Madison Square Garden executive Frank Murphy and longtime NBA public relations vice president Brian McIntyre will also be honored at the benefit for Cooney's Fighters Institute for Support and Training Foundation at Gallagher's, 228 West 52nd St. in Manhattan. The luncheon starts at 1 p.m.

On the menu at the $50 per person event, which is open to the public, will be traditional Irish fare, including leek and potato soup, corned beef, cabbage, and lamb stew. For reservations, call FIST at (888) 765-FIST or Gallagher's at (212) 245-5336.

Cooney founded FIST in 1998. The non-profit organization provides medical, financial, psychological and vocational support to both active and retired professional and amateur boxers and sparring partners.

FIST helps fighters make the transition from the ring to life after boxing through a wide range of programs and services geared to the special needs of boxers.

One of the biggest punchers of his generation, the 6-foot-6 Cooney, with roots in County Mayo, came out of Huntington, L.I., to fight for the world title against Muhammad Ali-protégé Larry Holmes in June 1982.

Cooney lost via KO after 13 rounds and was unsuccessful in a second crack at the heavyweight championship against Holmes's conqueror Michael Spinks. He retired with an impressive 28-3 record after his third pro loss, to George Foreman in 1990.

A two-time New York Golden Gloves champion, Cooney was a gangly 6-4 16-year-old when he won his first Gloves pendant in front of 21,000 fans at Madison Square Garden on St. Patrick's Day 1972.

Clancy, a former teacher, has worked as manager and trainer for some of the top fighters in professional boxing since the 1950s.

He enjoyed early success with middleweight Ralph "Tiger" Jones, who defeated the likes of Sugar Ray Robinson, Kid Gavilan and Joey Giardello, before clinching a world title with Hall-of-Famer Emile Griffith.

Clancy and his partner Howie Albert led Griffith, who went on to become a six-time world champion, to welterweight and middleweight titles.

Among the other stars Clancy was associated with were Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Ken Buchanan, Jerry Quarry and Cooney. He came out of retirement in the 1990s, to work with Oscar De La Hoya.

Out of the ring, Clancy became the matchmaker for Madison Square Garden Boxing in 1978. He held the position for three years before turning to broadcasting, providing expert television analysis over the years for CBS, HBO and the MSG Network.

In 1983, the Boxing Writers Association of America presented Clancy with the Sam Taub Award for Excellence in Broadcasting Journalism. The association had also named him Manager of the Year in 1967 and 1973.