Ken Buchanan
Encyclopedia
Ken Buchanan is a former boxing
undisputed world lightweight champion. Many consider Buchanan to be the best boxer ever to come out of Scotland.
in two rounds in London. He spent much of the early parts of his career fighting undistinguished opponents in England. His Scottish debut came in his 17th fight, when he outpointed John McMillan over 10 rounds on 23 January 1967. Prior to that, he had also beaten Ivan Whiter by a decision in 8 rounds.
on 19 February 1968 for the British Lightweight title in London. He knocked Cullen out in the 11th Round and became a world classified Lightweight challenger.
He continued his way up the world Lightweight rankings by defeating Leonard Tavarez, Angel Robinson Garcia and Whiter (in a rematch) among others, but on 29 January 1970, he found his first stone on the boxing road when he challenged future world Jr. Welterweight champion Miguel Velazquez in Madrid, for the European Lightweight title. Buchanan lost a 15 round decision to Velazquez, but nevertheless, he continued his ascent towards the number one spot in the rankings by beating Tavarez in a rematch, Chris Fernandez and Brian Hudson, the latter of whom was beaten by a knockout in five in a defence of the British Lightweight title.
, where he would meet Ismael Laguna
, the world Lightweight champion from Panama, on 26 September. Many experts thought that San Juan
's warm weather would affect Buchanan, but he upset those who thought that way and beat Laguna by a 15 round decision to become world's Lightweight champion.
At that time, the WBA
and the British Boxing Board of Control
(BBBC), were in the middle of a feud, and Buchanan was not allowed to fight in the United Kingdom. He had to resort to fighting overseas for a short period of time.
He finished 1970 beating Donato Panuato by a 10 round decision in a non-title bout, and then he began 12 February 1971 by going to Los Angeles
, where he was recognized as champion by WBC
, with a 15 round decision over Rubén Navarro
. After that, he was allowed to fight in the United Kingdom again, and he returned there to beat former world champion Carlos Morocho Hernández
by a knockout in eight.
Then, he flew to New York to meet Laguna again, this time defending his world title. Buchanan retained the title with another decision over Laguna, and then he had a couple of non-title affairs, one in London and one in South Africa. The South African fight against Andries Steyn in Johannesburg
was a mismatch with his opponent's corner throwing in the towel in the third round.
title for failing to defend against Pedro Carrasco
on 25 June 1971. But he remained the WBA world Lightweight champion. His next defence came on 26 June 1972, against Panama's greatest, the then undefeated Roberto Durán
at the Madison Square Garden
(MSG) in New York. This bout proved to be one of the most controversial fights in boxing history. Durán was ahead on all three cards at the end of the 13th round, at which time the fighters spent an additional 20 seconds punching each other. Buchanan was knocked down writhing in pain from a groin injury, that Buchanan's trainer, Gil Clancy
, said was caused by a knee to the groin. Referee Johnny LoBianco
awarded the fight to Durán, insisting that the blow that took down Buchanan was "in the abdomen, not any lower" and that he felt that Buchanan would be unable to continue fighting. Columnist Red Smith
of The New York Times
wrote that LoBianco had to award the victory to Durán, even if the punch was a low blow, as "anything short of pulling a knife is regarded indulgently" in American boxing. Regardless of the circumstances of the fight's conclusion, the fact is that Buchanan took a beating throughout the bout and required hospitalization and surgery after the bout. Buchanan never received a rematch with Duran during the remainder of his boxing career; according to Gil Clancy this was because of no fan interest.
It is interesting that both fighters, his predecessor and his successor at the WBA championship were both Panamanians, Laguna and Duran.
In his next fight, Buchanan beat former 3 time world champion Carlos Ortiz
by a knockout in six, also at the MSG, and he finished 1972 with a win over Chang Kil Lee.
.
Buchanan re-grouped once again, and won in a defense of the European Lightweight title against Giancarlo Usai by a knockout in 12. But he retired from 1976 to 1978, leaving the European Lightweight title vacant.
When he returned to professional boxing in 1978, he won two straight bouts, but everything else started going backwards for him. Challenging Charlie Nash
in Copenhagen, he lost by a decision in twelve. In 1980, he won two bouts in a row, but after that, he lost five bouts in a row, finally retiring for good after losing to George Feeney by a decision in eight on 25 January 1982. In 2000, he was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame
.
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
undisputed world lightweight champion. Many consider Buchanan to be the best boxer ever to come out of Scotland.
Early career
Before turning pro, Buchanan was the 1965 ABA featherweight champion. He started boxing professionally on 20 September 1965, beating Brian Tonks by a knockoutKnockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
in two rounds in London. He spent much of the early parts of his career fighting undistinguished opponents in England. His Scottish debut came in his 17th fight, when he outpointed John McMillan over 10 rounds on 23 January 1967. Prior to that, he had also beaten Ivan Whiter by a decision in 8 rounds.
Lightweight challenger
Buchanan ran his winning streak to 23 consecutive bouts before challenging Maurice CullenMaurice Cullen (boxer)
Maurice Cullen was an English lightweight boxer, who held the British Lightweight Title, defending it four times.-Boxing style:...
on 19 February 1968 for the British Lightweight title in London. He knocked Cullen out in the 11th Round and became a world classified Lightweight challenger.
He continued his way up the world Lightweight rankings by defeating Leonard Tavarez, Angel Robinson Garcia and Whiter (in a rematch) among others, but on 29 January 1970, he found his first stone on the boxing road when he challenged future world Jr. Welterweight champion Miguel Velazquez in Madrid, for the European Lightweight title. Buchanan lost a 15 round decision to Velazquez, but nevertheless, he continued his ascent towards the number one spot in the rankings by beating Tavarez in a rematch, Chris Fernandez and Brian Hudson, the latter of whom was beaten by a knockout in five in a defence of the British Lightweight title.
Champion
On September of that year, Buchanan travelled to Puerto RicoPuerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, where he would meet Ismael Laguna
Ismael Laguna
Ismael Laguna Meneses was a professional boxer. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2001.Known as "El Tigre Colonense", Laguna was the Panamanian Featherweight Champion from 1962-63...
, the world Lightweight champion from Panama, on 26 September. Many experts thought that San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
's warm weather would affect Buchanan, but he upset those who thought that way and beat Laguna by a 15 round decision to become world's Lightweight champion.
At that time, the WBA
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
and the British Boxing Board of Control
British Boxing Board of Control
The British Boxing Board of Control is the governing body of professional boxing in the United Kingdom. It was formed in 1929 from the old National Sporting Club and is headquartered in Cardiff.- Councils :...
(BBBC), were in the middle of a feud, and Buchanan was not allowed to fight in the United Kingdom. He had to resort to fighting overseas for a short period of time.
He finished 1970 beating Donato Panuato by a 10 round decision in a non-title bout, and then he began 12 February 1971 by going to Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, where he was recognized as champion by WBC
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
, with a 15 round decision over Rubén Navarro
Rubén Navarro
Rubén Navarro Méndez is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for CD Leganés as a striker.-Football career:...
. After that, he was allowed to fight in the United Kingdom again, and he returned there to beat former world champion Carlos Morocho Hernández
Carlos Morocho Hernandez
Carlos Enrique Hernández Ramos was a world champion professional boxer. Known professionally as Carlos Morocho, he ended his career following a KO by Scottish boxer Ken Buchanan.-History:...
by a knockout in eight.
Then, he flew to New York to meet Laguna again, this time defending his world title. Buchanan retained the title with another decision over Laguna, and then he had a couple of non-title affairs, one in London and one in South Africa. The South African fight against Andries Steyn in Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
was a mismatch with his opponent's corner throwing in the towel in the third round.
Stripping of title
He was stripped of the WBCWorld Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
title for failing to defend against Pedro Carrasco
Pedro Carrasco
Pedro Carrasco was a Spanish boxer whose fame transcended the boxing ring. During the 1970s, he was a media darling in Spain.Carrasco was crowned European Lightweight champion in 1967...
on 25 June 1971. But he remained the WBA world Lightweight champion. His next defence came on 26 June 1972, against Panama's greatest, the then undefeated Roberto Durán
Roberto Durán
Roberto Durán Samaniego is a retired professional boxer from Panama, widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time. A versatile brawler in the ring, he was nicknamed "Manos de Piedra" during his career....
at the Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
(MSG) in New York. This bout proved to be one of the most controversial fights in boxing history. Durán was ahead on all three cards at the end of the 13th round, at which time the fighters spent an additional 20 seconds punching each other. Buchanan was knocked down writhing in pain from a groin injury, that Buchanan's trainer, Gil Clancy
Gil Clancy
Gilbert Thomas "Gil" Clancy was a Hall of Fame boxing trainer and one of the most noted boxing commentators of the 1980s and 1990s. He worked with such famous boxers as Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, and George Foreman, as well as Gerry Cooney in his fight with Foreman. In the 1990s, he worked with...
, said was caused by a knee to the groin. Referee Johnny LoBianco
Johnny LoBianco
Johnny LoBianco was an American boxing referee for over 30 years, who was referee for a number of championship fights, including several that ended controversially, most notably Roberto Durán's successful 1972 dethroning of Ken Buchanan in which LoBianco ruled Durán the victor by knockout despite...
awarded the fight to Durán, insisting that the blow that took down Buchanan was "in the abdomen, not any lower" and that he felt that Buchanan would be unable to continue fighting. Columnist Red Smith
Red Smith (sportswriter)
For other uses, see: Red Smith Walter Wellesley "Red" Smith was an American sportswriter who rose to become one of America's most widely read sports columnists.-Career:After graduating from Green Bay East High School, site of Packers home games until 1957, Smith moved on to...
of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
wrote that LoBianco had to award the victory to Durán, even if the punch was a low blow, as "anything short of pulling a knife is regarded indulgently" in American boxing. Regardless of the circumstances of the fight's conclusion, the fact is that Buchanan took a beating throughout the bout and required hospitalization and surgery after the bout. Buchanan never received a rematch with Duran during the remainder of his boxing career; according to Gil Clancy this was because of no fan interest.
It is interesting that both fighters, his predecessor and his successor at the WBA championship were both Panamanians, Laguna and Duran.
In his next fight, Buchanan beat former 3 time world champion Carlos Ortiz
Carlos Ortiz
For the Cuban wrestler with the same name see Carlos Julian OrtízCarlos Ortiz is a Puerto Rican who was a three time world boxing champion, twice in the lightweight division and once in the Jr. Welterweights....
by a knockout in six, also at the MSG, and he finished 1972 with a win over Chang Kil Lee.
Later career
In 1973, Buchanan started out by beating future world Lightweight champion Jim Watt by a decision after 15 rounds, to regain the British lightweight title. Soon, he embarked on another international tour that included more fights in the United States, several fights in Denmark, and one fight in Canada. He won each of those fights, leading towards a challenge of European Lightweight champion Antonio Puddu in Italy, and Buchanan added the European Lightweight championship belt to his shelf by defeating Puddu by a decision in 15 rounds. He retained the title by beating Tavarez for the third time, this time by a knockout in 14 at Paris, and then he travelled to Japan to fight for the world title again. This time, however, he was defeated by a decision in 15 rounds by the WBC's world champion, Guts IshimatsuGuts Ishimatsu
is a former boxing world champion from Kanumashi, Japan. After retiring from boxing, he has gained popularity as an actor and comedian.As a boxer, he was known for his unpredictable style, sometimes marking completely unpredicted victories, and often losing in extravagant fashion as well...
.
Buchanan re-grouped once again, and won in a defense of the European Lightweight title against Giancarlo Usai by a knockout in 12. But he retired from 1976 to 1978, leaving the European Lightweight title vacant.
When he returned to professional boxing in 1978, he won two straight bouts, but everything else started going backwards for him. Challenging Charlie Nash
Charlie Nash
Charlie Nash, born in Derry, Northern Ireland, in 1951, is a retired boxer. As an amateur he held an Irish national title and represented Ireland in the 1972 Olympic Games. As a professional he won the professional British and then European lightweight titles but lost to Jim Watt, when he...
in Copenhagen, he lost by a decision in twelve. In 1980, he won two bouts in a row, but after that, he lost five bouts in a row, finally retiring for good after losing to George Feeney by a decision in eight on 25 January 1982. In 2000, he was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame
International Boxing Hall of Fame
The modern International Boxing Hall of Fame is located in Canastota, New York, United States, within driving distance from the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown and the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta...
.
Possible return to the ring
Because of financial problems, Buchanan intends to make a comeback to boxing even at 63 years of age. He mentioned his desire for a rematch with Roberto Durán, himself 58 years old.See also
External links
- Ken Buchanan - A Look Back At a True Great - The Story Of Buchanans Rise To Fame
- Ken Buchanan - Lightweight Champion of the World - Ken Buchanan site with detailed bio, statistics, full fights and more
- Ken Buchanan interview with stv, 18 June 2007.