Jump to content
Main menu
Main menu
move to sidebar
hide
Navigation
Main page
Recent changes
Random page
Help about MediaWiki
Special pages
Niidae Wiki
Search
Search
Appearance
Create account
Log in
Personal tools
Create account
Log in
Pages for logged out editors
learn more
Contributions
Talk
Editing
Ken Buchanan
(section)
Page
Discussion
English
Read
Edit
View history
Tools
Tools
move to sidebar
hide
Actions
Read
Edit
View history
General
What links here
Related changes
Page information
Appearance
move to sidebar
hide
Warning:
You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you
log in
or
create an account
, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.
Anti-spam check. Do
not
fill this in!
==Boxing career== ===Early career=== Before turning pro, Buchanan was the 1965 ABA featherweight champion. He started boxing professionally on 20 September 1965, beating Brian Tonks by a [[knockout]] in the second round in London. He spent much of the early parts of his career fighting undistinguished opponents in England. His Scottish debut came in his 17th fight, when he outpointed John McMillan over 10 rounds on 23 January 1967. Prior to that, he had also beaten Ivan Whiter by a decision in eight rounds.<ref name="ringnews24">{{cite news |title=Ken Buchanan – A Look Back At A True Great |url=https://www.ringnews24.com/2010/02/28/ken-buchanan-a-look-back-at-a-true-great/ |work=Ring News 24 |date=28 February 2010 |access-date=28 February 2010}}</ref> ===Lightweight challenger=== Buchanan extended his winning streak to 23 consecutive bouts before challenging [[Maurice Cullen (boxer)|Maurice Cullen]] on 19 February 1968 for the British lightweight title in London. He knocked Cullen out in the 11th round and became a world classified lightweight challenger.<ref name="ringnews24"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Cairns |first=Gordon |date=16 October 2014 |title=Ken Buchanan wins world lightweight title 1970 |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/sportscotland/asportingnation/article/0085/index.shtml |work=BBC |access-date=16 October 2014}}</ref> He continued his way up the world lightweight rankings by defeating Leonard Tavarez, [[Angel Robinson Garcia]] and Whiter (in a rematch) among others, but on 29 January 1970, he found his first stone on the boxing road when he challenged future [[World Boxing Council|WBC]] junior welterweight champion [[Miguel Velasquez]] in [[Madrid, Spain|Madrid]], for the European lightweight title. Buchanan lost a 15-round decision to Velazquez, but nevertheless, he continued his ascent towards the number one spot in the rankings by beating Tavarez in a rematch, Chris Fernandez and Brian Hudson, the latter of whom was beaten by a knockout in five in a defence of the British lightweight title.<ref>{{cite book |last=Odd |first=Gilbert E. |date=1989 |title=The Encyclopedia of Boxing |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OPte-avQDgAC |location=London |publisher=Crescent Books |page=22 |isbn=978-1-55521-395-4 |author-link=Gilbert Odd}}</ref> ===World champion=== In September of that year, Buchanan travelled to [[Puerto Rico]], where he would meet [[Ismael Laguna]], the world lightweight champion from Panama, on 26 September 1970. Many experts believed [[San Juan, Puerto Rico|San Juan]]'s warm weather would affect Buchanan, but he upset those who thought that way and beat Laguna by a 15-round decision to become world's lightweight champion.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1970/09/27/archives/buchanan-rallies-to-outpoint-laguna-for-lightweight-title-in-puerto.html "Buchanan Rallies to Outpoint Laguna for Lightweight Title in Puerto Rico"]. ''[[The New York Times]]'', 27 September 1970.</ref> At that time, the [[World Boxing Association|WBA]] and the [[British Boxing Board of Control]] (''BBBC''), were in the middle of a feud, and Buchanan was not allowed to defend the WBA title fight in [[Great Britain]]. He finished 1970 beating Donato Paduano by a 10-round decision in a non-title bout on 7 December 1970.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1970/12/08/archives/buchanans-speed-defeats-paduano-scotsman-gains-unanimous-decision.html "Buchanan's Speed Defeats Paduano"]. ''[[The New York Times]]'', 8 December 1970.</ref> Buchanan defeated Rubén Navarro in Los Angeles on 12 February 1971, defended the WBA championship, and acquired the vacant [[World Boxing Council|WBC]] championship.<ref name="a">[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2mus-XyGPC0C&dat=19710211&id=iyY-AAAAIBAJ&sjid=uUoMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5768%2C5632706&hl=en "W.B.C. say Fight is for title"], ''[[Evening Times]]'' (Glasgow), 11 February 1971.</ref><ref name="b">[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=GGgVawPscysC&dat=19710212&id=JpJAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BKUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4064%2C2232553&hl=en "WBC approve Buchanan bout"], ''[[The Herald (Glasgow)|The Glasgow Herald]]'', 12 February 1971.</ref><ref name="e">[[World Boxing Council]] Ratings (March 1971)<br />[https://hndm.iib.unam.mx/consulta/publicacion/visualizar/558075be7d1e63c9fea1a303?pagina=558a38ea7d1ed64f16ebabd4&coleccion= {{in lang|es}} "Clasificaciones de Marzo Según el Consejo Mundial de Boxeo"], [[United Press International|UPI]], ''[[El Informador (Mexico)|El Informador]]'' ([[Guadalajara]], [[Jalisco]], [[Mexico]]), 11 March 1971. {| border="2" cellpadding="2" ! | {{center|[[World Boxing Council|WBC]] Ratings on March 1971<br />Lightweight ([[Spanish language|Spanish]]: Livianos)}} |-valign="top" | Champion: '''Ken Buchanan''' (Great Britain)<br /> 1. [[Pedro Carrasco]] ([[Spain]])<br />2. [[Mando Ramos]] ([[United States]])<br />3. [[Miguel Velasquez]] (Spain)<br />4. René Barrientos ([[Philippines]])<br />5. Rubén Navarro (United States)<br />6. Gerard Ferrat (Mexico)<br />7. [[Carlos Morocho Hernández|Carlos Hernandez]] ([[Venezuela]])<br />8. [[Chango Carmona|Erubey "Chango" Carmona]] ([[Mexico]])<br />9. Shinichi Kadota ([[Japan]])<br />10. [[Al Ford]] ([[Canada]]) |}</ref> And thus he became the [[List of undisputed boxing champions|undisputed world lightweight champion]].<ref name="c">[[Reg Gutteridge|Gutteridge, Reg]]. [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2mus-XyGPC0C&dat=19710213&id=jSY-AAAAIBAJ&sjid=uUoMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4641%2C5870095&hl=en "King Ken, World Champion after a shock knock-down"], ''[[Evening Times]]'' (Glasgow), 13 February 1971.</ref><ref name="d">[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=GGgVawPscysC&dat=19710215&id=KJJAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BKUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6728%2C2822284&hl=en "World Champion home to-night"], ''[[The Herald (Glasgow)|The Glasgow Herald]]'', 15 February 1971.</ref> After that, Buchanan was allowed to defend the world championship fight in [[Great Britain]]. Buchanan defeated former world junior welterweight champion [[Carlos Morocho Hernández]] by knockout in round eight of a non-title bout, in [[Wembley]] on 11 May 1971.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=GGgVawPscysC&dat=19710512&id=Oc89AAAAIBAJ&sjid=_UcMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3922%2C2282329&hl=en "Classic show by Buchanan"], ''[[The Herald (Glasgow)|The Glasgow Herald]]'', 12 May 1971.</ref><ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2mus-XyGPC0C&dat=19710512&id=4OdAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Y6cMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6253%2C1773997&hl=en "Great Buchanan has the fans cheering"], ''[[Evening Times]]'' (Glasgow), 12 May 1971.</ref> ===Stripping of title=== {{main|Ken Buchanan vs. Roberto Durán}} He was stripped of the [[World Boxing Council|WBC]] title for failing to defend against [[Pedro Carrasco]] on 25 June 1971.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=GGgVawPscysC&dat=19710626&id=g-A9AAAAIBAJ&sjid=SEgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1249%2C5492419&hl=en "Buchanan's (WBC) title withdrawn"], ''[[The Glasgow Herald]]'', 26 June 1971.</ref> Despite this setback, he remained the WBA world lightweight champion. Then, he flew to New York City to meet Laguna again, this time defending his world title. Buchanan retained the title with another decision over Laguna on 13 September 1971.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1971/09/14/archives/buchanan-retains-title-by-outpointing-laguna.html "Buchanan Retains Title By Outpointing Laguna"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', 14 September 1971.</ref> His next fights were a couple of non-title affairs, one in London and one in South Africa. The South African fight against Andries Steyn in [[Johannesburg]] was a mismatch with his opponent's corner throwing in the towel in the third round on 29 April 1972.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2mus-XyGPC0C&dat=19720501&id=ePRAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=racMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3298%2C13772&hl=en "Ken to settle in S Africa?"], ''[[Evening Times]]'' (Glasgow), 1 May 1972.</ref> His next defence came on 26 June 1972, against Panama's greatest, the then undefeated [[Roberto Durán]] at the [[Madison Square Garden]] (MSG) in New York, in a bout which had a highly controversial ending. Durán was ahead on all three cards at the end of the 13th round, when both fighters exchanged punches after the bell. Buchanan went down, writhing in pain from a low blow, that Buchanan's trainer, [[Gil Clancy]], said was caused by a knee to the groin. Referee [[Johnny LoBianco]] awarded the fight to Durán, insisting that the blow that took down Buchanan was "in the abdomen, not any lower" and that he felt that Buchanan would be unable to continue fighting.<ref>Goldstein, Richard. [https://www.nytimes.com/2001/07/21/sports/johnny-lobianco-85-referee-in-controversial-duran-bout.html "Johnny LoBianco, 85, Referee In Controversial Duran Bout"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', 21 July 2001. Accessed 1 October 2009.</ref> ''[[The New York Times]]'' columnist [[Red Smith (sportswriter)|Red Smith]] wrote that LoBianco had to award the victory to Durán, even if the punch was a low blow, as "anything short of pulling a knife is regarded indulgently" in American boxing.<ref>[[Red Smith (sportswriter)|Smith, Red]]. [https://www.nytimes.com/1972/06/28/archives/and-new-champion.html "And New Champion"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', 28 June 1972; accessed 1 October 2009.</ref> ===Durán's refusal to honour the contract to face Buchanan=== In his next fight, Buchanan beat former three-time world champion [[Carlos Ortiz (boxer)|Carlos Ortiz]] by a knockout in six, also at Madison Square Garden on 20 September 1972.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1972/09/21/archives/oritz-retires-after-buchanan-stops-him-in-6-rounds.html "Oritz Retires After Buchanan Stops Him in 6 Rounds"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', 21 September 1972.</ref> Buchanan finished 1972 with a win over Chang Kil Lee on 4 December 1972.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1972/12/05/archives/buchanan-and-seeley-give-2-koreans-ring-lessons-buchanan-seeley.html "Buchanan and Seeley Give 2 Koreans Ring Lessons"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', 5 December 1972.</ref> On 28 June 1972, Roberto Durán signed to defend it against Buchanan on 20 October 1972. However, Durán broke that agreement when the Panamanian Government insisted he make his first defence in Panama. He did, knocking out Jimmy Robertson on 20 January 1973.<ref name="f">[https://www.nytimes.com/1973/04/05/archives/people-in-sports-duran-barred.html "People in Sports: Duran Barred"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', 5 April 1973.</ref> Durán also had signed a second contract with the MSG on 25 October 1972, to defend against Buchanan on or before 30 June 1973.<ref name="f"/> Once again Durán broke the agreement, and subsequently had his licence suspended by the New York State Athletic Commission on 4 April 1973. The commission also warned Durán that his title recognition would be withdrawn.<ref name="f"/> The New York State Athletic Commission had been attempting for two years (1972–1974) to get Durán to honour an agreement to fight Buchanan. But Durán refused to honour the contract.<ref name="f"/><ref>[[Red Smith (sportswriter)|Smith, Red]]. [https://www.nytimes.com/1973/04/27/archives/dr-kissinger-meet-roberto-duran-red-smith-the-rating-game-continent.html "Red Smith"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', 27 April 1973.</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1973/07/11/archives/people-in-sports-beliveau-turns-down-wha-smillion.html "People in Sports: Beliveau Turns Down W.H.A.’ s Million"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', 11 July 1973.</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1974/08/13/archives/dooley-says-duran-bout-may-be-off.html "Dooley Says Duran Bout May Be Off"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', 13 August 1974.</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1974/08/14/archives/ultimatum-endangers-duran-bout-ultimatum-endangers-duran-bout.html "Ultimatum Endangers Duran Bout"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', 14 August 1974.</ref><ref name="g">[https://www.nytimes.com/1974/08/15/archives/verbal-jabs-end-duran-bout.html "Verbal Jabs End Duran Bout"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', 15 August 1974.</ref> ===Later career=== In 1973, Buchanan started out by beating future world lightweight champion [[Jim Watt (boxer)|Jim Watt]] by a decision after 15 rounds, to regain the British lightweight title. Soon, he embarked on another international tour that included more fights in the United States, several fights in Denmark, and one fight in Canada. He won each of those fights, leading towards a challenge of European lightweight champion Antonio Puddu in Italy, and Buchanan added the European lightweight championship belt to his shelf by defeating Puddu by a decision in 15 rounds.<ref name="ringnews24"/> He retained the title by beating Tavarez for the third time, this time by a knockout in 14 at Paris, and then he travelled to Japan to fight for the world title again. This time, however, he was defeated by a decision in 15 rounds by the WBC's world champion, [[Guts Ishimatsu]].<ref name="ringnews24"/> Buchanan re-grouped once again, and won in a defence of the European lightweight title against Giancarlo Usai by a knockout in 12. But he retired from 1976 to 1978, leaving the European lightweight title vacant.<ref name="ringnews24"/><ref>{{cite news |title=Ken Buchanan, the 38-year-old former world lightweight champion, knocked... |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1983/03/09/Ken-Buchanan-the-38-year-old-former-world-lightweight-champion-knocked/3190416034000/ |work=UPI Archives |date=9 March 1983 |access-date=13 July 2018}}</ref> When he returned to professional boxing in 1978, he won two straight bouts, but everything else started going backwards for him. Challenging [[Charlie Nash (boxer)|Charlie Nash]] in [[Copenhagen, Denmark|Copenhagen]], he lost by a decision in twelve. In 1980, he won two bouts in a row, but after that, he lost five bouts in a row, finally retiring for good after losing to [[George Feeney (boxer)|George Feeney]] by a decision in eight on 25 January 1982. In 2000, he was elected to the [[International Boxing Hall of Fame]].<ref name="ringnews24"/><ref>{{cite news |title=PLUS: BOXING -- HALL OF FAME; Ken Buchanan Among 4 Inductees |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/01/14/sports/plus-boxing-hall-of-fame-ken-buchanan-among-4-inductees.html |work=The New York Times |date=14 January 2000 |access-date=13 February 2003}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Rawling |first=John |date=6 June 2000 |title=Battle honours for braveheart Buchanan |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/story/0,3604,328727,00.html |work=The Guardian |access-date=13 February 2003}}</ref> In 2002 he was inducted into the [[Scottish Sport Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/2530591.stm |title=The names in the Hall of Fame |work=BBC News |date=30 November 2002}}</ref>
Summary:
Please note that all contributions to Niidae Wiki may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here.
You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see
Encyclopedia:Copyrights
for details).
Do not submit copyrighted work without permission!
Cancel
Editing help
(opens in new window)
Search
Search
Editing
Ken Buchanan
(section)
Add topic