The Scottish Mail on Sunday

Welsh behind bid to put Buchanan statue in capital

- By Jim Black

TRAINSPOTT­ING author Irvine Welsh is backing efforts to have a statue erected to former world champion Ken Buchanan in the capital.

The fellow Leith-born legend has become a patron of the foundation set up by a group of Buchanan’s admirers with the aim of raising funds to create a permanent monument to the man regarded as Scotland’s greatest boxer.

Buchanan (below) was crowned WBA lightweigh­t champion in 1970 and was the American Boxing Writers’ Associatio­n’s Fighter of the Year ahead of Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier.

The following year he became undisputed world champion, beating Ruben Navarro in Los Angeles, and was also undefeated British and European champion.

He lost his title in 1972 to Roberto Duran at Madison Square Garden, when he took a controvers­ial low blow in the 13th round.

Welsh said: ‘Ken was, along with Pat Stanton, my first sporting hero.

‘My dad wouldn’t let me stay up to listen to his fight with Ismael Laguna as I was just a kid and had school the next day. But he couldn’t resist running through to wake me up and inform me Ken had become world champion.

‘Legend is an overused term in sport, but how else can you describe Ken?’ Buchanan’s lifelong friend Owen Smith is the driving force behind the push to raise funds through public and private subscripti­on, social events and sponsorshi­p. A former Scottish welterweig­ht champion who was coached and managed by Buchanan, Smith has also set up a trust to promote and encourage children — including those with disabiliti­es and special needs — to participat­e in sport in Edinburgh.

Fans are also being encouraged to sign an online petition calling for Buchanan to be recognised.

 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom