Benny Lynch

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Template:Short description Template:EngvarB Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox boxer

Benjamin Lynch (2 April 1913 – 6 August 1946), known as Our Benny,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> was a Scottish professional boxer who fought in the flyweight division. He is considered by some to be one of the finest boxers below the lightweight division in his era and has been described as the greatest fighter Scotland ever produced. The Ring Magazine founder Nat Fleischer rated Lynch as the No. 5 flyweight of all-time while his publication placed him 63rd in its 2002 list of the "Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years".<ref name="boxer1">Cyber Boxing Encyclopedia – Benny Lynch CyberBoxingZone.com</ref><ref name="boxer2">The 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years. BoxRec.com. Retrieved on 11 April 2014.</ref> Like Fleischer, both Statistical boxing website BoxRec and the International Boxing Research Organization also rank Lynch as the 5th greatest flyweight ever.<ref name="boxer3">All-Time Flyweight Rankings. BoxRec.com. Retrieved on 11 April 2014.</ref><ref name="boxer4">All-Time Flyweight Rankings Template:Webarchive IBROresearch.com Retrieved on 29 April 2014</ref> He was elected to the Ring Magazine hall of fame in 1986 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1998.<ref name="boxer1"/>

Life and career

He was born in a tenement flat at 17 Florence Street,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> in the Gorbals area of Glasgow, and learned his fighting skills in the carnival booths that were popular in the west of Scotland during the Great Depression.

Early professional fights

Lynch made his professional debut in April 1931 with a second round stoppage of Young Bryce. His professional career started inauspiciously, winning only 8 of his first 15 fights. His first significant victory came in June 1932, when he beat the experienced Jock Joe Aitken on points.

In March 1933 he began an unbeaten run that would last three years. He beat Bert Kirby on points in October 1933,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and in January 1934 beat Jim Brady in an eliminator for the Scottish Area flyweight title,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> beating Jim Campbell in May to take the title. He successfully defended the title against Campbell a month later.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Lynch rounded off the year with further wins over opponents including Maurice Huguenin, Jim Brady, Valentin Angelmann,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and Pedro Ruiz.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

British and European flyweight champion

Lynch won the British, European and world flyweight titles from Jackie Brown in an historic bout held in Manchester on 9 September 1935, the two having fought a draw six months earlier.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="UnterharnscheidtTaylor-Unterharnscheidt2003">Template:Cite book</ref> The fight attracted enormous support from Glaswegians who travelled en masse to watch Lynch floor his opponent eight times before the bout was stopped in the second round.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In his next three fights he beat Gaston Maton (but had to pay a forfeit after failing to make the weight),<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Harry Orton,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and Phil Milligan,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> before suffering his first defeat in three years when he lost on points to Jimmy Warnock in Belfast in March 1936.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In September 1936 he successfully defended his British and European titles against Pat Palmer, stopping the Londoner in the eighth round.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In November 1936, Lynch was sued for £2,000 by his former manager Samuel Wilson, for alleged breach of contract; Lynch counter-sued, alleging that Wilson had not carried out his duties properly.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

World flyweight champion

There was dispute, on at least on one side of the Atlantic, as to who was the genuine world flyweight champion.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Lynch, recognised as champion in Britain, settled the matter when he out-pointed NBA and NYSAC flyweight champion Filipino Small Montana in London in January 1937 to establish himself as the undisputed world flyweight boxing champion.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In his next fight he beat Spanish flyweight champion Fortunato Ortega on points.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In March he was disqualified against Len Hampston when his second entered the ring.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The two met again three weeks later, with Lynch winning via a tenth round stoppage. In June he was again beaten by Warnock in a fight for which he failed to make the weight.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In October 1937 he handed Peter Kane his first loss by knockout in a defence of his British and world titles.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> One of his training sessions before the fight had attracted 10,000 spectators.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Towards the end of the month he was knocked unconscious in a car crash.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Two months later he stopped Georges Bataille in the eighth round at the Granby Halls in Leicester.

Lynch and Kane met again in March 1938, fighting a draw, with Lynch again failing to make the weight and paying a forfeit.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Lynch was arrested later that month and charged with driving offences after crashing his car while drunk and hitting a telegraph pole and a pram containing a 12-week-old baby, and failing to stop after the accident.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="drinkdrive">Template:Cite news</ref> His trial was delayed until after his world title fight with American Jackie Jurich.<ref name="drinkdrive" /> He forfeited his world flyweight title against Jurich, when he weighed in at 118.5 lb (53.8 kg), half a pound over the bantamweight limit. Lynch stopped Jurich in the 12th round, but lost the title.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At his trial in July, he was fined £20 and disqualified from driving for a year.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Decline and death

File:Glasgow. St Kentigern's Cemetery. Benny Lynch's grave.jpg
Glasgow. St Kentigern's Cemetery. Benny Lynch's grave

In July 1938 he was fined £200 by the BBBofC and stripped of his British and European titles; Lynch appealed against the decision.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In September his boxing licence was suspended for a breach of training regulations.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He did, however, face K.O. Morgan at bantamweight later that month at Shawfield Park, losing on points despite being once again over the agreed weight and over 7lbs heavier than his opponent.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In October 1938, after his weight increased again and he suffered a third-round knockout at the hands of Aurel Toma, he was offered 'three months holiday' and received several weeks treatment at a sanatorium in Kent, arranged by the National Sporting Club in an attempt to return him to fitness.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In December he left for Ireland to spend a fortnight in a monastery near Waterford.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In January 1939 he went missing during a training camp in Stirlingshire; He was found after being lost on the hills for over six hours, half a mile from his training base, wearing just pyjamas, a dressing gown, and slippers, and suffering from hypothermia.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In February 1939 he was arrested and charged with assault.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In March he was found guilty of assaulting his estranged wife, his 11-year-old sister-in-law, and three police officers, with a further charge of assaulting his 18-month old son by attempting to gas him deemed not proven, and was fined £20, with an alternative sentence of 60 days in prison.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In June he was the subject of court action by the Inland Revenue.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

He was due to fight Dudley Lewis on 27 February 1939 but was prohibited from doing so by the BBBofC.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On 21 August 1939, the Boxing Board refused his application for the restoration of his boxing licence, stating that "he is at present not fit to carry on a career as a professional boxer".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In April 1940 he was fined 30 shillings after being found drunk in Glasgow Road, Ralston.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In October 1942 he was charged with offences against a 7-year-old girl in a Glasgow cinema, and was subsequently found guilty of assaulting two girls aged 7 and 10.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

He would continue to battle with alcoholism for the rest of his life despite several attempts to treat the disease. Lynch died in 1946 of malnutrition-induced respiratory failure, aged 33. He was buried at St. Kentigern's Cemetery, Glasgow, with some 2,000 people attending the funeral.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Legacy

Lynch's life was the subject of Bill Bryden's 1974 stage play Benny Lynch,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> with a book of the play published in 1975, and a television adaptation made in 1976.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A second play based on Lynch's life, written by Peter Arnett, was first performed in 1985.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

He was featured on the cover of Scottish rock band Gun's second album, Gallus, in 1992. A documentary about the life of Benny Lynch, directed by John Mackenzie and narrated by Robert Carlyle, was made in 2003.<ref>Beacom, Brian (2017) "Why Scotland still loves Benny Lynch", Glasgow Herald, 12 February 2017. Retrieved 14 January 2018</ref> Another documentary film about Lynch, Benny, directed by Andrew Gallimore, was first shown in 2017.<ref>Brocklehurst, Steven (2017) "Benny Lynch: The rise and fall of the people's champion", BBC, 23 February 2017. Retrieved 14 January 2018</ref><ref>"New documentary tells the forgotten tale of tragic boxing champion Benny Lynch", The 42, 13 October 2017. Retrieved 14 January 2018</ref>

The Benny Lynch Story, a stage play written by David Carswell and directed by David Hayman Jr, with Stephen Purdon playing the boxing champion, toured Scotland in May and June 2019.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Professional boxing record

Template:BoxingRecordSummary

Template:Abbr Result Record Opponent Type Round Date Location Notes
119 Template:No2Loss Template:Nowrap Aurel Toma KO 3 (10) Oct 3, 1938 Template:Small
118 Template:No2Loss 88–13–17 K.O. Morgan PTS 12 Sep 27, 1938 Template:Small
117 Template:Yes2Win 88–12–17 Jackie Jurich KO 12 (15) Jun 29, 1938 Template:Small Template:Small
116 Template:DrawDraw 87–12–17 Peter Kane PTS 12 Mar 24, 1938 Template:Small
115 Template:Yes2Win 87–12–16 Maurice Filhol TKO 5 (12) Feb 9, 1938 Template:Small
114 Template:Yes2Win 86–12–16 Georges Bataille TKO 8 (10) Dec 13, 1937 Template:Small
113 Template:Yes2Win 85–12–16 Peter Kane KO 13 (15) Oct 13, 1937 Template:Small Template:Small
112 Template:Yes2Win 84–12–16 Roy Underwood TKO 6 (12) Aug 20, 1937 Template:Small
111 Template:No2Loss 83–12–16 Jimmy Warnock PTS 15 Jun 2, 1937 Template:Small
110 Template:Yes2Win 83–11–16 Len Hampston TKO 10 (12) Mar 22, 1937 Template:Small
109 Template:No2Loss 82–11–16 Len Hampston DQ 5 (12) Mar 1, 1937 Template:Small
108 Template:Yes2Win 82–10–16 Fortunato Ortega PTS 12 Feb 10, 1937 Template:Small
107 Template:Yes2Win 81–10–16 Small Montana PTS 15 Jan 19, 1937 Template:Small Template:Small
106 Template:Yes2Win 80–10–16 Eric Jones KO 2 (8) Dec 10, 1936 Template:Small
105 Template:Yes2Win 79–10–16 Phil Milligan TKO 7 (12) Nov 16, 1936 Template:Small
104 Template:Yes2Win 78–10–16 Pat Palmer KO 8 (15) Sep 16, 1936 Template:Small Template:Small
103 Template:Yes2Win 77–10–16 Syd Parker KO 9 (12) Jun 16, 1936 Template:Small
102 Template:Yes2Win 76–10–16 Pat Warburton TKO 3 (9) May 28, 1936 Template:Small
101 Template:Yes2Win 75–10–16 Mickey McGuire TKO 4 (10) Mar 25, 1936 Template:Small
100 Template:No2Loss 74–10–16 Jimmy Warnock PTS 12 Mar 11, 1936 Template:Small
99 Template:Yes2Win 74–9–16 Phil Milligan PTS 12 Dec 19, 1935 Template:Small
98 Template:Yes2Win 73–9–16 Harry Orton PTS 10 Dec 12, 1935 Template:Small
97 Template:Yes2Win 72–9–16 Gaston Maton PTS 12 Dec 3, 1935 Template:Small
96 Template:Yes2Win 71–9–16 Jackie Brown TKO 2 (15) Sep 9, 1935 Template:Small Template:Small
95 Template:Yes2Win 70–9–16 Charlie Hazel KO 1 (10) May 6, 1935 Template:Small
94 Template:Yes2Win 69–9–16 Tomas Pardoe RTD 14 (15) Apr 14, 1935 Template:Small
93 Template:DrawDraw 68–9–16 Jackie Brown PTS 12 Mar 4, 1935 Template:Small
92 Template:Yes2Win 68–9–15 Bobby Magee PTS 12 Jan 7, 1935 Template:Small
91 Template:Yes2Win 67–9–15 Sandy McEwan PTS 12 Dec 13, 1934 Template:Small
90 Template:Yes2Win 66–9–15 Tut Whalley DQ 8 (10) Dec 5, 1934 Template:Small
89 Template:Yes2Win 65–9–15 Johnny Griffiths KO 1 (12) Nov 29, 1934 Template:Small
88 Template:Yes2Win 64–9–15 Peter Miller KO 8 (10) Nov 12, 1934 Template:Small
87 Template:Yes2Win 63–9–15 Pedro Ruiz PTS 12 Nov 7, 1934 Template:Small
86 Template:Yes2Win 62–9–15 Billy Johnstone TKO 5 (10) Oct 25, 1934 Template:Small
85 Template:Yes2Win 61–9–15 Valentin Angelmann PTS 12 Sep 26, 1934 Template:Small
84 Template:Yes2Win 60–9–15 Jim Brady PTS 12 Aug 30, 1934 Template:Small
83 Template:Yes2Win 59–9–15 Maurice Huguenin PTS 12 Aug 8, 1934 Template:Small
82 Template:Yes2Win 58–9–15 Jim Campbell PTS 15 Jun 27, 1934 Template:Small Template:Small
81 Template:Yes2Win 57–9–15 Peter Miller KO 3 (12) May 31, 1934 Template:Small
80 Template:Yes2Win 56–9–15 Evan Evans TKO 3 (10) May 29, 1934 Template:Small
79 Template:Yes2Win 55–9–15 Jim Campbell PTS 15 May 16, 1934 Template:Small Template:Small
78 Template:Yes2Win 54–9–15 George Lowe RTD 2 (8) Apr 17, 1934 Template:Small
77 Template:Yes2Win 53–9–15 Carlo Cavagnoli PTS 10 Mar 21, 1934 Template:Small
76 Template:Yes2Win 52–9–15 Freddy Webb KO 3 (12) Feb 8, 1934 Template:Small
75 Template:Yes2Win 51–9–15 Jim Brady PTS 12 Jan 30, 1934 Template:Small
74 Template:DrawDraw 50–9–15 Bob Fielding PTS 10 Nov 9, 1933 Template:Small
73 Template:Yes2Win 50–9–14 Bert Kirby PTS 12 Oct 29, 1933 Template:Small
72 Template:Yes2Win 49–9–14 Boy Ian McIntosh TKO 4 (10) Oct 24, 1933 Template:Small
71 Template:Yes2Win 48–9–14 Willie Vogan KO 2 (10) Oct 12, 1933 Template:Small
70 Template:Yes2Win 47–9–14 Joe Cowley TKO 7 (12) Sep 8, 1933 Template:Small
69 Template:Yes2Win 46–9–14 Alex Farries TKO 4 (15) Aug 17, 1933 Template:Small
68 Template:Yes2Win 45–9–14 Billy Kid Hughes TKO 9 (12) Jun 29, 1933 Template:Small
67 Template:Yes2Win 44–9–14 Billy Warnock TKO 11 (12) Jun 15, 1933 Template:Small
66 Template:Yes2Win 43–9–14 Jim Maharg PTS 12 May 25, 1933 Template:Small
65 Template:Yes2Win 42–9–14 Alex Farries PTS 8 May 11, 1933 Template:Small
64 Template:Yes2Win 41–9–14 Freddie Tennant PTS 10 May 5, 1933 Template:Small
63 Template:DrawDraw 40–9–14 Jim Brady PTS 12 May 2, 1933 Template:Small
62 Template:Yes2Win 40–9–13 Walter Lemmon PTS 10 Apr 21, 1933 Template:Small
61 Template:DrawDraw 39–9–13 Paddy Docherty PTS 10 Mar 31, 1933 Template:Small
60 Template:No2Loss 39–9–12 Jimmy Young Knowles PTS 12 Mar 28, 1933 Template:Small
59 Template:Yes2Win 39–8–12 Jim Brady PTS 12 Mar 25, 1933 Template:Small
58 Template:DrawDraw 38–8–12 Jock Joe Aitken PTS 10 Feb 17, 1933 Template:Small
57 Template:Yes2Win 38–8–11 Joe Green PTS 10 Jan 27, 1933 Template:Small
56 Template:Yes2Win 37–8–11 Freddie Tennant PTS 10 Jan 25, 1933 Template:Small
55 Template:Yes2Win 36–8–11 Dan Conlin PTS 10 Jan 13, 1933 Template:Small
54 Template:DrawDraw 35–8–11 Freddie Tennant PTS 10 Dec 23, 1932 Template:Small
53 Template:Yes2Win 35–8–10 Jim Tiger Naughton PTS 6 Dec 8, 1932 Template:Small
52 Template:Yes2Win 34–8–10 Paddy Docherty PTS 10 Dec 1, 1932 Template:Small
51 Template:DrawDraw 33–8–10 Paddy Docherty PTS 10 Nov 18, 1932 Template:Small
50 Template:Yes2Win 33–8–9 George McLeod KO 5 (10) Nov 10, 1932 Template:Small
49 Template:Yes2Win 32–8–9 Tommy Higgins PTS 10 Nov 4, 1932 Template:Small
48 Template:Yes2Win 31–8–9 Alex Farries PTS 10 Oct 29, 1932 Template:Small
47 Template:DrawDraw 30–8–9 Billy Beattie PTS 6 Oct 21, 1932 Template:Small
46 Template:Yes2Win 30–8–8 Freddie Tennant PTS 10 Oct 17, 1932 Template:Small
45 Template:DrawDraw 29–8–8 Jock Joe Aitken PTS 10 Oct 7, 1932 Template:Small
44 Template:Yes2Win 29–8–7 Paddy Docherty PTS 10 Sep 26, 1932 Template:Small
43 Template:Yes2Win 28–8–7 Paddy Docherty PTS 10 Sep 3, 1932 Template:Small
42 Template:Yes2Win 27–8–7 Alex Farries PTS 10 Sep 1, 1932 Template:Small
41 Template:DrawDraw 26–8–7 Tony Fleming PTS 6 Aug 20, 1932 Template:Small
40 Template:Yes2Win 26–8–6 Peter Curran PTS 10 Aug 19, 1932 Template:Small
39 Template:Yes2Win 25–8–6 Jim Jeffries PTS 6 Jul 29, 1932 Template:Small
38 Template:DrawDraw 24–8–6 Tommy Higgins PTS 10 Jul 15, 1932 Template:Small
37 Template:No2Loss 24–8–5 Freddie Tennant PTS 10 Jul 8, 1932 Template:Small
36 Template:Yes2Win 24–7–5 Jock Joe Aitken PTS 12 Jun 9, 1932 Template:Small
35 Template:Yes2Win 23–7–5 Scotty Deans KO 4 (?) May 21, 1932 Template:Small
34 Template:No2Loss 22–7–5 Young Matt Griffo PTS 6 Apr 23, 1932 Template:Small
33 Template:Yes2Win 22–6–5 Jim Tiger Naughton PTS 6 Apr 21, 1932 Template:Small
32 Template:Yes2Win 21–6–5 Young Matt Griffo PTS 6 Apr 16, 1932 Template:Small
31 Template:Yes2Win 20–6–5 Jim O'Driscoll PTS 6 Apr 9, 1932 Template:Small
30 Template:DrawDraw 19–6–5 Young McManus PTS 6 Mar 18, 1932 Template:Small
29 Template:Yes2Win 19–6–4 Scotty Deans PTS 6 Mar 11, 1932 Template:Small
28 Template:Yes2Win 18–6–4 Jimmy Barr PTS 6 Feb 27, 1932 Template:Small
27 Template:Yes2Win 17–6–4 Kid Murray PTS 6 Feb 20, 1932 Template:Small
26 Template:No2Loss 16–6–4 Jim Jeffries PTS 6 Feb 12, 1932 Template:Small
25 Template:Yes2Win 16–5–4 Jack Riley PTS 6 Feb 11, 1932 Template:Small
24 Template:Yes2Win 15–5–4 Kid Hardy PTS 6 Feb 5, 1932 Template:Small
23 Template:Yes2Win 14–5–4 Charlie Deacon TKO 4 (6) Jan 1, 1932 Template:Small
22 Template:DrawDraw 13–5–4 Tommy Murdoch PTS 10 Dec 16, 1931 Template:Small
21 Template:Yes2Win 13–5–3 Paddy Sweeney PTS 6 Nov 28, 1931 Template:Small
20 Template:Yes2Win 12–5–3 Peter Sherry PTS 6 Nov 13, 1931 Template:Small
19 Template:Yes2Win 11–5–3 Mick Cassidy PTS 6 Nov 6, 1931 Template:Small
18 Template:No2Loss 10–5–3 Mick Young McAdam PTS 8 Oct 29, 1931 Template:Small
17 Template:Yes2Win 10–4–3 Young O'Brien PTS 4 Oct 15, 1931 Template:Small
16 Template:Yes2Win 9–4–3 Tommy Murdoch PTS 8 Oct 12, 1931 Template:Small
15 Template:No2Loss 8–4–3 Paddy Docherty PTS 8 Oct 1, 1931 Template:Small
14 Template:DrawDraw 8–3–3 Joe Boag PTS 6 Sep 26, 1931 Template:Small
13 Template:No2Loss 8–3–2 Paddy Docherty PTS 10 Sep 25, 1931 Template:Small
12 Template:DrawDraw 8–2–2 Tommy Murdoch PTS 8 Sep 18, 1931 Template:Small
11 Template:Yes2Win 8–2–1 Jim McKenzie PTS 6 Sep 12, 1931 Template:Small
10 Template:No2Loss 7–2–1 Young O'Brien PTS 6 Sep 4, 1931 Template:Small
9 Template:Yes2Win 7–1–1 Jim Devanney TKO 3 (6) Aug 22, 1931 Template:Small
8 Template:DrawDraw 6–1–1 Young Donnelly PTS 8 Aug 14, 1931 Template:Small
7 Template:Yes2Win 6–1 Willie Leggatt PTS 6 Jul 31, 1931 Template:Small
6 Template:Yes2Win 5–1 Joe Rivers PTS 6 Jun 26, 1931 Template:Small
5 Template:Yes2Win 4–1 Young McColl KO 3 (10) Jun 11, 1931 Template:Small
4 Template:Yes2Win 3–1 Peter Sherry PTS 6 May 30, 1931 Template:Small
3 Template:No2Loss 2–1 Packy Boyle PTS 6 May 23, 1931 Template:Small
2 Template:Yes2Win 2–0 Tommy Murdoch PTS 6 Apr 29, 1931 Template:Small
1 Template:Yes2Win 1–0 Young Bryce TKO 2 (6) Apr 24, 1931 Template:Small

Titles in boxing

Major world titles

The Ring magazine titles

Regional/International titles

Undisputed titles

See also

References

Template:Reflist

Further reading

  • Benny: The Life and Times of a Fighting Legend – by John Burrowes Template:ISBN

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