Firstly, this is not an attack on Duran as I think he is one of the greatest fighters ever to live!

But....as for this particular fight.

Buchanan the WBA Lightweight Champion was a classy box fighting Scotsman with a record coming into fight of 41w - 1L.

Duran was 21 years old and to be honest although he found Buchanan slick and hard to handle was edging the cards coming to the end of the 13th round.

As the bell sounded both fighters continued to throw and Duran way after the bell dropped a left hook way below the belt flooring Buchanan in agony.

As Buchanan rolled on the floor holding his crown jewels the referee counted him out.

This begs two questions, firstly why would he even count if there was a suspicion of a low blow, if he believed the shot was above the belt then he obviously thought Buchanan was a great actor who in that split second of pain thought I know I'll feign injury to my nuts instead of my gut???

Secondly why did he start the count when the punch landed seconds after the bell therefore it became an illegal shot???

Whats done is done but whats your thoughts on this?

BTW Duran went on to say in later years that Buchanan was one of his hardest fights!

Firstly, this is not an attack on Duran as I think he is one of the greatest fighters ever to live!

But....as for this particular fight.

Buchanan the WBA Lightweight Champion was a classy box fighting Scotsman with a record coming into fight of 41w - 1L.

Duran was 21 years old and to be honest although he found Buchanan slick and hard to handle was edging the cards coming to the end of the 13th round.

As the bell sounded both fighters continued to throw and Duran way after the bell dropped a left hook way below the belt flooring Buchanan in agony.

As Buchanan rolled on the floor holding his crown jewels the referee counted him out.

This begs two questions, firstly why would he even count if there was a suspicion of a low blow, if he believed the shot was above the belt then he obviously thought Buchanan was a great actor who in that split second of pain thought I know I'll feign injury to my nuts instead of my gut???

Secondly why did he start the count when the punch landed seconds after the bell therefore it became an illegal shot???

Whats done is done but whats your thoughts on this?

BTW Duran went on to say in later years that Buchanan was one of his hardest fights!

The result certainly stank, my dad has spoken about this fight on numerous occasions and states that it was a clear foul shot way after the bell.
Therefore Buchanan should have been given time to recover or Duran should have been disqualified.

Duran was the better fighter though.

Firstly, this is not an attack on Duran as I think he is one of the greatest fighters ever to live!

But....as for this particular fight.

Buchanan the WBA Lightweight Champion was a classy box fighting Scotsman with a record coming into fight of 41w - 1L.

Duran was 21 years old and to be honest although he found Buchanan slick and hard to handle was edging the cards coming to the end of the 13th round.

As the bell sounded both fighters continued to throw and Duran way after the bell dropped a left hook way below the belt flooring Buchanan in agony.

As Buchanan rolled on the floor holding his crown jewels the referee counted him out.

This begs two questions, firstly why would he even count if there was a suspicion of a low blow, if he believed the shot was above the belt then he obviously thought Buchanan was a great actor who in that split second of pain thought I know I'll feign injury to my nuts instead of my gut???

Secondly why did he start the count when the punch landed seconds after the bell therefore it became an illegal shot???

Whats done is done but whats your thoughts on this?

BTW Duran went on to say in later years that Buchanan was one of his hardest fights!



I agree that Ken got a bad deal BUT the score cards had Duran way ahead at the time of the stoppage.

Here's a report from the September 1972 issue of the "Boxing Illustrated."

The confusion at the end was so great that two of the Officials, Referee Johnny LaBianco and Judge Bill Recht, neglected to mark their scorecards for the 13th round. LaBianco's tally was 8-3-1, Recht's 9-2-1, while Jack Gordon, the other judge, had a 9-3-1 total.

I'll get a take on what happened from my good friend Howie Albert. I pick Howie up every month for the Ring #8 meetings in New York. Howie was in Buchanan's corner that night.

Duran was 21 years old and to be honest although he found Buchanan slick and hard to handle was edging the cards coming to the end of the 13th round.

As the bell sounded both fighters continued to throw and Duran way after the bell dropped a left hook way below the belt flooring Buchanan in agony.

As Buchanan rolled on the floor holding his crown jewels the referee counted him out.


** First off the fight was not close. Duran was just too strong, too active for Buchanan who made the mistake of continuing to fight after the bell sounded, so Duran promptly queered that desire with a low blow.

There was some confusion with people entering the ring. Don't think he was counted out as much as he was ruled unfit to continue at the start of the next round. Buchanan looked like a weeny with his act which is probably why Duran didn't give him a rematch.

These kinds of things always come up in boxing because rules vary depending on the state, country, org, and contract details.

** First off the fight was not close. Duran was just too strong, too active for Buchanan who made the mistake of continuing to fight after the bell sounded, so Duran promptly queered that desire with a low blow.

There was some confusion with people entering the ring. Don't think he was counted out as much as he was ruled unfit to continue at the start of the next round. Buchanan looked like a weeny with his act which is probably why Duran didn't give him a rematch.

These kinds of things always come up in boxing because rules vary depending on the state, country, org, and contract details.

Among the ppl who know something about boxing, you got to be the most biased. I'd like to see any lightweight "act" after they got low blowed by a prime Duran.

** First off the fight was not close. Duran was just too strong, too active for Buchanan who made the mistake of continuing to fight after the bell sounded, so Duran promptly queered that desire with a low blow.

There was some confusion with people entering the ring. Don't think he was counted out as much as he was ruled unfit to continue at the start of the next round. Buchanan looked like a weeny with his act which is probably why Duran didn't give him a rematch.

These kinds of things always come up in boxing because rules vary depending on the state, country, org, and contract details.

This is why is all about opinions, I have watched the fight numerous times (as I am a huge fan of Duran's) and most rounds were close with Durans just outworking Buchanan hence edging the fight.

The scorecards were right but the fight was closer than the cards lead you to believe, also he's a weeny because he rolled around after taking a full blown hook to the spuds.....???

Duran probably didn't give him a rematch because there were easier and better fights for him and his profile.

Obviously these things do happen in boxing but this is a forum to discuss boxing therefore by your logic there is no point us ever discussing anything anymore because 'things happen'?

At the end of the day the fight was over 15 rounds therefore Buchanan had two more rounds to swing the fight and however unlikely it was that he would stop Duran (knowing what we know now) he should have been given time to recover and carry on the fight.

I agree that Ken got a bad deal BUT the score cards had Duran way ahead at the time of the stoppage.

Here's a report from the September 1972 issue of the "Boxing Illustrated."

The confusion at the end was so great that two of the Officials, Referee Johnny LaBianco and Judge Bill Recht, neglected to mark their scorecards for the 13th round. LaBianco's tally was 8-3-1, Recht's 9-2-1, while Jack Gordon, the other judge, had a 9-3-1 total.

I'll get a take on what happened from my good friend Howie Albert. I pick Howie up every month for the Ring #8 meetings in New York. Howie was in Buchanan's corner that night.

Yep, that would be interesting.

At the end of the day the fight was over 15 rounds therefore Buchanan had two more rounds to swing the fight and however unlikely it was that he would stop Duran (knowing what we know now) he should have been given time to recover and carry on the fight.

** At the end of the day it was Buchanan who initiated the after the bell fracas, not Duran who merely finished what he started. The fault lay with primarily with Buchanan which likely influenced how the end was decided as the ref was on top of everything.

Like you noted, there were 2 rounds left, so there was no need for Buchanan to fight after the bell, except that he was feeling frustrated and overwhelmed and lost it. Just another form of KO.

If he wanted fair treatment, then he shouldn't fight foul.

** At the end of the day it was Buchanan who initiated the after the bell fracas, not Duran who merely finished what he started. The fault lay with primarily with Buchanan which likely influenced how the end was decided as the ref was on top of everything.

Like you noted, there were 2 rounds left, so there was no need for Buchanan to fight after the bell, except that he was feeling frustrated and overwhelmed and lost it. Just another form of KO.

If he wanted fair treatment, then he shouldn't fight foul.

Cannot agree there, rules are rules or next we will be justifying the use of the head etc.

As I said its subjective, Duran is a legend and rightly so, I just think in that particular fight regardless of who was winning there was a lack of strong leadership and refereeing.

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the ref said it himself, it wasn't a low blow, it was a punch to the lower abdomen

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the ref said it himself, it wasn't a low blow, it was a punch to the lower abdomen


so???

are you saying refs never make mistakes? Obviuosly the ref will back up his previous choice rather than say: "sorry I was wrong"

I can't see where Duran landed the punch, and this is the only angle i have ever seen of the incident. The ref was right on top of Duran and got the best view in the house. I'll take the refs word for it.

I can't see where Duran landed the punch, and this is the only angle i have ever seen of the incident. The ref was right on top of Duran and got the best view in the house. I'll take the refs word for it.

he might have had teh best view, but it seems like EVERYONE else at ringside saw a low blow.

It was definitley a low blow, a blatant low blow aswell.
its a black mark against Duran that he never gave Buchanan a rematch.

Seems like you can argue about the low-blow and bell one way or the other. But the fight itself was pretty clear-cut: Duran dominated and beat the crap out of a ridiculously tough guy who really didn't have an offensive answer to Duran's attack.