**Michael ‘Butty’ Sugrue: A Profile of the Kerryman Who Brought Muhammad Ali to Dublin**
Michael ‘Butty’ Sugrue, a native of County Kerry, is remembered for a multifaceted career that spanned professional boxing promotion and a notable tenure as a performer with Duffy’s Circus.
Known during his time with the circus as “Ireland’s strongest man,” Sugrue gained public attention for feats of physical strength. Among his most cited displays was pulling a double-decker bus down Kilburn High Road in London.
Sugrue is perhaps best known in sporting history for his role in facilitating Muhammad Ali’s visit to Ireland in 1972. As a boxing promoter, Sugrue was instrumental in organizing the heavyweight champion’s appearance at Croke Park in Dublin.
The event remains a significant moment in Irish sporting history, marking a rare visit by the global icon to the country during the height of his career.
Article and image source: independent.ie
