Benny Lynch was born on April 2, 1913, in Florence Street in the deprived immigrant area of the Gorbals in Glasgow and grew up in the squalor of one of the most overcrowded immigrant ghettoes in Europe.

Nowadays the tough Gorbals district and the Florence street which produced the ring's No. 1 flyweight - from 1935-38 - is gone but the memory of Scotland’s greatest boxer and the best flyweight of the pre World War II era lives on.

Having turned professional in 1931 at the age of 18, His early boxing experiences were played out in the arduous environment of travelling booths (carnivals) which were a popular form of entertainment at the time throughout the West of Scotland during the Great Depression. It was on this circuit standing at 5 feet, 5 ½ inches, and 112 pounds were he developed his formidable boxing skills. Lynch also possessed awesome punching power, which is seldom found in flyweights before or since.

It was the start of a career which spanned 104 bouts - most of them wins.

As a raw teenager, Lynch's potential was spotted by bookie Sammy Wilson who opened his own boxing club - the New Polytechnic - at No. 49 Clyde Place.

Sammy spotted Lynch training at another local club and was impressed by his speed and accuracy. He signed the young boxer, and their partnership would lead to the title.

 

Under the expert, avuncular stewardship of his trainer and manager, Sammy Wilson, Lynch won the Scottish flyweight boxing title on 16 May 1934 with a 15 round decision over Jim Campbell in Glasgow. In March 1935, he drew with reigning British, European and World flyweight champion Jackie Brown over 12 rounds, setting up a title-fight re-match six months later. In a historic bout held in Manchester on 8 September 1935 he won the British, European and world flyweight titles from Jackie Brown.

The fight had attracted enormous support from Glaswegians who travelled en masse to support "our Benny" their faith was rewarded as they witnessed Lynch demolish  Brown in an outstanding display of power punching that saw the English opponent and undisputed world champion for three years on the canvas a total of eight times in just two rounds. Scotland's first ever world boxing champion returned to Glasgow and although the city fathers of Glasgow Corporation had denied him a formal welcome the people of Glasgow were no to be denied, he was met by a joyous crowd of hundreds of thousands of people who lined his triumphal route from Central Station to his home in the south side of the city.

There was dispute, on at least on one side of the Atlantic, as to who was the best flyweight boxer in the world. Lynch settled the matter when he out-pointed Filipino Small Montana in London on January 19, 1937 to establish himself as the undisputed world flyweight boxing champion.

 

 

 

 

 

"Our Benny" was a man of the people and developed into one of the biggest attractions in the history of the division, and was fiercely popular in his home country, unfortunately, fame did not sit easily on Lynch's shoulders and he was starting to drink heavily and his personal demons were proving to be more difficult to overcome.

From 1932-36, he lost just five fights; two of them were points losses to Jimmy Warnock a 'southpaw' from Northern Ireland, on 2 March 1936 in Belfast and again on 2 June 1937 in front of a home crowd in Glasgow.

In 1937 he handed legendary English puncher Peter Kane his first loss (KO).

By 1938, Lynch's drinking lifestyle meant that he could no longer make the weight for the flyweight division. He lost his world flyweight title to American Jackie Jurich, when he weighed in at 118.5 lb (53.8 kg), half a pound over the bantamweight limit. This was made sadder by the fact that, despite his weight problems, Lynch stopped Jurich in the 12th round.

His problems persisted. He lost a 12-round decision to Kayo Morgan on Sept. 28.

A week later Lynch was knocked out for the only time in his career by Aurel Toma in Round 3. It was, at age 25, his last fight.

 

 

 

Benny Lynch's boxing career was over by the time he was 25 and he battled with alcohol for the rest of his life.

His alcoholism worsened and was most probable made worst by well meaning but misled Glaswegians who pressed more drinks into his hands, like most alcoholics he was severely weakened from malnutrition and as a result he died of pneumonia aged 33 on 6 August 1946.

 

His record for the seven years of his professional career was:

:Total Bouts: 102

:Won: 77 (includes 15 knockouts)

:Lost: 10 (one knockout, in his last fight)

:Draw: 15

He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall Of Fame in 1998.

 

 

 

 

 

News Paper Tributes

The Herald on August 7th 1996:

Scotland's greatest boxing hero was remembered yesterday on the 50th anniversary of his death.

The glorious rise and tragic fall of Glasgow's Benny Lynch was commemorated at a service at Lambhill Cemetery.

Among the greats who paid tribute to Scotland's first world champion were Jim Watt, Johnny McManus, and Walter McGowan.

"Benny was quite simply a legend. He was a fantastic boxer and an inspiration to a whole generation of fighters," Watt said at the graveside.

Lynch, a featherweight world champion at the age of 21, suffered a steep decline into alcoholism and poverty.

He was born in the Gorbals on April 2, 1913, and turned professional in 1931. His fondness for drink ended his career in 1938.

On August 5, 1946, he was taken to the Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, with respiratory problems. He died the next day at the age of 33.

Despite his rapid decline there were only fond memories at yesterday's ceremony.

Service organiser Frank O'Donnell, who grew up on the same street as Lynch in the Gorbals, said: "We have done this today to pay tribute to the incredible boxing talent of the man. He could never say no to a drink or to anyone who wanted to borrow money off him, but he was a true great."

Mr O'Donnell has set up an exhibition of the life of Benny Lynch at the John Main Centre in the Gorbals. It features pictures and memorabilia from his life and all the proceeds will go towards the upkeep of his grave.   (Copyright: 1996 Caledonian Newspapers Ltd)

 

 

GLASGOWBOXER'S WORLD TITLE (Scottish Daily Record 1937)

Benny Lynch of Glasgow is now the undisputed flyweight champion of the world. At the Wembley Pool, here, to-night he defeated Small Montana of America on points over fifteen rounds. Lynch won, I thought, with a bit in hand. Benny has always been noted as a fighter depending mostly on a big punch to bring him victory, but on his display to-night he surprised his most ardent admirers by the way he boxed and brought into play a clever craftsmanship. Lynch throughout was the aggressor, and although he failed to land a knock-out punch, he obviously worried Montana with wicked lefts and rights to the body. Against a less crafty fighter, Lynch would surely have gained his objective, as he did against Jackie Brown and Pat Palmer.  There were 13,600 people at the fight.

 

 

CROWD GOES "BENNY DAFT" - CHAMPION AND WIFE "MOBBED" - Amazing Scenes in Glasgow

(Scottish Daily Record, Jan 21, 1937)

A welcome appropriate to Royalty was accorded to Benny Lynch, flyweight champion of the world, on his return to Glasgow last night, after his spectacular victory over Small Montana. His train from London was due at Glasgow Central Station at 9.35 p.m., but long before then a dense crowd gathered in and around the station. A strong force of mounted and foot police were on duty, keeping clear the carriageway leading to No. 11 Platform, at which the returning champion's train was due to arrive. The crowd grew in numbers until, as the train drew into the station, there must have been about 15,000 people present. [...] Amid shouts of "Good old Benny," they crowded round the carriage door. Wearing a light ovecoat and soft hat, and looking a little pale and drawn, Lynch, accompanied by his wife, stepped on to the platform. Then a remarkable scene ensued. A strong party of police formed up in two rows between the carriage door and the motor car which was waiting to convey Benny and Mrs Lynch home. It appeared that the intention was to form a lane along which the couple could get safely and comfortably to their car; but a rush of spectators almost swept the police aside.