Ken Buchanan vs "Guts" Ishimatsu - 1975, Tokyo

Ken claimed an appointed sparring partner thumbed him in the eye a coupla days before the bout, basically as a setup. He said this played a majour part in his loss. Havent seen the bout myself as of yet.

 

It's on Youtube if you haven't seen it. The fight was pretty close regardless of the Japanese judge's scorecard.

 

I watched and scored this fight about 6 months ago. I had it 145-141 for Buchanan. I had Ishimatsu winning 3 of the last 4 rounds (with the other even), but I just couldn't see "Guts" getting that decision. Maybe not a blatant robbery, but clear for Buchanan IMO.

 

Thanks mate, i'll try to watch it in the next coupla days :good

 

I watched it ages ago and thought Ishimatsu won it. It was a particularly untidy affair and I was a bit disappointed in Ken's performance.

 

Same here. But it suffers from the old "Buchanan can't have lost to him, who the ****'s he?" syndrome. A good decision for me mostly due to a poor performance by Ken like you said. Not even close to being a robbery.

 

I respect the opinions in this post, but I just didn't think "Guts" was busy enough for me. Buchanan was busy, "Guts" was relying upon big shots. Maybe it's one of those depends on what you're looking for fights. I wasn't blown away by Buchanan's performance at all.

 

A subpar performance by Ken...and this coming from a big Buchanan fan who I believe has never picked against him in any of these what-if matches. The Japanese deserved the match...but I'm at a loss as to why Buchanan didn't have a chance to reverse things in a rematch. Was there a less than stellar effort to obtain a rematch from Buchanan's people or was he just lost in the shuffle again as he was regarding Duran?

 

Ishimatsu beat the stuffing out of him in the late rounds and had his head whipping around like a prototype Hamed, but fought very tentatively in the first ten, despite landing the bigger punches.Buchanan missed most of his punches and looked there for the taking throughout.

I've never properly scored it, but it looked like Guts late surge won him the fight.Lots of hard to score Hopkins vs Taylor-esque crap over the first 10 though.

 

Re the Guts ishimatsu Fight, Locals were night after night singing and Shouting outside Ken's Hotel in the early Hours, in the run up to the fight Ken apparently never got an uninterrupted nights Sleep, Ken was also Thumbed by a Sparring Partner, Despite this, and Ken being sleightly past his best, he still showed Flashes of his old self against Guts, and when he did he outclassed Guts, but ken did not seem to be able to Maintain it, but for me it was obvious that had Guts been meeting a Prime Ken, he would not of been a problem for Ken

Ken was that rareity amonst Pure "Boxers" it that the ropes or corners were not a No-No Spiders web Trap for Him, He would Bob up and Down Sway Left and Right, then Spin out to the centre of the ring in a blur of tartan and a sleight nodding of the Head, he even did this against a superb boxer like Laguna, when he wanted to Ken could be like a Ghost in the Ring,

Ken had more Bounce-Per Ounce then most Boxers, Fighting in the Days of Fifteen Rounders, Ken was still Fluently Darting Around in the Fifteenth round of Fights

Ken, despite his frail Choir-boy Looks, was a real Tough Guy, He took some great Shots from Duran, but it was only that after-bell Low Impact, that almost Gave Ken a 2nd Adams Apple that put him Down, Even then Ken wanted the Fight to Continue

"Guts" had Ken - But Ken Certainly had Guts ! Ishimatsu lucky he fought ken when he did !

As Ken used to say, when he won he was reported in the british press as "Britains" Ken Buchanan, and on the rare occssions he lost h suddenly became "Scotlands" Ken Buchanan !

 

Losing the late rounds to a champion in his home country, after an uneventful 10 rounds, is not the best way to re-claim a championship. Buchanan didn't do quite enough, realized that he had lost a step and retired. A good decision by him, even when he was tempted with a rematch against Duran.

 

Boy if this isnt the most bull**** thing Ive ever heard. Duran hit Buchanan with an almost afterthought of a sweeping, grazing, and weak low blow and Buchanan dove for the floor looking for a way out. When and where did he ever give any indication that he wanted to continue. In fact, that fact that he refused to continue is why the bout was stopped.

And no, the Suzuki decision was fine. How do you take that kind of eye catching punishment in the last five rounds after a fairly even first 10 and cry foul?

 

Klompton - Thank you for your Kind Comment

I Understand Ken's supposedly Foul-proof protector may have actually "Ridden-up" on Impact, and having landed after the bell to boot, Ken Later revealed Intimate Swellings usually derived of low impact. Many Felt Ken was therefore intitled to an element of obligatory low blow recovey time, before deciding whether to continue, as i recall Ken and his corner did indeed wish to continue. If i am wrong i apologise - i do not wish to offend you with inaccuracies .