How long would Ken Buchanan have reigned if....

It brings up the question, Buchanan V DeJEsus, pity that never happened. Was Kenny already an alco when he was champ or just after? He lost his title shot 3 years later to Ishimatsu but I wonder how on the level this fight was as I haven't seen it

 

I thought Buchanan beat Ishimatsu, about 10-5 if I remember right. Ishimatsu looked crap as Buchanan just outboxed him with his jab. But it was a god awful fight.

 

Did he look pretty faded then? Would have liked to have seen Ken get in with Loche or Cervantes at 140 too.

 

He looked alright. I aint seen anything else of Ishimatsu to see how Ken should have coped with him but he looked in fairly good controll but kept quite a slow pace.

Obviously he wasnt at his best but he was still ticking like.

Been a while since I watched it though.

 

Intruiging question Dejesus would have been the danger man imo,can't see any other obvious threats to Ken at that time.

 

True, but I think Ken would have beaten DeJesus as well...Buchanan had that rare combination of skills and a wiry toughness and heart when under pressure..as he was with Duran...a shot to the balls kept Buchanan from finishing 15 rounds with Duran...and a prime, prepared Duran was too much for DeJesus. Buchanan would have out boxed and outgutted DeJesus over 15, IMO.

 

Buchanan carried an eye injury into the Suzuki fight, sustained in sparring for it.

Suzuki fought scared for a lot of the fight, but gave Buchanan an uncharateristic pasting in some of the late rounds.He probably could have won comfortably had he opened up earlier.I don't think BUchanan looked anywhere near his best, the jab was falling short all fight.Timing all over the place, though Suzuki's sporadic workrate for much of the fight still made it quite close.

 

I'd forgotten about Kenny getting thumbed in the eye in sparring prior to the fight. Still thought he beat Ishimatsu despite being past his best at the time.

If Duran hadn't been around, I think Buchanan could have had the division by the bollocks for as long as he liked even with DeJesus mooching about. I think he would've edged Locche and Cervantes at 140 too.

 

Cervantez is a tough ask for Buchanan IMO, a very tough ask.

 

Here's another spin. If there was no Roberto Duran, who would Buchanan be defending against in June of '72? I don't have a compilation of the ratings for that month, so just going on the year end ratings and subsequent fights, it looks like the top contenders would be Mando Ramos, Pedro Carrasco, Antonio Puddu, Chango Carmona, Rodolfo Gonzalez, Ruben Navarro and Jimmy Robertson. Madison Square Garden liked Ken but DeJesus was not quite on the scene yet to be considered for the title after losing to Antonio Gomez at the end of '71 and in the midst of rebuilding against Percy Hayles and Josue Marquez. So I don't know who they might have to offer. There would have been big European monies wanting a Puddu or Carrasco fight so there could have been a possibility there. Ramos, Carmona, Navarro and Robertson were all Calif. based fighters and there was big money out there which could have tempted Ken. Robertson had just lost to Gonzalez, Navarro had been beaten by Ken the year before and Carmona's people didn't have the clout with the Olympic Boxing Club, so it would go down to either Ramos or Gonzalez, who were both managed by Jackie McCoy, who was well-liked by the Olympic. Buchanan's people had already turned down Gonzalez in a non-title the year before opting for Carlos Hernandez instead, and they knew the money was with the golden boy Ramos, so this fight seemed to be the natural, if the Euro monies didn't come in. I could see a packed house at the L.A. Sports Arena or the Colisseum with Buchanan taking a 15 round decision against a Ramos who was already coming apart at the seams by mid '72. I could see a good fight rather than a great fight. This would not be prime Ramos. However, in Ramos' prime I still see Buchanan in a 15 round decision, but in a great fight.

Scartissue

 

buchanan probably would of been champ for a couple more years but his lifestyle may have cost him his tittle before it should of done in any case

 

Mando Ramos vs Buchanan would have been some scrap. Both adept boxers who were tough as nails and wouldnt shy from a fight.

 

Ramos pissed off Buchanan for some reason back then when Ken was champ, and didn't think he deserved a crack at the title. I think in retrospect he should have fought him. Mando was good and tough and an excting fighter but I think he would have fallen short in a match with the Scot.

 

Duran should have "rematched" him as Ken requested.....and as soon as possible to remove any doubt of Duran's superiority.

Ken was very good.