How does Ken do against this group of LW's 1. Alexis Arguello 2. Barney Ross 3. Lou Ambers 4. Jose Luis Ramirez 5. Jose Luis Castillo 6. Diego Corrales
I think he does really well,he beats, Ramirez, Castillo, and Corrales pretty easily. Arguello, Ross and Ambers would be close fights. He could go 4-2 ,,5-1at best
Mobility was one of Ken's best assets....but Duran finally caught up with him (the b@ll shot). Ken beats the slow footed ones..maybe even Arquello.
To some degree you are right. But at the end of the late 60's, early 70's, there were some outstanding lightweights around, fighting each other. He won the World title from grossly underrated Ismael Laguna, who had beaten Mando Ramos & Guts Ishimatsu, other top Ltwts. Then he defended against Laguna & tough Ruben Navarro (filling in for the scheduled opponent injured Mando Ramos). Politics then entered the picture with Ken being stripped of the WBC Ltwt title for defending against former champion Laguna, while Mando Ramos & Spain's Pedro Carrasco had a 3-fight series exchanging the WBC Ltwt title around. So Buchanan then defends the WBA title against Duran and loses despite being obviously fouled late in the fight. Buchanan seeks a rematch with Duran, but Duran never gives him one, so Ken beats a faded Carlos Ortiz, and a rising Jim Watt.
I don't think Corrales would be easy, in fact I think its a tough fight for Ken. He beats Ramirez and Castillo,possibly Ambers, loses to Arguello but not by much, and loses a split dec to Ross,who did not have as much pop in his fists.
Could someone with more boxing knowledge than myself tell me why Ken wasn't right back in the LW picture following Duran? He was a suburb boxer/puncher and was still extremely viable after 72. I remember seeing the Laguna fight as a youngster and was immediately impressed. What skills!! He continued to win but somehow never seemed to warrant another title shot? Educate me guys.
Buchanan didn't get a rematch vs. WBA champion Duran, but also was out of the WBC title picture for awhile probably due to having been stripped of the WBC title for failing to defend against Pedro Carrasco in 1971. He didn't get a shot at the WBC title until 1975, but by that point he was in decline and lost to Guts Ishimatsu.
I believe Ken Buchanon would come out of it with a winning record. He could beat anyone of those guys on a given night. He has the mobility to give AA problems though I can`t guarantee he would win. Castillo and Corrales would be interesting but I would favor Kenny. Ambers and Ross would be tough. Barney Ross was a helluva fighter. I think he was a little better than Ken Buchanon. Just as smart if not smarter Ring IQ.
There are some post-Duran fight descriptions of the situation by Buchanan himself available on-line. Buchanan actually moved to NYC and tried to get the Duran rematch. But the WBC & WBA really hated each other back then, and the "small fighters" ended up just being pawns in the big scheme of things.
In a fight each between those guys, Ken wins at least 4 matches. He was extremely talented guy our Ken.
