Biography of Ken Buchanan:
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Ken Buchanan |
| Honors | MBE |
| Born | 28 June 1945 |
| Place of Birth | Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Died | 1 April 2023 (aged 77) |
| Other names | Fighting Carpenter[1] |
| Weight(s) | Lightweight |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 69 |
| Wins | 61 |
| Wins by KO | 27 |
| Losses | 8 |
| Medal record | |
| Event | European Championships |
| Medal | Bronze |
| Year | 1965 |
| Place | Berlin |
| Weight class | Featherweight |
| Representing | Scotland |
Early Life and Amateur Career
Born on 28th June 1945 in Edinburgh, Scotland, Ken Buchanan showed early promise in the sport of boxing. He honed his skills and became the 1965 ABA featherweight champion before turning professional.
Rise to Prominence
Buchanan began his professional boxing career on 20th September 1965, marking the start of a remarkable journey. His early fights were against relatively unknown opponents in England, but he quickly rose through the ranks.
Lightweight Challenger
By 1968, Buchanan had become a force to be reckoned with in the lightweight division. He clinched the British lightweight title by defeating Maurice Cullen in an impressive bout, signaling his intent to dominate the division.
World Champion
In September 1970, Buchanan achieved his lifelong dream by defeating Ismael Laguna in Puerto Rico to become the world lightweight champion. This victory solidified his status as one of the greatest boxers of his time.
In September of that year, Buchanan traveled to Puerto Rico, where he would meet Ismael Laguna, the world lightweight champion from Panama, on 26 September 1970. Many experts believed San Juan’s warm weather would affect Buchanan, but he upset those who thought that way and beat Laguna by a 15-round decision to become the world’s lightweight champion.
Following his victory, Buchanan encountered complications due to a feud between the WBA and the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBC). As a result, he was not permitted to defend the WBA title fight in Great Britain. However, Buchanan persisted and concluded 1970 with a non-title bout victory over Donato Paduano by a 10-round decision on 7 December 1970.
Buchanan’s journey to undisputed world lightweight champion continued as he defeated Rubén Navarro in Los Angeles on 12 February 1971, successfully defending the WBA championship and acquiring the vacant WBC championship. With these victories, Buchanan solidified his position as the undisputed world lightweight champion.
With his status as an undisputed champion, Buchanan was finally allowed to defend the world championship fight in Great Britain. On 11 May 1971, Buchanan faced former world junior welterweight champion Carlos Morocho Hernández in Wembley. Buchanan showcased his prowess by knocking out Hernández in the eighth round of a non-title bout, further cementing his reputation as an elite boxer.
Undisputed Champion
Buchanan’s reign as world champion was characterized by dominance and skill. He defended his titles with determination, solidifying his reputation as an undisputed champion in the boxing world.
Despite this setback, he remained the WBA world lightweight champion. Then, he flew to New York City to meet Laguna again, this time defending his world title. Buchanan retained the title with another decision over Laguna on 13 September 1971.
His next defence came on 26 June 1972, against Panama’s greatest, the then undefeated Roberto Durán at the Madison Square Garden (MSG) in New York, in a bout which had a highly controversial ending. Durán was ahead on all three cards at the end of the 13th round, when both fighters exchanged punches after the bell. Buchanan went down, writhing in pain from a low blow, that Buchanan’s trainer, Gil Clancy, said was caused by a knee to the groin. Referee Johnny LoBianco awarded the fight to Durán, insisting that the blow that took down Buchanan was “in the abdomen, not any lower” and that he felt that Buchanan would be unable to continue fighting.
The New York Times columnist Red Smith wrote that LoBianco had to award the victory to Durán, even if the punch was a low blow, as “anything short of pulling a knife is regarded indulgently” in American boxing.
His next fights were a couple of non-title affairs, one in London and one in South Africa. The South African fight against Andries Steyn in Johannesburg was a mismatch with his opponent’s corner throwing in the towel in the third round on 29 April 1972.
He was stripped of the WBC title for failing to defend against Pedro Carrasco on 25 June 1971.
Controversies and Challenges
Despite his success, Buchanan faced numerous challenges throughout his career. Controversial decisions and contractual disputes marred some of his fights, but he remained resilient in the face of adversity.
Later Career and Legacy
In the latter part of his career, Buchanan continued to showcase his talent despite facing setbacks. He retired from professional boxing in 1982 but left an indelible mark on the sport.
In 1973, Buchanan started out by beating future world lightweight champion Jim Watt by a decision after 15 rounds, to regain the British lightweight title. Soon, he embarked on another international tour that included more fights in the United States, several fights in Denmark, and one fight in Canada. He won each of those fights, leading towards a challenge of European lightweight champion Antonio Puddu in Italy, and Buchanan added the European lightweight championship belt to his shelf by defeating Puddu by a decision in 15 rounds.
He retained the title by beating Tavarez for the third time, this time by a knockout in 14 at Paris, and then he traveled to Japan to fight for the world title again. This time, however, he was defeated by a decision in 15 rounds by the WBC’s world champion, Guts Ishimatsu.
Buchanan re-grouped once again, and won in a defense of the European lightweight title against Giancarlo Usai by a knockout in 12. But he retired from 1976 to 1978, leaving the European lightweight title vacant.
When he returned to professional boxing in 1978, he won two straight bouts, but everything else started going backwards for him. Challenging Charlie Nash in Copenhagen, he lost by a decision in twelve. In 1980, he won two bouts in a row, but after that, he lost five bouts in a row, finally retiring for good after losing to George Feeney by a decision in eight on 25 January 1982. In 2000, he was elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame. In 2002, he was inducted into the Scottish Sport Hall of Fame.
Honors and Recognition
In 2000, Buchanan was rightfully inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, a testament to his enduring legacy in the sport. Additionally, in 2002, he was honored with induction into the Scottish Sport Hall of Fame, further solidifying his status as a Scottish sporting icon.
Death and Legacy
Ken Buchanan passed away on 1st April 2023, leaving behind a legacy that will forever be remembered in the annals of boxing history. His contributions to the sport and his remarkable achievements continue to inspire future generations of boxers around the world.
