Benny Lynch tartan celebrates Scotland’s first world champion boxer

Glasgow boxing legend Benny Lynch now has his own tartan – with proceeds helping to build a statue in his home city.

The Benny Lynch Commemorative tartan celebrates the life and achievements of Scotland’s first champion boxer, regarded as one of Scotland’s greatest fighters.

The tartan, approved by the S cottish Register of Tar tans yesterday has a main back - ground of blue and white representing the Scottish Saltire and incorporates other colours such as red and gold from Glasgow City Council’s coat of arms.

Lynch was born in the Gorbals in 1933 and star ted his career as a teenager during the Depression.

In 1935 when he defeated Jackie Brown in Manchester and returned by train to Glasgow’s Central station we was given a hero’s welcome with thousands of people lining the streets bringing the city to a standstill.

But he struggled with fame and developed an alcohol problem.

He died of m al nutriti on and respiratory p roble ms in the Southern Gener al hospital on 6 August, 1946, aged 33. Over 2,000 people attended his funeral.

Robert Pool, from Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, who designed the tartan, said it celebrated Lynch’ s achievements as Scottish, British, European and World flyweight boxing champion.

Mr Pool said: “I spoke to Benny Lynch’s grand-daughter in Canada and she is happy with any money made from the sale of items from the tartan to go towards the statue.

“It is for the exclusive use of family members meaning they approve what items go on sale.”

Campaign group Remembering Benny Lynch is trying to raise £100,000 for a bronze statue of Lynch.

Glasgow-born Jim Watt, who won the World Boxing Council lightweight title in 1979, has previously said: “Benny Lynch was our first world champion, and inspired other Scots who followed. A statue in Glasgow is long overdue.”

Other high-profile supporters include actor Robert Carlyle and writer Irvine Welsh.