mar 2000 | London Olympia, London, England | Lost WBU light-welterweight title |
| 22 | Win | 22–0 | Mike Griffith | TKO | 4 (12), 2:49 | 19 Jun 1999 | National Stadium, Dublin, Ireland | Retained WBU light-welterweight title |
| 21 | Win | 21–0 | Juan Carlos Ceferino Villarreal | UD | 12 | 24 Oct 1998 | St George's Hall, Liverpool, England | Retained WBU light-welterweight title |
| 20 | Win | 20–0 | Naas Scheepers | UD | 12 | 21 Jul 1998 | Kingsway Leisure Centre, Widnes, England | Retained WBU light-welterweight title |
| 19 | Win | 19–0 | Andy Holligan | TKO | 6 (12), 2:42 | 12 Mar 1998 | Stanley Park, Liverpool, England | Retained WBU light-welterweight title |
| 18 | Win | 18–0 | Jeremiah Malinga | KO | 3 (12), 3:04 | 1 Mar 1997 | Everton Park Sports Centre, Liverpool, England | Retained WBU light-welterweight title |
| 17 | Win | 17–0 | Darryl Tyson | UD | 12 | 26 Oct 1996 | Everton Park Sports Centre, Liverpool, England | Won vacant WBU light-welterweight title |
| 16 | Win | 16–0 | Terry Southerland | KO | 2 (8), 2:48 | 3 Feb 1996 | Everton Park Sports Centre, Liverpool, England | |
| 15 | Win | 15–0 | Mark Richardson | KO | 1 (8) | 24 Nov 1995 | Bowlers Exhibition Centre, Manchester, England | |
| 14 | Win | 14–0 | Nigel Bradley | KO | 2 (10) | 8 Sep 1995 | Everton Park Sports Centre, Liverpool, England | Won vacant British Central Area light-welterweight title |
| 13 | Win | 13–0 | Hugh Forde | RTD | 6 (8), 3:00 | 16 Jun 1995 | Everton Park Sports Centre, Liverpool, England | |
| 12 | Win | 12–0 | Tony Swift | TKO | 3 (8) | 15 Mar 1995 | Moat House, Stoke-on-Trent, England | |
| 11 | Win | 11–0 | John Smith | TKO | 5 (8), 0:12 | 25 Jan 1995 | European Sporting Club, Stoke-on-Trent, England | |
| 10 | Win | 10–0 | Tony Foster | KO | 2 (6) | 7 Dec 1994 | Trentham Gardens, Stoke-on-Trent, England | |
| 9 | Win | 9–0 | Mark Pearce | KO | 4 (6) | 13 Jun 1994 | Devonshire House Hotel, Liverpool, England | |
| 8 | Win | 8–0 | Mark Antony | KO | 1 (6) | 25 Oct 1993 | Devonshire House Hotel, Liverpool, England | |
| 7 | Win | 7–0 | Wayne Shepherd | TD | 2 (6) | 6 Sep 1993 | Devonshire House Hotel, Liverpool, England | |
| 6 | Win | 6–0 | John Smith | PTS | 6 | 29 Mar 1993 | Devonshire House Hotel, Liverpool, England | |
| 5 | Win | 5–0 | Vaughan Carnegie | KO | 1 (6) | 22 Feb 1993 | Devonshire House Hotel, Liverpool, England | |
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | Chris Saunders | PTS | 6 | 1 Dec 1992 | Everton Park Sports Centre, Liverpool, England | |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | Jason Barker | TKO | 3 (6) | 2 Nov 1992 | Devonshire House Hotel, Liverpool, England | |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Shaun Armstrong | TKO | 6 (6) | 5 Oct 1992 | Devonshire House Hotel, Liverpool, England | |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Simon Ford | KO | 1 (6) | 3 Sep 1992 | Everton Park Sports Centre, Liverpool, England | |