The St Andrew’s Sporting Club
Est 1973
Monday 18th of March 2013, sitting in The St Andrew’s Sporting Club, breathing in the aroma of fine food and listening to the sound of hearty laughter, this was not just any club; this was more like a brotherhood of man rejoicing in the pleasantries that the club had to offer. There was Guest of Honour, Jackie McNamara, the new manager of Dundee United, Guest Chairman, Journalist Jim Black and the Guest Speaker was Former Criminal Defence Lawyer, Bill Copeland who had the place in tears of laughter.
I could not take my eyes off the ring, the venue may have changed but the tradition of the club and its members have remained the same. I could envisage my dad and Jim Watt gracefully treading the canvas, trading blows in the opening night of this famous, historical club, a night that would go down in Scottish folklore as possibly the greatest fight ever to take place in Scotland. I was truly in the hotbed of Scottish boxing and rubbing shoulders with some of the most esteemed gentlemen in Scotland.
The evening’s entertainment was followed by the boxing, the opening bell rang to the tune of a Lightweight contest at 9st 12lbs over 6 x 2min rounds between Barry Craig from Airdrie and Sid Razak, Birmingham. Barry Craig was by far the busier man in the opening rounds coming out throwing double jabs and an array of combinations working to the head and body followed by nice straight one-two- left hook- right screw shots to the head, Sid Razak having a wealth of experience with 39 contests under his belt went about his business mainly throwing single shots to the head progressing to straight left-rights, however, it was in the latter stages of the fight that Razak produced his best work switching his attack from body to head, he really started to get going in the 5th round. Craig went straight back onto the trusty left jab at the beginning of the 6th round followed by a left screw shot to the head and working in a nice one-two-left hook but thereafter it was all the man from Birmingham finishing off the round mostly landing right hands to the body and head, Razak looked like he wanted more but it was a case of too little too late and referee Kenny Pringle scored the contest 58-57 in favour of the man from Airdrie who remains unbeaten.
The following fight was contested at 10st 12lbs over 6 x 2minute rounds in the Welterweight division featuring debutant Michael Towell from Dundee and Sedley’s Tom Bowen. Bowen moved straight in doubling up the jab, whereas Towell was aiming left hooks to the body and head; Bowen landed a big right hand before the bell signalled the end of the first round. Bowen stepped up the pace in the 2nd managing a four punch combination and everything he did was off the jab, Towell resorted to left and right hooks, Bowen stuck to jabs, one-two’s and left hooks, Towell persevered with left-right hooks to the head and by the 4th round Towell was throwing a lot of leather catching Bowen with three big left hooks, Bowen looked like he was tiring near the end of the 4th round. Before the bell went for the 5th round Towell sat in his corner like a raging bull looking eager to engage with his opponent. Bowen came out throwing a straight one-two and a left hook to the head but Towell was going for it big time, left to the body, double left to the body, occasionally doubling up his hooks to the head. In the 6th round it was a bit untidy but Towell was the stronger man by far, Bowen came back with very little resolve. Referee Kenny Pringle scored the contest 58-56 in favour of Towell.
The main event of the evening was a 6 x 3 minute Lightweight contest between Scottish Light-Welterweight Champion Stuart Green who hails from Glenrothes in the Kingdom of Fife and Dougie Curran from Newcastle. Stuart Green came out the blocks slowly behind the jab throwing the more accurate punches, however, Dougie Curran threw everything but the kitchen sink. There must have been a clash of heads somewhere because Curran returned to his corner with a concerning cut above his left eye, high on the forehead. Curran came out doubling up the jab and throwing one-two’s to the head and body, Green moved into gear switching from head to body, finishing the round with a straight jab followed by a big right hand and the cut on Curran’s head looked a lot worse. The 3rd round started with the boxers going at it toe to toe working inside and it looked a more even round as both boxers got through with combinations of their own. In the 4th round Green was back behind a good jab, Curran was throwing straight one-two’s with a right to the body, Green returned a good left hook-right uppercut and a combination of punches aimed at the body and head, Curran landed a big right hand body shot before the bell rang. Curran came out in the 5th throwing straight left hands, green upped the tempo operating to the head and body, at one point in the round the boxers were trading blows against the ropes and Green knocked Currans head back and a splatter of blood hit me in the left eye. The bell sounded for the last round and it was green that was in command throwing basic two-three punch combinations that worked a treat, he worked much harder than Curran and it was obvious that Stuart Green wanted it the most. Referee Kenny Pringle scored the contest 58-56 in favour of Green.
I spoke with each of the three guests at the top table; they were very pleasant to talk to and were more than obliged to accommodate anyone who approached them.
I had a chat with the host Tommy Gilmour and he turned; pointing to a draped banner about 30ft in height with a large picture of my dad and in as many words explained the name Buchanan is embedded in the clubs history and embraced the legacy of the club.
By Raymond Fraser Buchanan
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