Walter McGowan
Encyclopedia
Walter McGowan, MBE
(born 13 October 1942 in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire
, Scotland
), is a retired Scottish
boxer
. He is renowned for having been WBC
world flyweight
champion.
He was the son of Thomas McGowan, who had boxed under the name of 'Joe Gans'.
He was a skilful boxer, who showed brilliant footwork and knew how to use the ring. However, he suffered throughout his career with cuts, often having fights stopped despite being ahead on points. Without this failing, he would have had an even more successful career.
He suffered only two defeats in 124 amateur bouts.
, Glasgow
, winning by a technical knockout in the third round.
He lost his third fight to Jackie Brown on points, but then continued to build up an impressive list of wins. In his tenth fight he fought Jackie Brown for the British and Commonwealth flyweight titles. The fight was in May 1963 at the Ice rink, Paisley
, and Mcgowan won by a knockout in the twelfth round.
In September 1963, he defended his Commonwealth title against Killer Salomon from Jamaica
. The fight was in Paisley, and McGowan won by a technical knockout in the ninth round.
In April 1964, he challenged for the European flyweight title, held by Italian, Salvatore Burruni
. The fight was held in the Olympic Stadium, Rome
, and McGowan suffered the second defeat of his career, losing on points over fifteen rounds.
In December 1965, he stepped up a weight and challenged for the European bantamweight
title, held by Italian, Tommaso Galli. The fight was again in Rome and ended as a draw after fifteen rounds.
In June 1966, he again fought Salvatore Burruni, this time for the WBC
world flyweight championship, which Burruni held. They met at the Empire Pool, Wembley
, and McGowan won a fifteen-round points decision to gain the world title, despite sustaining a badly gashed eye in the seventh round. Cuts were to prove a major problem in his career.
In September 1966, he fought Alan Rudkin
at the Empire Pool, for the British and Commonwealth bantamweight titles that he held. McGowan scored another fifteen-round points win, despite suffering a cut eye in the tenth round.
In December 1966, he defended his WBC world title against Chartchai Chionoi
in Bangkok
, Thailand
. The Thai fighter won and took the title when McGowan suffered a badly cut nose in the ninth round, and the referee was forced to stop the fight.
The two boxers had a re-match at the Empire Pool in September 1967, but again the Thai boxer won and kept his title, when cuts to both McGowan’s eyes and his forehead caused the referee to stop the fight in the seventh.
In McGowan’s next fight, in May 1968, he lost his British and Commonwealth bantamweight titles to Alan Rudkin. The fight was at Belle Vue
, Manchester
and Rukin won by a fifteen-round points decision.
McGowan fought six more fights, all against foreign boxers, winning them all, before retiring. His last fight was in November 1969 against Domenico Antonio Chiloiro.
He was inducted into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame
in 2002, alongside the likes of Scottish boxing great Ken Buchanan
.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 13 October 1942 in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire
Hamilton, South Lanarkshire
Hamilton is a town in South Lanarkshire, in the west-central Lowlands of Scotland. It serves as the main administrative centre of the South Lanarkshire council area. It is the fifth-biggest town in Scotland after Paisley, East Kilbride, Livingston and Cumbernauld...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
), is a retired Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
. He is renowned for having been WBC
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
world flyweight
Flyweight
Flyweight is a class in boxing which includes fighters weighing less than 112 lb but above 108 lb .-Professional boxing:...
champion.
He was the son of Thomas McGowan, who had boxed under the name of 'Joe Gans'.
He was a skilful boxer, who showed brilliant footwork and knew how to use the ring. However, he suffered throughout his career with cuts, often having fights stopped despite being ahead on points. Without this failing, he would have had an even more successful career.
Amateur career
McGowan was the 1961 ABA Flyweight Champion.He suffered only two defeats in 124 amateur bouts.
Professional Career
He had his first professional fight in August 1961 when he fought George McDade at the Kelvin HallKelvin Hall
The Kelvin Hall in Glasgow, Scotland, is a mixed-use arts and sports venue that opened as an exhibition centre in 1927. It has been a music hall, indoor arena and barrage balloon factory, and is currently home to the Kelvin Hall International Sports Arena and from 1987 to 2010, Glasgow's Museum of...
, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, winning by a technical knockout in the third round.
He lost his third fight to Jackie Brown on points, but then continued to build up an impressive list of wins. In his tenth fight he fought Jackie Brown for the British and Commonwealth flyweight titles. The fight was in May 1963 at the Ice rink, Paisley
Paisley
Paisley is the largest town in the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland and serves as the administrative centre for the Renfrewshire council area...
, and Mcgowan won by a knockout in the twelfth round.
In September 1963, he defended his Commonwealth title against Killer Salomon from Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. The fight was in Paisley, and McGowan won by a technical knockout in the ninth round.
In April 1964, he challenged for the European flyweight title, held by Italian, Salvatore Burruni
Salvatore Burruni
Salvatore Burruni , was an Italian flyweight and bantamweight boxer who fought between 1957 to 1969. Burruni was born in Alghero , and fought mostly in Europe.-Amateur career:...
. The fight was held in the Olympic Stadium, Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, and McGowan suffered the second defeat of his career, losing on points over fifteen rounds.
In December 1965, he stepped up a weight and challenged for the European bantamweight
Bantamweight
Bantamweight is usually a class in boxing for boxers who weigh above 115 pounds and up to 118 pounds . However, in Mixed Martial Arts it is 134-136 pounds . Wrestling also has similar weight classes including bantamweight...
title, held by Italian, Tommaso Galli. The fight was again in Rome and ended as a draw after fifteen rounds.
In June 1966, he again fought Salvatore Burruni, this time for the WBC
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
world flyweight championship, which Burruni held. They met at the Empire Pool, Wembley
Wembley
Wembley is an area of northwest London, England, and part of the London Borough of Brent. It is home to the famous Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena...
, and McGowan won a fifteen-round points decision to gain the world title, despite sustaining a badly gashed eye in the seventh round. Cuts were to prove a major problem in his career.
In September 1966, he fought Alan Rudkin
Alan Rudkin
Alan Rudkin MBE was a British, Commonwealth, and European bantamweight boxing champion . He was born in St Asaph As his pregnant mother was evacuated from Liverpool during the second world war...
at the Empire Pool, for the British and Commonwealth bantamweight titles that he held. McGowan scored another fifteen-round points win, despite suffering a cut eye in the tenth round.
In December 1966, he defended his WBC world title against Chartchai Chionoi
Chartchai Chionoi
Chartchai Chionoi a.k.a. Chartchai Laemfapha is a former professional Thai boxer and WBC World champion in Flyweight division....
in Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. The Thai fighter won and took the title when McGowan suffered a badly cut nose in the ninth round, and the referee was forced to stop the fight.
The two boxers had a re-match at the Empire Pool in September 1967, but again the Thai boxer won and kept his title, when cuts to both McGowan’s eyes and his forehead caused the referee to stop the fight in the seventh.
In McGowan’s next fight, in May 1968, he lost his British and Commonwealth bantamweight titles to Alan Rudkin. The fight was at Belle Vue
Belle Vue, Manchester
Belle Vue is an area of Gorton, in the city of Manchester, England. It lies in the eastern part of the city, close to its boundary with Tameside, and is bordered by the Hope Valley Line on the east and the Glossop Line on the west...
, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
and Rukin won by a fifteen-round points decision.
McGowan fought six more fights, all against foreign boxers, winning them all, before retiring. His last fight was in November 1969 against Domenico Antonio Chiloiro.
Retirement
He became the first Scottish world-boxing champion to be so honoured when he was in the Queen's Birthday honours list in 1966.He was inducted into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame
Scottish Sports Hall of Fame
The Scottish Sports Hall of Fame is the national sports hall of fame in Scotland, initiated on St Andrew's Day 2001. It is a joint project organised by sportscotland, the national governmental body for Scottish sport, and the National Museums of Scotland. It is also funded by BBC Scotland and...
in 2002, alongside the likes of Scottish boxing great Ken Buchanan
Ken Buchanan
Ken Buchanan is a former boxing undisputed world lightweight champion. Many consider Buchanan to be the best boxer ever to come out of Scotland.- Early career :...
.