Prime for prime: Ken Buchanan v Jim Watt

Both Jim Watt and Ken Buchanan were from different era's. Jim Watt was from the late 1970's and early 1980's. Ken Buchanan was from the late 1960's and early 1970's.

 

Actually, that was my point. Buchanan retired seven months after Watt and only started a couple years before him. It is how far apart their championship days were that make it seem as if it was different eras.

 

I am surprised that Ken Buchanan did not request a rematch after that June 26 1972 13th round stoppage to Roberto Duran. Buchanan continued fighting a number of years following that title bout, of course Duran went on to cement his place in boxing history.

 

He was offered one and declined.

It was a low purse offer, $25K, but that’s also about what Roberto got as the challenger when he fought Buchanan so fair is fair.

 

I did not know that, Thanks for the info.

 

He’s talked about it. He thought he should have been offered more, but he also says he got rid of his manager after the Duran fight and thought he could do it himself and keep more of the money rather than giving up a cut from it and admits he was a terrible manager.

Ken says he basically just waited for the phone to ring and either accepted or rejected what offers came. Didn’t try to negotiate and made no proactive moves to reach out to promoters to maybe work up a plan for a series of bouts to lead up to big paydays or whatnot … he basically didn’t understand how the business works.

 

On Feb 27 1975, Buchanan failed to unseat WBC Lightweight Champion Guts Ishimatsu as champion, losing on points in 15 rounds. Ishimatsu was stopped by Duran in Oct 1973 in a WBA Title bout, Duran stopped him in round 10.

 

Both guys are Scots, but Buchanan is the Super Scot.

 

Buchanan's on another level from Jim Watt. Ken would win quite comfortably, which is fine by me.

I don't like Jim Watt.

He claimed that Buchanan hindered his career because Buchanan would not relinquish his British title during his entire reign as World Champion thereby denying Watt the opportunity to become British champion, which is a blatant lie.

Then there was the Benn vs McClellan fight...

 

Are you referring to him getting rid of Eddie Thomas?

If so, I think that happened before the Duran fight.

 

Is it fair?

I think Buchanan as the former champion was entitled to more than Duran got in his first title bout.

 

It’s what he was offered. If Duran can fight for a title for that, so can Ken if he wants the rematch.

In fact with rematch clauses (which this wasn’t, but the principle is the same), it’s generally considered fair that the purses/cuts from PPV/etc. are reversed if the one who got paid less in the first fight wins. If it’s 70/30 or whatever, the winner of the first fight gets the 70 in the rematch and the loser gets the 30.

Bottom line is if you’re offered a rematch and don’t take it, people can’t whine about a guy not getting a rematch. Which is the case here — and I don’t think Buchanan himself every whined about it. He made a business decision and that’s fine.

 

I don’t know the timeline but I’ve read it. Ken basically said he learned there’s more to being a manager than sitting beside the phone waiting for offers to come in and that’s all he did.

 

I like Jim Watt for the simple fact that his style was born out of and refined by extremely hard work.
He's always going to give Ken problems because as a southpaw that negates Kens biggest weapon the left jab.
But class wise Ken was a class above Watt. But being a southpaw with the discipline learned though out his career Watt would always trouble Ken in someway.