World boxing champion Josh Taylor has paid a heartbreaking tribute to his mentor and fellow fighter Ken Buchanan, who died yesterday at the age of 77.
The 32-year-old said he was devastated by the death of the legendary fighter, who passed away peacefully in his sleep after a battle with dementia.
An emotional Josh said: “It’s devastating. I knew he wasn’t keeping too well but it was still heartbreaking. Ken is the greatest – an absolute legend. What a legacy he has left.
“He was a huge inspiration to me. He became the undisputed world champion 50 years before I did.
“He was called the Tartan Legend – while I’m the Tartan Tornado. That’s also why I wear tartan shorts, just like he did.”
Leith-born Buchanan, who had been living in an Edinburgh care home prior to his death, was Scotland’s first undisputed world champion when he won the lightweight WBA and WBC titles in 1970 and 71.
Josh, who became undisputed super-lightweight champion in 2021, said he is “honoured to be mentioned in the same breath” as his hero.
Josh, 32, from Prestonpans in East Lothian, first met Buchanan when he was just 18 and the pair struck up a close friendship, with Buchanan once giving the then young fighter words of advice that he says he has carried with him his entire career.
Josh said: “I’d obviously heard all about Ken when I started out in boxing as a kid. The stories were legendary and it was a massive thrill when I got to meet him when I was about 18.
“He started to give me tips and advice. I remember he told me I had the talent to go all the way and become world champion. I never forgot it and I have carried it with me through my career.
“There have been so many similarities with us in our careers. We were both laddies from Edinburgh who came up the ranks and conquered America.
“It’s funny – when I became undisputed, I was shown a picture of Ken when he was coming home from Puerto Rico with his sunglasses on and his bruised face. Then I saw a picture of me coming back from the Ramirez fight in Las Vegas. I had the sunglasses on with a big bruised face.
“I just thought, ‘Wow’. Some of these coincidences are too good to be true.
“I wanted the Ramirez fight to be in Madison Square Garden. That was where Ken practically made his home and because of the massive Scottish contingent in New York but it wasn’t possible due to the Covid situation at the time.
“It also meant I couldn’t see him right away as he wasn’t keeping great health. But one of the first things I got was a message from one of the guys who help look after Ken. It was a video from him saying, ‘Well done, son. You did it. Congratulations champ.’ It just meant so much.”
The Ken Buchanan Foundation confirmed the Edinburgh native’s death on Saturday, a year after his son revealed he had been diagnosed with dementia, saying: “RIP Ken, always a gentleman and one of the best champions we will ever see.”
Buchanan is widely regarded as one of the greatest Scottish fighters of all time. He took up boxing at eight years old and made his international debut aged 17 before turning pro after winning the British amateur title two years later in 1965.
The same year Buchanan memorably won the WBA lightweight world title in a gruelling bout with Panama’s Ismael Laguna in Puerto Rica in 1970.
In February 1971 he defeated Mexican Ruben Navarro in Los Angeles to add the WBC Belt and become the undisputed lightweight champion of the world, a feat only matched 50 years later by Josh.
Josh said: “When I won my first world title, I promised him I’d bring back the belt to show him. I said to him, ‘I’ve done this for you – I’m just like you, champ’.”
Former world champion Jim Watt recalled his last meeting with Buchanan when the pair met at the unveiling of his ring rival’s statue in August.
He said: “I can hardly believe Kenny has gone. Last time I saw him he looked terrific, as if he could still do lightweight.
“I honestly thought he would last another decade at least so his sudden passing has come as a massive shock.
“You can’t go through what Kenny and I did without forming a bond of mutual respect, which turned into friendship in our case, and I feel a real sense of loss and deep sadness.”
Former Scottish amateur boxing champion Frank Gilfeather, who last saw the fighter in 2020, recalled the heartbreaking last encounter he had with his long-term friend.
He said: “Ken had an inbuilt self-belief. He had that mixture of skill, determination, an iron will and incredible fitness and stamina. All that together made him a great.
“Ken and I were formal rivals and faced each other in the ring in 1963.
“We were then teammates for the Scotland team and also room-mates. We boxed in the European Champions in east Berlin in 1965 and abroad in Bulgaria so he was a constant in my career for several years.
“I last saw him at an exhibition for Scottish boxing at Stirling University in January 2020. It’s heartbreaking.”
Retired boxing promoter Tommy Gilmour also paid tribute.
He said: “We will possibly never his likes again – he will be sorely missed. These sorts of people only come round once in a lifetime.
“People will be talking about Ken Buchanan and his achievements for a long time to come.”
Buchanan lost his world title controversially to Roberto Duran in June 1972. The fight at Madison Square Garden ended after Buchanan was floored by a low blow at the end of the 13th round.
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.
The former world champ found it difficult to adjust to life outside the ring, however, and, prior to developing dementia, struggled with alcohol addiction. He was inducted into the international boxing hall of fame in 2000.
In August last year Buchanan was honoured when his statue was unveiled in his native Leith to mark his storied boxing career.
First Minister Humza Yousaf tweeted: “Sad to hear Scotland’s first undisputed champion of the world Ken Buchanan has died. He inspired and mentored a generation of boxing talent here in Scotland and beyond. Rest in peace, Champ.”
Fellow boxing champion Curtis Woodhouse added: “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.”
While Irish boxing promoter and former professional boxer Barry McGuigan tweeted: “He was a fabulous man, God Bless you Ken.”
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