I CANNOT presumably ignore the latest loss of life of Ken Buchanan on this column. I’ve said earlier than that I believe that Ken was the best purist that the UK has produced for the reason that conflict. Ample justice has been paid to him in his latest obituary and so I would really like, as a substitute, to pay attention of one of many many tremendous victories that he had on his manner up the boxing ladder.
I’ve at all times been drawn to a contest wherein one older and extra skilled protagonist, barely on the wane however nonetheless with loads to supply, is matched with an up-and-coming fighter of actual promise in an excellent struggle. A superb instance of this is able to be Dave Boy Green and John H Stracey in March 1977 when the Chatteris banger was simply too good for the ex-world champion from Bethnal Green. Another good instance is the match between Buchanan, then solely 22, and Maurice Cullen, the British Lightweight champion making his fourth defence, which happened on the Anglo-American Sporting Club in Mayfair, London in February 1968.
Maurice Cullen was one other pure boxer, and one of many most interesting males to have come out of the North- East, a area with a wealthy boxing historical past. I used to be on the unveiling of his statue in his native Shotton numerous years in the past and it was clear, from the quantity of people that turned out for the event, simply how fondly remembered and revered he nonetheless is. Cullen had gained the belt outright in his third defence when he beat Terry Edwards on the New St James Hall, Newcastle, and he had defended it for the fourth time with a victory over Vic Andreetti on the identical venue in 1967. Lewis Ritson gained the identical belt outright, in the identical metropolis, just some years in the past.
When the 2 males have been matched, Buchanan had gained all 23 of his contests and his most up-to-date win had been over Spike McCormack over the total 12 rounds in a remaining eliminator on the National Sporting Club and he couldn’t have been extra prepared for the step-up in school towards Cullen. Maurice was eight years older than Buchanan and had been round for the reason that late Fifties when, as a younger coalminer, he turned skilled after an novice profession that noticed him win solely the North-Eastern championships. He got here from preventing inventory, nevertheless, with brother Terry and father, Mick, each previous him as professionals.
In his most up-to-date contest Maurice had fought at Madison Square Garden, New York, the place he oustcored the Puerto-Rican, Mike Cruz over 10 rounds and, like Buchanan, he was greater than prepared for the bout. In its preview, BN fancied the extra skilled Cullen, stating that “in what must be a duel of left hands we must stock with the champion”. Most observers felt the identical, anticipating the bout to go the total fifteen, and to be a masterclass is boxing expertise. The bookies had Buchanan as a 3/1 underdog.
Ken had different concepts. He needed to climate an early storm when Cullen dictated proceedings together with his ramrod left jab, however then he unleashed one in every of his most explosive performances. At the top of the fourth he decked Cullen, proper on the bell, with a mixture. By the sixth Cullen’s face was marked and Ken had discovered his vary as he smashed Cullen to the canvas on two extra events with big right-handers. Cullen fought again bravely within the following rounds however then he was floored twice once more within the ninth spherical after which lastly knocked out within the eleventh with one other left-right mixture.  Cullen had given every part, and he didn’t surrender his title with out a actual struggle, however the younger Buchanan was a revelation, and this bout represented his first big step on the best way to superstardom.  What nice fighters these two males have been and the way badly missed they are going to be by their respective communities.
Source link
