Josh Taylor has led tributes to legendary fighter Ken Buchanan, who has died at the age of 77, hailing him as "Scotland's greatest".
Taylor, the current WBO and Ring magazine light-welterweight world champion, described Buchanan as "his hero" on Twitter, after the news broke of the pugilist's passing.
The Ken Buchanan Foundation confirmed the Edinburgh native's death on Saturday, a year after his son revealed he had been diagnosed with dementia.
Josh Taylor tweeted: "I’m saddened to hear the news of the passing of my hero & Scotland’s greatest ever champ, whom I take such inspiration from. RIP Ken Buchanan. god bless your soul."
Buchanan's epic battles in the ring with the likes of Roberto Duran have been immortalised by lovers of the sport since. It was his defeat of Ismael Laguna which led him to the World Lightweight Championship in 1970.
Buchanan defeated Ruben Navarro in Los Angeles in 1971 to take the WBC crown and become Scotland's first undisputed world champion, a feat only matched 50 years later by Josh Taylor.
Legendary Irish fighter Barry McGuigan, a patron of the charitable trust founded in Ken's honour, said: "So very sorry to hear of the death of the amazing Ken Buchanan RIP.
"Ken travelled to MSG to beat the great Ismael Laguna for the WBA Lightweight Title way back in 1971. He was an outlier with his unique boxing style and he was a fabulous man, God Bless you Ken."
McGuigan also described the statue of Buchanan - which was unveiled in Little King Street in Edinburgh last year - as "a fabulous forever reminder of what Ken Buchanan achieved."
Former British Light Welterweight Champion Curtis Woodhouse also tweeted: "Ah really sad news about Ken Buchanan. This guy could really really fight. A tough man from a tough era. A great champion. Rest in power."
Lightweight Buchanan retired with a 61-8 record - with four of his defeats coming in his last four bouts, in a career which lasted 17 years.
On Facebook, a spokesperson for the Ken Buchanan MBE Foundation said: "It's with great sadness that we have to inform you that Ken Buchanan passed away peacefully in his sleep this morning..further announcements will come and please give the family some time to process this sad news...RIP Ken always a gentleman and one of the best champions we will ever see."
The organisation raised money for a statue of Ken to be erected in Edinburgh's Little King Street last August. It now carries out charity work to support children's participate in sport, with an emphasis on helping youngsters with special needs or disabilities.
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