"Ken Buchanan, bleeding and battered around both eyes, pounded Ismael Laguna with solid left hands to the head and good body punches Monday night and retained his world lightweight championship with a unanimous 15 round decision at MSG. The classy scot never lost his cool although he bled from cuts below both eyes for a good deal of the fight and fought with his left eye badly swollen for the last 12 rounds and from a severe cut above his left eye in the last four rounds. Buchanan took control of the fight in the 4th round and almost ended the bout in the 14th when he drove the Panamanian around the ring with a two-fisted barrage that lasted for nearly a minute and almost sent Laguna through the ropes. Laguna managed to catch the top strand of the ropes and pull himself back into the ring where he escaped the charging Scot." -Associated Press

Ken Buchanan vs Ismael Laguna II

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Jim Watt vs Ken Buchanan

Undefeated Roberto Duran wins his first title in highly controversial fashion when he stops WBA Lightweight Champion Ken Buchanan. Storming the champion from the outset, Duran scores a first-round knockdown when he lands a right hand to Buchanan's shoulder, knocking him onto his gloves, and then rocks Buchanan into a corner with another right in the second round. Duran hurts Buchanan again in the fifth and knocks his mouthpiece out. Well ahead on points heading into the thirteenth round, Duran knocks Buchanan between the ropes momentarily, prompting the champion to throw a punch at him after the bell. Duran responds with a low blow, and Buchanan falls onto his knees. Although Buchanan is able to get up, he goes down again, and Referee Johnny LoBianco determines that the champion cannot continue. He controversially stops the bout, despite protest from Buchanan to proceed, awarding Duran the title on a technical knockout.

Ken Buchanan vs Ismael Laguna II

Jim Watt vs Ken Buchanan

Ken Buchanan vs. Roberto Duran

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