Boxing power behind the punch

The punch that floored a prominent New Zealander outside the Christchurch District Court this week packed a powerful boxing pedigree.

Danny McNally remains in custody following his attack on the high-profile man who had appeared in court on child sex allegations and whose name is suppressed.
McNally comes from a well-known boxing family. His father Paddy was New Zealand's youngest-ever national senior champion in 1958, the bantam-weight champion in 1959 and the light welterweight champion in 1961.

But he also spent a lot of time fighting with the law.

He was murdered in Sydney's Kings Cross in the 80s in what police called a gangland-style killing. He had already survived an attempt on his life in 1979 when he was shot three times.

Earlier that year he was arrested and charged with stealing the Melbourne Cup. He already had more than 30 convictions, mainly for assault.

Paddy McNally's brother, and Daniel's uncle, Joe, was also a renowned boxer.

He fought 35 professional bouts, winning 22 of them, and held the New Zealand lightweight championship from 1956 to 1959.

Joe McNally died in 1998 after spending the last three years of his life in hospital. He was seriously injured in a car accident on the night of the 1995 Rugby World Cup final.

Joe and Paddy McNally were nephews of Lachie McDonald, a New Zealand and Australasian amateur champion of the 1920s.

Danny McNally made his own pro boxing debut in Christchurch in 2000.

He will be back in court next week to face one count of assault.