Apparently my Dad knew Jim Watt.

Howard did a lotta pre fight build up about fightin "Jim Who" and paid the price.

 

No,Malcolm.I remember when Watt was champion,and I always refer to him as a fighting champion.BOTH the O Grady and Nash fights were highlighted by a minority of people as having a religious angle,but the fighters themselves,if I remember rightly,whilst having no affection for their opponents pre fight,didn't see it as such.In a good fight,I think Nash put Jim down but was then stopped.O Grady did well also,but didn't get the better of Watt.That was a rough fight,but I believe Watt was slightly on top when it was stopped.O Grady had a brilliant winning record,but some said it was manufactured.A very good young fighter at the time nonetheless.Ironically I think Watt suffers a little from his own modesty.He,like Walter McGowan,Alan Rudkin,Howard Winstone and the man who beat him Buchanan,preferred to do his talking in the ring unlike more recent ones who shout and didn't deliver.
I once heard Watt say on TV that he worked right up to and including his world title,so quite possible he worked with your Dad.Electrician,I believe.

 

If you look at the opponents Jim Watt fought later in his career it bears good comparison with Carl Frochs opponents with as much success.Articulate man who comes across as a gent.This is the same fella that some people on forums have said knows nothing about boxing,believe it or not.

 

Jim Watt was a household figure in Britain back then with his blonde hair and cut eyes.

 

Bit of useless info on Jim,Malcolm.Used to sing "Flower of Scotland" after his fights.Apparently is quite an accomplished guitarist.

 

Indeed:good! Should have brushed up on those basics.

 

Oh just remembered, the legendary NYC underground boxing writer Malcolm Flash Gordon wrote up Watt vs Arguello emphasising he thought Jim had it in him to have won the fight.
It made a big impression on me as "Da Flash" did not whistle dixie at all.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjVtOVUxax8

 

Thanks for posting this.Nice guy,speaks well,ex world champion.What more could you want from a SKY commentator?

 

Pretty sure he worked selling cars or something while he was still fighting.

 

No Malcolm, your right it was the O'Grady fight that had the sectarian angle. The thing is Watt was a protestant and he caused a bit of controversy when he fought Nash who was a Catholic from Northern Ireland. Anyway Watt won that fight and fought his next fight at Ibrox stadium home of his favorite football team rangers where he won again.
So Watt's next opponent was Sean O'Grady and when he came to Glasgow he came out at half-time at Celtic Park home of Celtic football club who are arch rivals of rangers (Watts team) a week before the fight to draw support from the Glasgow Catholic community. Come fight night there was definitely a divide (Minority or not).