The Boxing History Blog

26th June 1972, Madison Square Garden, New York WBA Lightweight Title Ken Buchanan Vs Roberto Duran World champion Ken Buchanan was born in  Edinburgh, Scotland on 28th June 1945. He became ABA champion in 1965, turning professional on 20th September that very same year, stopping Brian Rocky Tonks in the second round in the lightweight division. In his seventeenth bout he became the British Scottish Area lightweight champion, outpointing John McMillan over ten rounds for the vacant title. On 19th February 1968 he beat Maurice Cullen for the British lightweight title with an eleventh round knockout, taking his unbeaten record to 24-0 with nine KO's. Nine more victories put him in line for the vacant European lightweight title. He travelled to Madrid, Spain to take on Miguel Velasquez. The bout went the full fifteen rounds and the Spaniard was given the decision 72-69 by Italian referee and sole judge. Buchanan leaned dejected against the ropes as the home supporters inv

Glen Johnson Like Simon Brown, Glen Johnson was born in Clarendon, Jamaica. He came into the world on 02nd January 1969 as Glengoffe Donovan Johnson. Also like Brown, he started his professional career in the United States, choosing Florida as his residence.  Johnson defeated Yurek Del Rio in the first round of a super-middleweight contest on 19th February 1993 to kickstart his time in the paid ranks. He amassed an unbeaten career of 32-0 (22 KO's) when he challenged Bernard Hopkins for the IBF middleweight title on 20th July 1997. Hopkins was making the fifth defence of his title he won against Ecuadorian Segundo Mercado in April 1995. The two fought a draw for the vacant title in December 1994, with Hopkins clinching the crown with a seventh round TKO to finally become world champion at the third time of asking.  Against Johnson, it was a totally dominant display from the champion, who hurt the challenger in the second and fifth rounds. Johnson was getting out worked and the cham

Simon Brown Born in Clarendon, Jamaica as Ceseford Brown on 15th August 1963, Simon Brown compiled an amateur record of 63-2. He turned professional at Atlantic City's Tropicana Hotel and Casino against Ricky Williams in February 1982, winning a four-round decision.  He fought predominantly in Atlantic City, compiling a record of 21-0 (15 KO's) when he challenged USBA welterweight champion Marlon Starling on 22nd November 1985 at the Sands Casino Hotel in Atlantic City. Starling was vastly experienced and a few classes above the faded veterans and club fighters Brown had been facing as a pro. Starling had a record of 97-13 in the amateurs and reached the 1977 AAU welterweight semi-final, losing to Mike McCallum. In 1975 and '79 he lost both New England Golden Gloves welterweight finals to Robbie Sims. He turned pro in July 1979 and amassed an unbeaten run of 25-0 before losing his USBA welterweight title to NABF counterpart, Donald Curry by a split decision in October 1982.

Nigel Benn After his brutal and tragic encounter with Gerald McClellan, Nigel Benn considered retirement. Once his wounds healed, he decided to get his career back on track and defended his WBC super-middleweight championship against Vincenzo Nardiello. The Italian, born in Stuttgart, Germany on 11th June 1966 was nearly two-years younger than the champion. Nardiello had a good amateur pedigree, winning the national super-lightweight championship in 1984. In 1986 and 1987 he captured the Italian titles at super-welterweight and middleweight respectively. He also represented his country at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, losing a decision to eventual winner Park Si-Hun (who controversially outpointed Roy Jones Junior in the final). Nardiello turned professional in Dcember 1988 and went on an unbeaten run of seventeen, eleven early, when he challenged Victor Cordoba in December 1991, losing by an eleventh round TKO for the WBA super-middleweight title. Twelve months later he collected the vacan