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I was browsing the internet recently and found this fantastic article on the amazing and very overlooked and underrated lightweight great Ken Buchanan. It is quite long but a great read and well worth it. He was truly an amazing fighter and one of the best ever at lightweight. He seems to be getting a bit more recognition now and should not be forgotten....
History has been cruel to Ken Buchanan. It is a sad fact that Buchanan is remembered for one punch he took, instead of the thousands he slipped, parried, blocked, stopped in their tracks with his jab, and countered with staggering consistency.
It was June 26th, 1972 when Roberto Duran landed one of boxing's most controversial punches (was it sufficiently low and premeditated enough for Buchanan to have retained his title via disqualification?), a punch that pushed seventeen years of stylish boxing to the deep dark recesses of boxing fans' memories. All became blurred in the shadows of Duran's greatness.
The real image of Buchanan is slowly emerging, and history is correcting itself. Buchanan was a special boxer, as his induction into the Boxing Hall of Fame in 2000 confirms. Buchanan climbed to great heights because he was one of those lucky people that knew what he wanted to be at an early age.
Buchanan was born on June 28, 1945, raised in the restricted ration era of post World War II Edinburgh, Scotland. Ken, the older of two boys, caught the fistic fever after he received a pair of boxing gloves from an aunt for his eighth birthday, and soon Ken had talked his father into allowing him to join the local Sparta boxing club (where a plaque now commemorates his career). It led to a discovery, an unearthing of Scotland's most gifted fists since the days of the legendary Benny Lynch.
Buchanan was also lucky since Sparta was one of Europe's best amateur boxing programs, with quality training facilities and a commitment to amateur boxing. It was here that Buchanan developed that left jab - a beautiful jab which would confound novices, journeymen, prospects, contenders, and champions alike. It was sleek, and like a dart when it reached its full 70 inch extension - a weapon that shot out from behind a high guard with appalling accuracy and appealing regularity.
Buchanan had a very good amateur career, and Ken won his first medal in the 50 pound and under weight class. Buchanan became a gym rat, and never veered from a course set in boxing. Buchanan advanced to European level tournaments, competing, but not medaling, in the 1963 and 1965 European championships. Buchanan fared much better in The United Kingdom, where his arm was lifted in victory as Scotland's and England's amateur champion in the featherweight weight class in 1965.
Having reached the heights of amateur success in the United Kingdom, Buchanan set his sights on the pro ranks. Buchanan signed with Welsh manager Eddie Thomas, who had previously managed world champion Howard Winstone, and took his classic stand up boxing style, reinforced by a solid punch and sturdy chin, to the pro ranks. Unfortunately for Buchanan, it marked the start of an under publicized career in the United Kingdom.
Buchanan might well be the only European boxer who found more acknowledgment and praise in America than in his native Scotland and the United Kingdom. Sporting Tartan plaid shorts, Buchanan was a well received ambassador of European boxing on American shores.
Buchanan began to box professionally in September of 1965, scoring a second round knockout of Brian Tonks. Buchanan spent much of his early ring years hidden from public viewing, performing in front of small black tie crowds at sporting club events in London. These shows were closed to the average fan, thus Buchanan never acquired the mass appeal that his skills demanded. A hidden advantage was that when Buchanan emerged from the upper crust club scene, he was a finished product, having polished out rough edges against the likes of 71 fight veteran Chris Elliott in only his eighth bout. The rough edges in Buchanan's disposition were another matter, which allowed English sportswriters to miscast Buchanan with comments about his "abrasive personality".
Great English boxing writer Hugh McIlvanney looked deeper, and saw through Buchanan's outer shell. "Buchanan, brooding in the shadowed interior of his own personality, was sorting out his memories. From his early boyhood he had harbored a deep sense of persecution. Now he saw his triumphs less as a key to popularity then as a bludgeon to put down those who had denied it to him in the past."
Conflict was a constant to Buchanan, and almost from the beginning he and his father clashed with manager Eddie Thomas. The Welsh manager maintained a long distance relationship with Buchanan, almost never seeing his prodigy in action. The Buchanans had also overestimated Thomas' waning connections in British boxing. This meant Buchanan had a tough time getting the quality fights that could lead him to British or Commonwealth title opportunities.
In his second year as pro, Buchanan finally appeared on his native soil, winning the Scottish lightweight title with a ten round decision over John McMillan. A second win on Scottish turf followed three months later when Buchanan stopped rugged Italian Franco Brondi in three rounds, a victory which placed Buchanan in the European ratings.
The British title was foremost on the mind of Buchanan and his management team. At the end of 1967, Buchanan took his first step to a British title when he beat Irishman Spike McCormack over twelve rounds in a British lightweight title eliminator. Four months later, in February of 1968, Buchanan stepped in the ring against slick boxing Maurice Cullen. It became Buchanan's unveiling to the London fight scene, where he scored a most impressive knockout win. Cullen was the betting favorite, but Buchanan took charge from the outset, dropping Cullen twice in the second round. Cullen was down twice more in the ninth before taking the full count in the eleventh.
Buchanan fought four more times in 1968, the best of which was a ten round win over 100 fight Cuban veteran Angel Garcia that put Buchanan's record at a perfect 26-0.
Buchanan got off to a brilliant start in 1969 with a ten round shutout of speedy Puerto Rican Frankie Narvaez (who had previously defeated champions Teo Cruz, and Joe Brown), who was brought in to see how Buchanan could deal with his fast feet. Narvaez defeated future champion Chango Carmona in his next fight, solidifying Team Buchanan's thoughts about closing in on the world's elite. Buchanan closed 1969 with a 30-0 record and a win over awkward Spaniard Jose Torcida.
As good as 1969 was for Buchanan, is how bad 1970 began for him. Everything was gelling in the ring for Buchanan, but outside the ring that all was unraveling. Buchanan shocked British boxing by announcing his retirement, which was seen by the British press as a flawed plan for him to get out of the promotional contract with Eddie Thomas. Buchanan was serious however, having returned his British license and title belt, getting married and returning to his job as a carpenter. At age 24 it looked like a good boxing career had just been thwarted.
Eddie Thomas, and Buchanan's father, managed to talk Buchanan out of his retirement by consenting to have the dispute resolved by The British Board of Boxing Control. The Board voted in favor of Eddie Thomas. Buchanan reluctantly accepted the decision, and held to his word to return to the ring. He did so with a win over Vincenzo Pitardi, taking out his frustrations with a second round knockout. Next up for Buchanan was a European title challenge in which he was favored to beat Spaniard, and future world champion, Miguel Velasquez in Madrid for the vacant title.
Buchanan was 33-0, but about to lose his first fight amid the lingering resentment of having lost his his contractual dispute with Thomas. To his credit Velasquez pushed the action, and it was an action filled contest with neither man establishing clear dominance. The turning point came when Buchanan was the victim of a flash knockdown in the ninth round, but bounced up without taking a count. It swayed the judges for the ensuing rounds and Velasquez won a close and hotly disputed decision.
Buchanan was distraught over the loss, but refused to let doubts creep into his mind, winning three fights over the next four months, including a win over Brian Hudson to reclaim his British lightweight title. Buchanan's name would soon reach beyond the British Isles. The WBA called upon Buchanan to fight Ismael Laguna for their title, which Buchanan accepted, even though it meant traveling to the hot and unbearably humid Puerto Rican climate. Laguna was a 5-2 favorite, and The Ring noted Buchanan as "pale and about as accustomed to such conditions as a Polar Bear"
History has been cruel to Ken Buchanan. It is a sad fact that Buchanan is remembered for one punch he took, instead of the thousands he slipped, parried, blocked, stopped in their tracks with his jab, and countered with staggering consistency.
It was June 26th, 1972 when Roberto Duran landed one of boxing's most controversial punches (was it sufficiently low and premeditated enough for Buchanan to have retained his title via disqualification?), a punch that pushed seventeen years of stylish boxing to the deep dark recesses of boxing fans' memories. All became blurred in the shadows of Duran's greatness.
The real image of Buchanan is slowly emerging, and history is correcting itself. Buchanan was a special boxer, as his induction into the Boxing Hall of Fame in 2000 confirms. Buchanan climbed to great heights because he was one of those lucky people that knew what he wanted to be at an early age.
Buchanan was born on June 28, 1945, raised in the restricted ration era of post World War II Edinburgh, Scotland. Ken, the older of two boys, caught the fistic fever after he received a pair of boxing gloves from an aunt for his eighth birthday, and soon Ken had talked his father into allowing him to join the local Sparta boxing club (where a plaque now commemorates his career). It led to a discovery, an unearthing of Scotland's most gifted fists since the days of the legendary Benny Lynch.
Buchanan was also lucky since Sparta was one of Europe's best amateur boxing programs, with quality training facilities and a commitment to amateur boxing. It was here that Buchanan developed that left jab - a beautiful jab which would confound novices, journeymen, prospects, contenders, and champions alike. It was sleek, and like a dart when it reached its full 70 inch extension - a weapon that shot out from behind a high guard with appalling accuracy and appealing regularity.
Buchanan had a very good amateur career, and Ken won his first medal in the 50 pound and under weight class. Buchanan became a gym rat, and never veered from a course set in boxing. Buchanan advanced to European level tournaments, competing, but not medaling, in the 1963 and 1965 European championships. Buchanan fared much better in The United Kingdom, where his arm was lifted in victory as Scotland's and England's amateur champion in the featherweight weight class in 1965.
Having reached the heights of amateur success in the United Kingdom, Buchanan set his sights on the pro ranks. Buchanan signed with Welsh manager Eddie Thomas, who had previously managed world champion Howard Winstone, and took his classic stand up boxing style, reinforced by a solid punch and sturdy chin, to the pro ranks. Unfortunately for Buchanan, it marked the start of an under publicized career in the United Kingdom.
Buchanan might well be the only European boxer who found more acknowledgment and praise in America than in his native Scotland and the United Kingdom. Sporting Tartan plaid shorts, Buchanan was a well received ambassador of European boxing on American shores.
Buchanan began to box professionally in September of 1965, scoring a second round knockout of Brian Tonks. Buchanan spent much of his early ring years hidden from public viewing, performing in front of small black tie crowds at sporting club events in London. These shows were closed to the average fan, thus Buchanan never acquired the mass appeal that his skills demanded. A hidden advantage was that when Buchanan emerged from the upper crust club scene, he was a finished product, having polished out rough edges against the likes of 71 fight veteran Chris Elliott in only his eighth bout. The rough edges in Buchanan's disposition were another matter, which allowed English sportswriters to miscast Buchanan with comments about his "abrasive personality".
Great English boxing writer Hugh McIlvanney looked deeper, and saw through Buchanan's outer shell. "Buchanan, brooding in the shadowed interior of his own personality, was sorting out his memories. From his early boyhood he had harbored a deep sense of persecution. Now he saw his triumphs less as a key to popularity then as a bludgeon to put down those who had denied it to him in the past."
Conflict was a constant to Buchanan, and almost from the beginning he and his father clashed with manager Eddie Thomas. The Welsh manager maintained a long distance relationship with Buchanan, almost never seeing his prodigy in action. The Buchanans had also overestimated Thomas' waning connections in British boxing. This meant Buchanan had a tough time getting the quality fights that could lead him to British or Commonwealth title opportunities.
In his second year as pro, Buchanan finally appeared on his native soil, winning the Scottish lightweight title with a ten round decision over John McMillan. A second win on Scottish turf followed three months later when Buchanan stopped rugged Italian Franco Brondi in three rounds, a victory which placed Buchanan in the European ratings.
The British title was foremost on the mind of Buchanan and his management team. At the end of 1967, Buchanan took his first step to a British title when he beat Irishman Spike McCormack over twelve rounds in a British lightweight title eliminator. Four months later, in February of 1968, Buchanan stepped in the ring against slick boxing Maurice Cullen. It became Buchanan's unveiling to the London fight scene, where he scored a most impressive knockout win. Cullen was the betting favorite, but Buchanan took charge from the outset, dropping Cullen twice in the second round. Cullen was down twice more in the ninth before taking the full count in the eleventh.
Buchanan fought four more times in 1968, the best of which was a ten round win over 100 fight Cuban veteran Angel Garcia that put Buchanan's record at a perfect 26-0.
Buchanan got off to a brilliant start in 1969 with a ten round shutout of speedy Puerto Rican Frankie Narvaez (who had previously defeated champions Teo Cruz, and Joe Brown), who was brought in to see how Buchanan could deal with his fast feet. Narvaez defeated future champion Chango Carmona in his next fight, solidifying Team Buchanan's thoughts about closing in on the world's elite. Buchanan closed 1969 with a 30-0 record and a win over awkward Spaniard Jose Torcida.
As good as 1969 was for Buchanan, is how bad 1970 began for him. Everything was gelling in the ring for Buchanan, but outside the ring that all was unraveling. Buchanan shocked British boxing by announcing his retirement, which was seen by the British press as a flawed plan for him to get out of the promotional contract with Eddie Thomas. Buchanan was serious however, having returned his British license and title belt, getting married and returning to his job as a carpenter. At age 24 it looked like a good boxing career had just been thwarted.
Eddie Thomas, and Buchanan's father, managed to talk Buchanan out of his retirement by consenting to have the dispute resolved by The British Board of Boxing Control. The Board voted in favor of Eddie Thomas. Buchanan reluctantly accepted the decision, and held to his word to return to the ring. He did so with a win over Vincenzo Pitardi, taking out his frustrations with a second round knockout. Next up for Buchanan was a European title challenge in which he was favored to beat Spaniard, and future world champion, Miguel Velasquez in Madrid for the vacant title.
Buchanan was 33-0, but about to lose his first fight amid the lingering resentment of having lost his his contractual dispute with Thomas. To his credit Velasquez pushed the action, and it was an action filled contest with neither man establishing clear dominance. The turning point came when Buchanan was the victim of a flash knockdown in the ninth round, but bounced up without taking a count. It swayed the judges for the ensuing rounds and Velasquez won a close and hotly disputed decision.
Buchanan was distraught over the loss, but refused to let doubts creep into his mind, winning three fights over the next four months, including a win over Brian Hudson to reclaim his British lightweight title. Buchanan's name would soon reach beyond the British Isles. The WBA called upon Buchanan to fight Ismael Laguna for their title, which Buchanan accepted, even though it meant traveling to the hot and unbearably humid Puerto Rican climate. Laguna was a 5-2 favorite, and The Ring noted Buchanan as "pale and about as accustomed to such conditions as a Polar Bear"
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