I LOVE that story about Peter Keenan fronting as much as the world heavyweight champion, Sonny Liston, when the American came to visit to the UK in 1963. Sonny had objected to Keenan smoking a cigar in his presence and was extraordinarily impolite to the Scotsman in saying so. Little Peter, who was solely a bantamweight in his prime, however an especially good one, informed the champ that he was fairly ready to have it out with him outdoors, with the naked knuckles. I’ve additionally heard it mentioned that Keenan was an especially laborious man ‘on the cobbles’ and never a person to cross.
Like a lot of our greatest little males, at flyweight and bantamweight, Keenan got here from Scotland. This nation, together with Wales and Eire, had a status for producing very good fighters at these weights and Keenan was no exception, he was top-of-the-line.
He took half in 17 title contests, all of them over 15 rounds, between 1951 and 1959. He first gained the British bantamweight title in 1951, regained it in 1954 and, over the course of eight British title contests on the weight, gained two Lonsdale belts outright. He was solely the third man, and the primary Scot, to realize this feat.
He additionally twice held the European title, when that title actually meant one thing. He reigned because the Empire (now Commonwealth) champion for 4 years and he fought for the world bantamweight title in opposition to the South African, Vic Toweel, in 1952. In an 11-year profession he gained 54 of his 66 contests and ducked no one.
In 1948, simply earlier than he turned skilled, BN said that, “Peter Keenan, Scotland’s rising new flyweight, provides each indication that he’ll observe the trail to fistic fame already blazed by so many Scots boys at this poundage, amongst whom had been such champions as Jackie Paterson, Benny Lynch, Johnny Hill, Elky Clark and Tancy Lee.
To be talked about in the identical breath as this galaxy of stars, one should be one thing higher than the peculiar, and undoubtedly Peter, at eighteen years of age, has proven abilities effectively above the common”. The author additionally famous that Keenan had a devastating punch and that “eight of the opponents in his final 21 bouts have ‘hit the deck’ and stayed there”.
While Keenan would go on to outgrow the flyweight division, this prediction got here true. Keenan not solely carried his punch into the skilled ranks, but it surely remained a potent weapon within the larger division. He gained his debut in 57 seconds, had his opponent down 5 occasions within the first spherical in his third contest, and scored two extra clear knockouts earlier than the yr was out.
In 1949, he stepped up in school and by the top of the yr he was rated at quantity 4 within the British flyweight division. On the time this was a really aggressive weight, however one which Peter couldn’t maintain. After beating Vic Herman in an all-Scottish 10-rounder in entrance of 15,000 at Firhill Park, Glasgow, Peter made the transfer to bantamweight and future glory.
His 1955 Empire title defence in opposition to Jake Tuli sums up his unimaginable tenacity and preventing spirit. After being dumped for 3 counts within the first spherical and hammered from pillar to submit till the ninth, Keenan, who was a great distance behind on factors, turned the takes in dramatic style within the 14th spherical.
Beneath the heading “Keenan’s Sensational Kayo Win”, BN reported that Keenan “threw a superbly timed left hook which spreadeagled the South African on his again whereas Keenan, along with his palms held excessive from the primary second Tuli touched the canvas, did a jig on the ropes”.
After his boxing profession was over Keenan grew to become a really profitable businessman and he put so much again into the sport, selling often at Paisley and Glasgow. When he died in 2000, he was remembered as one in all Scotland’s best ever fighters and a person who was revered by all, together with Sonny Liston.
