Dave McAuley (born 16 February 1961) is a retired professional boxer from Belfast, Northern Ireland. He competed primarily in the featherweight division and is best known for holding the International Boxing Federation (IBF) feather‑weight title from 1985 to 1986.
Early life and amateur career
McAuley was born in Belfast and began boxing at a young age, training at the local St. Laurence Boxing Club. As an amateur, he achieved notable success, winning the Irish national feather‑weight title and representing Northern Ireland at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Canada.
Professional career
McAuley turned professional in 1979. Over the course of his career he compiled a record of 31 wins (19 by knockout), 2 losses, and 1 draw. Significant milestones include:
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IBF feather‑weight title (1985–1986): On 23 May 1985, McAuley captured the vacant IBF feather‑weight championship by defeating Rafael Limón via unanimous decision in Belfast. He successfully defended the title twice before losing it to Jeff Fenech on 22 January 1986 by technical knockout in the ninth round.
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World title challenges: In addition to his IBF reign, McAuley challenged for the World Boxing Council (WBC) world feather‑weight title against Ruben Olivares in 1984, though the bout ended in a draw.
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European and British titles: Prior to his world title bout, McAuley held the British feather‑weight title (1983) and the European Boxing Union (EBU) feather‑weight title (1984).
Retirement and later activities
Following his defeat to Fenech, McAuley fought a few more times before retiring from competition in 1987. After retirement, he remained involved in boxing as a trainer and promoter, working primarily out of Belfast. He has also participated in charitable events supporting youth sport development in Northern Ireland.
Legacy
Dave McAuley is regarded as one of Northern Ireland’s prominent boxers of the 1980s. His tenure as IBF feather‑weight champion contributed to the visibility of Irish boxing on the global stage, and he is frequently cited in retrospectives of the era’s feather‑weight champions.