A Boxing Memory: Jim Watt

A Boxing Memory: Jim Watt

A story of perseverance if ever there was one. When thoughts of retirement were prominent, Jim Watt gave the sport one last try. One phone call changed his career, and his life from despair, obscurity and frustration was a thing of the past.

Watt was born in Glasgow in 1948, a keen footballer in his early years before boxing came into his life in 1963. Watt rose to relevance and prominence courtesy of a one-punch knockout over the future world welterweight champion John H Stracey in the 1968 ABA semi-finals. Watt won his bout in the final to become an ABA champion, and could have gone to the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico but turned professional instead under the guidance of Jim Murray who ran the Cardowan ABC in Glasgow.

Murray lacked the London connections and the financial resources Watt needed. Watt needed visibility but toiled away on the sporting club circuit for little financial reward. But despite an early reversal Watt earned a crack at the vacant British lightweight title against previous victim Willie Reilly in1972, a cut eye ended his first title challenge in the 10th round. But when a purse dispute prompted Reilly to give up his title Watt got an immediate second chance. Tony Riley was stopped in the 12th round and the Scot was the British lightweight champion. But his reign wouldn’t last long.

Ken Buchanan the brilliant former world champion was on the comeback trail in 1973 following his controversial loss to Roberto Duran. Murray put out a challenge to Buchanan via the trade paper Boxing News. He readily accepted. Watt and Buchanan served up a forgotten gem of a fight. The Albany Hotel in Glasgow staged the fight, sadly only around 700 fans were present to witness an old-school battle between the more established champion and the new kid on the block. Buchanan complained bitterly about the venue. The fight deserved better.

Any thoughts of an easy night’s work for Buchanan were quickly washed away. Watt pushed his fellow Scot to his limit. After 15 unrelenting and punishing rounds, Buchanan got the nod, but he knew the quality of the man he had just beaten.

“Honestly, Jim you’re a better man than I thought you were,” Buchanan said afterwards. His night ended with him being stuck in the hotel lift for 30 minutes.

Watt tried to rebuild his career, and he got many plaudits for his performance against the former world champion, but high praise doesn’t pay the bills. Watt returned to the sporting clubs which limited his career in many ways and had fights in South Africa, Nigeria and France. Life on the road was hard, Watt lost fights along the way including a disputed defeat to Anthony Morodi in Johannesburg in 1974. That fight was notable because it was the first black vs white contest ever staged in South Africa. Watt regained his British title after stopping another Scottish fighter Johnny Cheshire in 7 rounds. But a defeat in a Commonwealth title fight and an awful decision that went against him in a European title eliminator in France saw Watt make changes in his inner circle.

The Watt/Murray partnership ended soon after. They had 29 fights together, the majority on club shows, and only one on a major London promotion, Watt needed a change of direction and momentum. A call to Terry Lawless got Watt what he needed. Progress was relatively slow but as the exposure grew, his success grew with it. In 1977 Watt started to see the change he wanted. He made the Lonsdale belt his own, added the European title to his collection before thoughts turned to winning honours on the world stage. Watt gave up his British title on the advice of Lawless when he was ordered to fight Charlie Nash in Derry. A protestant fighting an Irish Catholic in Ireland at that time could have ended badly. Watt and Nash would eventually fight for a much bigger prize.

When Roberto Duran finally gave up on his losing battle with the scales, suddenly all lightweights had hope. Including Watt. The Columbian Alfredo Pitalua was widely considered the best lightweight on the planet after Duran had left the division, and Watt was given the opportunity to fight Pitalua for the vacant WBC lightweight title. They fought at the Kelvin Hall in Glasgow, a hometown show on the biggest night of his life. And one Watt wouldn’t waste. Less than a thousand people watched Watt lose to Buchanan in 1973, six years later over 10,000 made their voices heard on a night of raw patriotic emotion. It was billed in some quarters as the biggest fight in Glasgow since Jackie Paterson and Joe Curran did battle for the world flyweight title at Hampden Park in 1946.

“I will be attacking his heart, his determination and will to win, with everything at my disposal. There will be no let-up. I’ll be in there fighting for every second of every minute of every round.” Watt had said in the days leading up to the fight. He was true to his word. The Columbian was brave, but ultimately Watt was too much for him, and when the referee rescued him in the 12th round, Watt was a world champion.

Seven months later Watt stopped Robert Vasquez in his first defence before finally sharing a ring with his Irish rival Nash in 1980. It was a mini-classic fought in a red-hot atmosphere, Watt was down in the opening round, before firing back to stop Nash in the 4th. Later that year the classy American Howard Davis Jr was expected to beat Watt. He didn’t. The Olympic gold medallist seemed to freeze under the bright lights and Watt was a thoroughly deserving winner after 15 good rounds. It was almost certainly the best win and performance of Watt’s career.

Sean O’Grady a big punching American was next. O’Grady had turned pro at 16, and had 74 fights by the time he fought Watt with only one solitary defeat. It was a bloody hard-fought affair. Watt was badly cut in the 9th round, and defeat looked like a real possibility. But a clash of heads in the 11th changed the course of the fight. It was the American who now had to survive two inspections by the ringside Doctor. But Watt wouldn’t be denied as he battered a bloodstained challenger until it was finally waved off in the 12th round. The fighting between the two camps continued long after the final bell. The Americans thought Watt should have been disqualified for a deliberate headbutt. They wanted an immediate rematch. It never came.

Watt had one last fight against the majestic and simply brilliant Nicaraguan Alexis Arguello. The build-up was one of dignity and respect. Both men paying their respects to their opponents.

“Alexis and myself are both proud professionals, and a world championship fight should be a dignified affair,” Watt said of Arguello.

Watt a month away from his 33rd birthday was as brave as ever and survived a knockdown to see out the fight but he lost widely on the cards. Sensibly he knew his time was over.

Watt offered no excuses: “I hope I went out like a man. The title is in good hands.” He did that and much more. The Indian Summer in his career had given him everything he always wanted from the sport and left it with 38 wins from 46 fights. Watt received an MBE for his services to boxing and a long and distinguished broadcasting career with ITV and then Sky ended in 2016 when he announced his retirement.