Scottish flashback: Jim Watt v Ken Buchanan, 1973

Ken Buchanan V Jim Watt British lightweight boxing match in Glasgow in 1973. Picture: Alan Ledgerwood

Ken Buchanan was at the peak of his powers. The year before he had gone into Madison Square Garden and come so close to defeating the legendary Roberto Duran. He was denied only when an alleged low blow forced him to retire from the fight.

Jim Watt, by comparison, was a relative up-and-comer, though he did hold the British Lightweight belt going into the fight.

Despite being the challenger Buchanan, as a former world champion, was fancied to win the bout, but Watt more than held his own in a tight encounter which went the distance.

After securing his victory Buchanan, arm still in the air, turned to Watt and said: “Honestly, Jim you’re a better man than I thought you were.”

Watt would become world champion of his own later in the decade when, ironically enough, Duran vacated his title.

Buchanan would go on to claim the European title but lost his last ever world title bout to Guts Ishimatsu in Japan.

In the year 2000 he became the only ever living Scottish boxer elected to the Boxing Hall of Fame.

SEE ALSO

Boxing archives: Ken Buchanan takes the crown but beaten Jim Watt comes of age

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