The Ken Buchanan appreciation thread

Buchanan lost his first fight abroad, his challange for the European lightweight title in Madrid against Miguel Vilasquez - a footnote fighter who would only win once more in convincing style at the highest level. Buchanan himself would go onto rule the world within a year. In a time when a loss in a top fighter was more readily tolerated, perhaps thes losing effort in Spain can be seen as something of a dress rehersal for maybe the greatest win by a British fighter on foreign soil, ever.

Ismael Laguna was both tough and skilled, a true gentleman, a father of ten and something of a national treasure. Laguna was an old-school great and he would happily take on anybody tangling with Loche, Elorde and Carlos Ortiz drawing with the former and beating the latter whilst losing in a brutal encounter to Elorde. When he faced Buchanan he had every concievable advantage, facing the unheralded Scott in the intense heat of San Juan - and we dont' tend to do well in that sort of heat. But Buchanan, too, was a tough and skilled gentleman, and in front of a hostile crowd he won a razor thin decision to lift the title. Buchanana also won the rematch in what some regard as his career's best performance, again out-boxing and toughing the granite hard Peuro Rican despite a bad cut. Here's a "best bits" video showcasing the Scot's skills:


http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=[yt]RfVKFjbZLGE[/yt]


It's not a point of view that encounters a great deal of sympathy outside of my homeland, but I consider Buchanan's left hand to be one of the best in the history of the sport. People call his jab "accurate" and "educated" like he's someone aspiring fighters should try to copy and nothing more, but it was better than that. He could hook of a jab without throwing the jab, he could double up top to bottom or bottom to top, he could double up whilst circling left or right, staying accurate. He could throw it very hard whilst backing up, and if his man was stepping into him you would see him adjust and shorten the punch. Whitaker aside, i'll call it the best left-hand in lightweight history.

His right, too, is underated, note that Buchanan leads with it sometimes without coming to square or selling the punch. He has very, very good feet, although in my opinion his footwork is not economical enough, and a fighter with lesser stamina would have suffered from his "Marching" style and although very elusive with his body, he was also given to grand gesures in slipping punches, again, not economical but it was affective.

Most of all, I want to say that in a day when to be seen as a techncian all a fighter needs is a one-two and good balance, Ken could in-fight, boy could he infight. He went in to the trenches on a few occasions with the man was to become his conquerer, Roberto Duran. Duran became a great, perhaps unbeatable champion and one of the greatest fighters to ever breath. Duran never gave Ken a rematch and called him "the toughest, most difficult" opponent he faced. High praise indeed. Here is the contriversial final round:


http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=[yt]0RzLqn9Uqto[/yt]

Duran is dominating by this point, bulling Ken to the ropes and dragging him into his fight, but Buchanan is right there with him. There may never have been a better in-fighter than Duran and even exhausted the Scot is competitive. He had heart and guts to go with his skills.


Buchanan was not done, but I do feel that he had something taken from him by Roberto. Very impressive victories over Ortiz and Watt, as well as other contenders, saw him again fight for a world title, but he dropped a decision to the unremarkable Ishimatsu in Tokyo.

Never as popular in Scotland as he was in New York, Buchanan did retire to Scotland. Financial problems forced him to make a comeback and his record dropped to 61-8. Lennox Lewis certainly achieved more and so, arguably, has Calzaghe and Hatton, certainly Eubank and Benn and Watson were more popular, but I think none, aside from perhaps Lennox, were as out and out good as Buchanan. Imagine his domination of the division if there had never been a Roberto Duran?

What do you boys make of him?

 

Up until very recently i've been a Lynch man, but I think, yes, Buchanan was Scotland's best ever.

Any thoughts as to which guys from the UK you would have above him? Tough question, I know.

 

Thanks for saying that buddy.

 

61(27) 8(1)


Only two losses during his physical peak, and only the loss to Duran during his absolute prime.

 

I think that's absolutley spot on, these would be the three to be definitely ranked above him. Lennox Lewis would be above him for me too. You could make a case for him over everyone else.

 

He won the WBA title from laguna. Astoundlingly because it was made up entirely of wanks and despite the fact that they were petitioned by boxing fans, and representations from his management team, The British Board of Control refused to acknowledge Ken as world champion because they were not affiliated with the WBA. Buchanan was recognised as world champion in Japan but not in Scotland.

TOTAL joke, that's the board's worst moment in my view.

The WBC were keen to recognise him though, and did so after he beat Ruben Navarro in LA, his first title defence. So now he was champion in Britain, finally. The WBC then stripped him - thankfully the BBC did not - and Duran then took the WBA title from him

His failed attempt to reclaim a title in 75 was for the WBC title.

 

Everyone says he's still as sound as a pound. It's said he turned to unlicensced boxing to turn a pound eventually, before going back to his work as a carpenter. He was always a man of the people.