Ken Buchanan

Ken Buchanan


Great Photo of Ken Buchanan. It makes me sad though. You can see the brightness in his eyes. He was full of life in this photo. It has to be before Duran. After his loss to Roberto Duran. Buchanan was never the same. It was mental. The fight got into his head and he could never accept the loss. He's convinced himself but for the low blow, he might have won. Nothing and no one could have saved him from Roberto Duran that night.

That's the thing about boxers, especially champions, and even more so the very great ones. When the gig is up, they can't accept it. The very quality that got them where they are; heart, courage, determination, intestinal fortitude, desire, and that deep burning desire to never say die, the refusal to lose, betrays them at the end of their careers, it can make fools of them. The very quality the once was their best attribute is now their worst. Sad but true. Just look at Julio Cesar Chavez at the end of his career and you'll see what i'm talking about.

That's what happened to Buchanan. The fight and the loss to Duran didn't ruin Ken's quality of life. That came from within. Over the years he became bitter. His unhappiness is evident in every interview I have ever seen.

Ken Buchanan & wife Carol: After the Duran fight?