GOODBYE TO A BRITISH LEGEND
LIKE everyone who remembers him, I was very sorry to hear that former world lightweight champion Ken Buchanan had died. He truly was a British great.
I saw Ken box several times, and covered three of his bouts for BN – all significant in their way. In December 1974 I was in Paris to see him halt Frenchman Leonard Tavarez in 14 rounds to retain his European lightweight title. The win kept Ken on track for a shot at one of the rival world champions – the extra significance, for me, was that when the BN team was travelling home after putting the issue to bed, a look at an evening paper revealed the horrifying fact that my report had got Ken cut over the wrong eye (right as opposed to left). A frantic phone-call from Liverpool Street Station achieved the unheard-of result of getting the print run stopped and the amendment made – there were two editions of Boxing News that week.
Ken got a shot at WBC champion Guts Ishimatsu in Japan, just over two months later – and was outpointed. In July 1975 he went to Italy, successfully defended his European title with a 12th-round stoppage of Giancarlo Usai, and announced his retirement. He was opening a hotel in Edinburgh.
A few weeks later, my future wife and I went on a tour of Scotland, as our first holiday together – we agreed we’d spend a few days in Edinburgh, so I took the opportunity to call on Ken at the hotel. He was very hospitable, and full of plans – he proudly showed us a piece of land at the back which he had just bought, planning on an extension. Sadly, like so many ex-boxers, Ken wasn’t cut out to be a businessman, and the venture failed. In 1979 he announced a comeback.
In June that year I was in Denmark, to cover Dave “Boy” Green’s disastrous European light-welterweight title defence against Joergen Hansen (Hansen knocked Green out in the third round after being floored himself). On the undercard, Ken launched his comeback with a clear points win over American Benny Benitez. Ken had boxed in Denmark several times, and was very popular there - his first three comeback bouts were in Denmark, culminating in a challenge to Ireland’s Charlie Nash for the European 135lbs title. Nash was a fine boxer, but several reporters disagreed with the unanimous decision in his favour.
The sad fact, though, was that the brilliant skills of Ken’s younger days had eroded. Taking on boxers who would had no chance against him at his best, he lost five of his nine comeback bouts, including the last four.
In January 1982 I was at the National Sporting Club, to cover Ken’s eightrounder against George Feeney – who would later win the British title and take the great Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini to a close verdict. Feeney beat Ken on points, and in my report I wrote “[there were] flashes of vintage Buchanan, but there was really no doubt that the youth and strength of Feeney had to be served.” At 36, it was time for Ken to go – and he took the ring mic to announce his retirement.
Ken was immensely proud to be Scottish. When I introduced him to my fiancée as “one of the best British boxers this century,” he cut in: “One of the best SCOTTISH boxers” – adding, wryly, “the only time I’m called Scottish is when [TV commentator] Harry Carpenter thinks I’m losing!”
Scotland’s justly proud of Ken, but the rest of Britain can (and should) be too. He was definitely one of the best. Simon Euan-smith
A BRILLIANT CARPENTER
AFTER his career, Ken Buchanan worked in the building sites as a carpenter and one day a workmate asked for his autograph. An apprentice noticed and said in all innocence to Buchanan: You must be a brilliant carpenter.
Tony Connolly
ONE OF BRITAIN'S GREATEST
I WAS so sorry to learn of the passing of Ken Buchanan. What a wonderful boxer he was, he had so many skills and was a delight to watch. Ken has to go down as one of Britain's greatest champions. Rest in peace.
Mike Hinton