The Ken Buchanan appreciation thread

[McGrain]

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:


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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:


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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?

[girv]

The man is a legend, the best fighter to come out of scotland and one of the finest the uk has produced.

[aliboomaye]

Don't have much to contribute, I'm going try and watch some of his fights as he's a bit before my time, but damn you're one of the best posters on this site :good - enjoy browsing your comments and reading your posts over on the Classic forum.

[FLINT ISLAND]

what was his actual career record?


wins - losses - draws - KO's

[McGrain]

The man is a legend, the best fighter to come out of scotland and one of the finest the uk has produced.


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.

[McGrain]

Don't have much to contribute, I'm going try and watch some of his fights as he's a bit before my time, but damn you're one of the best posters on this site :good - enjoy browsing your comments and reading your posts over on the Classic forum.

Thanks for saying that buddy.

[McGrain]

what was his actual career record?


wins - losses - draws - KO's


61(27) 8(1)


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

[girv]

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.

Im not too sure maybe Wilde, Fitzsimmons, Ted Kid Lewis

Its hard to gauge with these guys as we dont have much to go on. There is no one who has fought since Buchanans time that I would put above him.

[FLINT ISLAND]

What belts did Buchanen actually win in his career?

[AAA]

See Ken out and about in Edinburgh quite often. Totally underrated in my mind, and one of the best to come out of the UK, and certainly the best out of Scotland.

My mate was out drinking in a group the other week with Ken also. Said he was a total gent, and had some cracking stories!

[Nemesis]

What belts did Buchanen actually win in his career?

forget belts, he won 'The Belt'. Pretty much 90% of the champions back then were the world champion and not some silly denomination of the title

[McGrain]

Im not too sure maybe Wilde, Fitzsimmons, Ted Kid Lewis

Its hard to gauge with these guys as we dont have much to go on. There is no one who has fought since Buchanans time that I would put above him.

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.

[McGrain]

What belts did Buchanen actually win in his career?

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.

[McGrain]

See Ken out and about in Edinburgh quite often. Totally underrated in my mind, and one of the best to come out of the UK, and certainly the best out of Scotland.

My mate was out drinking in a group the other week with Ken also. Said he was a total gent, and had some cracking stories!


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.

[Stonehands89]

Outboxing Laguna is no small task. Outboxing Laguna in 125 degree heat when you're from chilly Scotland is incredible. One second was applying vaseline, the other suntan lotion. Buchanan attributes his ability to overcome that heat to his father's taking him to swimming where he learned to hold his breath for a long time. His strategy of coping with the Laguna jab was simple and profound: jab first. Laguna's people were looking for an respectable opponent -nothing more- after Mando Ramos couldn't fight because of sparring injuries. Surprise!

I count that victory very highly in analyzing Ken's greatness.

And the rematch was something else. Buchanan's eye swelled up after, he claims, Laguna poked him. His manager, Eddie Thomas I think it was, cut him with a razor so that he could see. [Yep. "Cut me Mick. I can't see outta my eye."] Ken got cut near both eyes but the right was worse, far worse, than the left. So when the ref came over to check between rounds. Thomas would stick his thumb in the right and show him the left and say "it's all right." Kenny and others say that Thomas' cool in the corner and that tactic saved the fight.

Laguna retired after that.

Duran idolized his fellow Panamanian Laguna (Laguna-Buchanan was held in Puerto Rico, thus the confusion) and wanted to avenge him. Gil Clancy, who I think was great, was with Buchanan and believed that Duran was an orthodox fighter, young, and full of brimstone, who would tire in the later rounds like most of that type.... so the strategy was to take him into deep waters and drown him. [Oooops!]

Both fighters were treated to a roast beef dinner at the signing. Films were showed, including Duran-Kobayashi and when asked if he wanted to see Duran knock out Kobayashi again in slow motion, Ken replied that he "thought it was in slow motion already." Duran of course, got pissed and made threats.

The problem in that fight was that Duran, when young, got his second wind around round 8 and just got stronger. Buchanan was beautiful in that bout though... and I think he brought Duran to hell personally. Duran won because he was half crazy and by that I mean he just wouldn't accept that Ken could beat him even while he got out boxed and even outslugged at times inside. He was just ferocious and got stronger as the fight wore on. Clancy was wrong and later admitted it. But I think it was more than that...Duran would at times loop shots from unexpected places that would catch the orthodox technician like Buchanan. It's what you do against technicians. Throw half-crazy shots that aren't thrown in training drills. Duran hit very hard too, and shook Buchanan, who had to be very careful in there.

Duran gave Buchanan high praise later in life, as his toughest opponent.

Buchanan was cool under fire and had exactly the kind of complete confidence that you want in a fighter. He trained like a Spartan and thoroughly believed in himself.

Placing him in the top 10 ever of the Lightweights -the deepest division with monsters like Duran, Leonard, Armstrong, Gans, Williams, Whitaker, and Ortiz, is easy.

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[Stonehands89]

... McGrain's thread got me, an ex-thug from the streets and alleys of Boston, wearing a frickin' kilt in honor of Buchanan while I rewatch the films.

That first round with Duran is interesting. Watch it, it's on youtube. Duran nails him with a right and both Buchanan's gloves hit the canvas and it's scored a knockdown. But watch as Ken gets up and plays it off by looking at his gloves and then wiping them on his trunks as if its a slip. Nice move. Didn't work, but a nice move.

Seconds later, he cracks a rushing Duran with a left hook, and Duran bumbles into the ropes. That could have easily been ruled a knockdown too because but for the ropes, Duran would have gone down. Now, Buchanan comes forward because he sees that he got him good, but isn't sure because he tasted the kid's power, so he lays off. Great stuff.

Head-to-head, Buchanan is downright dangerous to any LW, even the best. I for one am not so sure that an older more seasoned Duran, say 1978 could have beaten Ken even though the 21 year old did. The younger version of Duran had too much energy for Buchanan and overwhelmed him. I am not so sure that Duran would have outboxed Ken, ever.

I would choose Buchanan over LW Armstrong however. It takes a damn good matador and an iron chin to deal with Armstrong; and Ken, who was never really stopped, had both. Duran was bigger than Henry and I'd give Duran the edge in strength and power as well. Armstrong's difficulty with Lou Ambers is suggestive. Lou almost overcame a couple of knockdowns in their first bout to take a decision and he beat him the second time although Armstrong's fouls helped. Lou was both skilled and aggressive. He was also tough. Kenny was at least as skilled and at least as tough as Lou, but he was also 3 inches taller than the 5'4 Ambers.

Kenny better wear an iron cup though, because Henry went south on Ambers at least 8 times in both bouts.

[McGrain]

Here is the first round as Stonehands describes it.

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Careful with the kilt my friend, you might be out of your league ;-)

[TFFP]

Probably the most skilled British fighter of all-time.

[martin0792]

Ken Buchanan; could have been him up there with Hagler, Leonard and Hearns, if Duran hadnt cheated his way to Victory in their fight. Ken Buchanan a true great, Legend.

[Stonehands89]

Ken Buchanan; could have been him up there with Hagler, Leonard and Hearns, if Duran hadnt cheated his way to Victory in their fight. Ken Buchanan a true great, Legend.
Who's this? Is that you Ken?

[JonOli]

Ken on a night out, he seems like a good laugh...

JQ2Ze2Hbt8U

[girv]

Outboxing Laguna is no small task. Outboxing Laguna in 125 degree heat when you're from chilly Scotland is incredible. One second was applying vaseline, the other suntan lotion. Buchanan attributes his ability to overcome that heat to his father's taking him to swimming where he learned to hold his breath for a long time. His strategy of coping with the Laguna jab was simple and profound: jab first. Laguna's people were looking for an respectable opponent -nothing more- after Mando Ramos couldn't fight because of sparring injuries. Surprise!

I count that victory very highly in analyzing Ken's greatness.

And the rematch was something else. Buchanan's eye swelled up after, he claims, Laguna poked him. His manager, Eddie Thomas I think it was, cut him with a razor so that he could see. [Yep. "Cut me Mick. I can't see outta my eye."] Ken got cut near both eyes but the right was worse, far worse, than the left. So when the ref came over to check between rounds. Thomas would stick his thumb in the right and show him the left and say "it's all right." Kenny and others say that Thomas' cool in the corner and that tactic saved the fight.

Laguna retired after that.

Duran idolized his fellow Panamanian Laguna (Laguna-Buchanan was held in Puerto Rico, thus the confusion) and wanted to avenge him. Gil Clancy, who I think was great, was with Buchanan and believed that Duran was an orthodox fighter, young, and full of brimstone, who would tire in the later rounds like most of that type.... so the strategy was to take him into deep waters and drown him. [Oooops!]

Both fighters were treated to a roast beef dinner at the signing. Films were showed, including Duran-Kobayashi and when asked if he wanted to see Duran knock out Kobayashi again in slow motion, Ken replied that he "thought it was in slow motion already." Duran of course, got pissed and made threats.

The problem in that fight was that Duran, when young, got his second wind around round 8 and just got stronger. Buchanan was beautiful in that bout though... and I think he brought Duran to hell personally. Duran won because he was half crazy and by that I mean he just wouldn't accept that Ken could beat him even while he got out boxed and even outslugged at times inside. He was just ferocious and got stronger as the fight wore on. Clancy was wrong and later admitted it. But I think it was more than that...Duran would at times loop shots from unexpected places that would catch the orthodox technician like Buchanan. It's what you do against technicians. Throw half-crazy shots that aren't thrown in training drills. Duran hit very hard too, and shook Buchanan, who had to be very careful in there.

Duran gave Buchanan high praise later in life, as his toughest opponent.

Buchanan was cool under fire and had exactly the kind of complete confidence that you want in a fighter. He trained like a Spartan and thoroughly believed in himself.

Placing him in the top 10 ever of the Lightweights -the deepest division with monsters like Duran, Leonard, Armstrong, Gans, Williams, Whitaker, and Ortiz, is easy.

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Great post.

[Dunky McCafferty]

aah, old ken boy. My missus got me a signed copy of his book as a wee surprise for me, & ken was pure class with her, during the book signing he gave my missus a wee kiss on the cheek, & asked if Dunky(the name he was writing down) was her boyfriend, & when she said yes, he joked that he didnt want to bump into me after he stole a kiss!

My pals always joke that Ken Buchanan runs scared of me to this day:D

I still maintain that Duran got lucky against Kenboy, cos Duran was done, & thats why he punched Ken in the balls. He knew Buchanan had taken everything he could throw, & was still there. Duran was a spent force, & Ken would have finished him in the next round. Watch wht was happening before the fateful low blow. Ken was pummeling him.

[JonOli]

I did a thread on the Buchanan V Duran fight in the Classic forum just the other day. I posted up all the vids of the whole fight. Great scrap.

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[Smith]

Here here

[Govanmauler]

To see him know he looks like a sweet old gramps but christ to go where he went and do what he did he must have been tough as hell. I agree with the post earlier that it was purely a youthful Durans energy , hunger and disregard for rules that got him through that night , I love Duran but Ken should've won it.

[icemax]

Dunky,

Do you have any videos of Buchanan's fights?

There was one where his left eye got mashed fairly early and he had to abandon his jab and work square on a lot more.

That sounds like the Laguna fight.

[ron u.k.]

ken buchanan was so good his career has largely overshadowed a very good lightweight he suceeded as britains best and that was dave charnley "the dartford destroyer". charnley was a real tough bull of a southpaw lightweight who fought most of the worlds top contenders in the late fifties and early sixties,winning some,losing some but was a tough proposition for any of them.he took joe brown to a very close 15 round decision in the ring magazine's fight of the year in 1961 a fight many thought he won.he didn't mind fighting welterweights either,beating don jordan who in his next fight won the world title.in fact in his last fight he took on the great emile griffith managing to take him 9 rounds before being stopped.charnley has been largely forgotten,which really in some ways pays a great compliment to ken buchanan who's great exploits have eventually been recognised,although criminally they didn't appear to be at the the time.

[davieboy150]

great stuff in this thread, ken is without a doubt one of the finest boxers britain has ever produced and scotlands greatest boxer