BoxRec

What do you guys make of the career of Jim Watt? At a glance youd say the fella was nowt but a journeyman in his early days but he went from a 15 rd close decision to a fading Ken Buchanan to getting banged out in 3 rds by someone called Johnny Claydon to 2 fights later being european champion?

How the frick did this guy get himself all these opportunities?

Im not knocking Jimmy i like him, but can any old timers shed soem light on him as a boxer, the politics that were in his career, how he was regarded because he retired before i was even born & never gets mentioned or looked back at as a fighter and champ.

I do have a few of his fights by the way but id ont get how Jim could get stopped so many times in his career and appear chinny yet his last fight he went in with Arguello & took 15 rds of some terrible looking shots...

Born in 1948 in post war Glasgow, Jim didn’t have it easy as a youngster as one can imagine. This didn’t deter him and his hard nosed attitude toward life stood him good stead for life in the ring, his style as boxer reflecting his no nonsense attitude maybe not the greatest of stylist but as strong and aggressive as a bull facing a matador. Having said this, as an amateur he did claim the notable scalp of John H Stracey in the ABA finals in 1968 before turning pro in October of the same year.

A somewhat unspectacular start to his professional career ensued he suffered a points loss to Victor Paul (4-8-0 at the time) in only his 6th professional bout. (Watt had previously beaten Paul and went to avenge this loss in his seventh fight with a 6th round TKO only 4 months later.)
At this point it would have been difficult to predict the drama and classic bouts to further unfold over the coming decade.

It wasn’t until 1972 that Jim’s career started to take off, winning the British title against Tony Riley, this coming immediately after an unsuccessful tilt when he was tko’d against Willy Reilly (another fighter Jim had previously beaten). Seems that Mr Watt never did it the easy way.

After successfully defending the title once Jim was to be meet Scotland’s other favourite fistic son, Ex- World Champion Ken Buchanan (45-2-0) in 1973.
On a night that bought the fervour of the classic Edinburgh versus Glasgow rivalry to the fore, it was Edinburgh who emerged triumphant after 15 hard fought rounds, Buchanan securing a hard fought points victory.

Recovering from yet another setback he regained the British title in 1975 against Johnny Cheshire and added the European title in 1977 by beating Andre Holyk avenging an earlier defeat to the Frenchman. (Suffering another loss in the meantime in Lagos for the Commonwealth Title against Nigerian Jonathan Dele.)

This fighting nature and refusal to lay down in the face of adversity typified Jim’s fighting spirit and is one of the reasons he is held in such high esteem today, more was still to come.

It was at this point that Jim’s career entered its most successful stage coinciding with a change in management and relocating from Scotland to London under Terry Lawless. Lawless actually had to persuade Watt not to pack in the fight game and the “Warrior in Watt” came to the forefront as he took his talents to the next level.

Jim dismantled former light-welter World Champ Perico Fernandez (42-5-10) in his third defence of his European Lightweight title. Next up was the long awaited World title shot he never seemed destined to make against Colombian Alfredo Pituala (29-4-2) in front of his own fans at the Kelvin Hall in Glasgow.

Driven on by his own determination and the partisan crowd Watt dominated the bout and beat the man from the South America by sheer strength, willpower and guts scoring a TKO in the 12th round. The crowd went wild and a Scots boxing legend was born on that fateful night.

Jim went on to dominate the Lightweight scene for the next two years beating Robert Vasquez (20-4-2) then Charlie Nash (21-1-0) in a barnstormer that saw Jim climb off the canvass in the first round to force a stoppage in the fourth. Further defences against Howard Davis (13-0-0) a points victory and a real rough nights work against Sean O Grady (73-1-0) in which some of Watt’s rough house tactics came in for criticism as the fight was stopped on cuts in the 12th round. This was to be Jim’s last successful defence of the WBC belt as he was showing signs of slowing down with age and was finally relieved of his belt by the great Alexis Arguello (71-5-0 a the time of the bout) in fifteen hard rounds, the great Scotsman went out on his shield.

Jim retired after this defeat.

It has to be said that if ever a fighter has suffered so many setbacks to come back from the depths and realise his true potential, then Jim Watt is that man. In short a true warrior who never gave up and made the most of the talent, drive, guts and immense determination to overcome the sporadic setbacks that frequented his early career.

J wrote:Having said this, as an amateur he did claim the notable scalp of John H Stracey in the ABA finals in 1968 before turning pro in October of the same year.

A first round stoppage I believe.

seems strange but the Watt v Buchanan fight was at the sporting club in Glasgow, only about 500 people saw the fight, and no TV. So it wasn't a good payday.
Also Watt was picked to box for Great Britain in the 1968 Mexico Olympics , but turned it down because he said he was turning pro.

topper123 wrote:seems strange but the Watt v Buchanan fight was at the sporting club in Glasgow, only about 500 people saw the fight, and no TV..

Are you sure about that?

KOJOE90 wrote:

topper123 wrote:seems strange but the Watt v Buchanan fight was at the sporting club in Glasgow, only about 500 people saw the fight, and no TV..

Are you sure about that?

As far as i know, I'm guessing some of the DVD experts will prove me wrong by saying they have a copy of the fight

I'm sure all Jim's TKO defeats were down to cuts - he had an excellent chin, which you'd need going 15 rounds with The Explosive Thin Man. Arguello had him down in the 7th, but never came close again.

Remember one of the UK papers predicted a Jim Watt win before his Arguello fight - which was a fantasy land stuff. Whoever came up with that pick probably never lived it down. There was just no way Jim could beat Arguello.

Watt's career must have given manager Terry Lawless one of his biggest thrills. After looking all washed up, the man hits his stride late on, wins the Euro title then amazingly goes onto a world title and several high profile defences. It was Cinderella Man stuff really.

topper123 wrote:

KOJOE90 wrote:

topper123 wrote:seems strange but the Watt v Buchanan fight was at the sporting club in Glasgow, only about 500 people saw the fight, and no TV..

Are you sure about that?

As far as i know, I'm guessing some of the DVD experts will prove me wrong by saying they have a copy of the fight

it was televised but the master tape went missing. i think a Scottish guy called Michael Heatlie has a copy but I wouldn't bank on it being any good in terms of quality.

Watt v Buchanan is carried by loads of fight traders.

Even our own Silkov is hawking it on Ebay ........... but don't anybody dare leave him neutral or negative feedback.

Bladder wrote:Watt v Buchanan is carried by loads of fight traders.

Even our own Silkov is hawking it on Ebay ........... but don't anybody dare leave him neutral or negative feedback.

Well that proves me wrong then.

and reading his negative feedback is quite funny

It was shown edited HLs 5 of 15 rds om BBC but i have it full length...

overhand_right wrote:I have it full length...

Must be thinking of me again Overhand. x

KOJOE90 wrote:

overhand_right wrote:I have it full length...

Must be thinking of me again Overhand. x

Oh thats just wrong.