Benny Lynch


Benjamin Lynch, known as Our Benny, 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". Like Fleischer, both Statistical boxing website BoxRec and the International Boxing Research Organization also rank Lynch as the 5th greatest flyweight ever. He was elected to the Ring Magazine hall of fame in 1986 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1998.

Life and career

He was born in a tenement flat at 17 Florence Street, 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, and in January 1934 beat Jim Brady in an eliminator for the Scottish Area flyweight title, beating Jim Campbell in May to take the title. He successfully defended the title against Campbell a month later. Lynch rounded off the year with further wins over opponents including Maurice Huguenin, Jim Brady, Valentin Angelmann, and Pedro Ruiz.

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. 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.
In his next three fights he beat Gaston Maton, Harry Orton, and Phil Milligan, before suffering his first defeat in three years when he lost on points to Jimmy Warnock in Belfast in March 1936.
In September 1936 he successfully defended his British and European titles against Pat Palmer, stopping the Londoner in the eighth round.
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.

World flyweight champion

There was dispute, on at least on one side of the Atlantic, as to who was the genuine world flyweight champion. 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.
In his next fight he beat Spanish flyweight champion Fortunato Ortega on points. In March he was disqualified against Len Hampston when his second entered the ring. 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.
In October 1937 he handed Peter Kane his first loss by knockout in a defence of his British and world titles. One of his training sessions before the fight had attracted 10,000 spectators. Towards the end of the month he was knocked unconscious in a car crash. 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.
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. His trial was delayed until after his world title fight with American Jackie Jurich. He forfeited his world flyweight title against Jurich, when he weighed in at 118.5 lb, half a pound over the bantamweight limit. Lynch stopped Jurich in the 12th round, but lost the title. At his trial in July, he was fined £20 and disqualified from driving for a year.

Decline and death

In July 1938 he was fined £200 by the BBBofC and stripped of his British and European titles; Lynch appealed against the decision. In September his boxing licence was suspended for a breach of training regulations. 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.
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. In December he left for Ireland to spend a fortnight in a monastery near Waterford.
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.
In February 1939 he was arrested and charged with assault. 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. In June he was the subject of court action by the Inland Revenue.
He was due to fight Dudley Lewis on 27 February 1939 but was prohibited from doing so by the BBBofC.
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".
In April 1940 he was fined 30 shillings after being found drunk in Glasgow Road, Ralston. 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.
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.

Legacy

Lynch's life was the subject of Bill Bryden's 1974 stage play Benny Lynch, with a book of the play published in 1975, and a television adaptation made in 1976. A second play based on Lynch's life, written by Peter Arnett, was first performed in 1985.
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. Another documentary film about Lynch, Benny, directed by Andrew Gallimore, was first shown in 2017.
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.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRoundDateLocationNotes
119LossAurel TomaKO3 Oct 3, 1938Empress Hall, Earl's Court, London, England
118Loss88–13–17K.O. MorganPTS12Sep 27, 1938Shawfield Park, Glasgow, Scotland
117Win88–12–17Jackie JurichKO12 Jun 29, 1938St Mirren Football Ground, Paisley, ScotlandNYSAC, NBA, British, and The Ring flyweight titles at stake
Only for Jurich
116Draw87–12–17Peter KanePTS12Mar 24, 1938Anfield Football Ground, Liverpool, England
115Win87–12–16Maurice FilholTKO5 Feb 9, 1938Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, Scotland
114Win86–12–16Georges BatailleTKO8 Dec 13, 1937Granby Halls, Leicester, Leicestershire, England
113Win85–12–16Peter KaneKO13 Oct 13, 1937Shawfield Park, Glasgow, ScotlandRetained NYSAC, NBA, British, and The Ring flyweight titles
112Win84–12–16Roy UnderwoodTKO6 Aug 20, 1937Shawfield Park, Glasgow, Scotland
111Loss83–12–16Jimmy WarnockPTS15Jun 2, 1937Celtic Park Stadium, Glasgow, Scotland
110Win83–11–16Len HampstonTKO10 Mar 22, 1937Town Hall, Leeds, Yorkshire, England
109Loss82–11–16Len HampstonDQ5 Mar 1, 1937King's Hall, Belle Vue, Manchester, England
108Win82–10–16Fortunato OrtegaPTS12Feb 10, 1937Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, Scotland
107Win81–10–16Small MontanaPTS15Jan 19, 1937Empire Pool, Wembley, London, EnglandRetained NBA flyweight title;
Won NYSAC and vacant The Ring flyweight titles
106Win80–10–16Eric JonesKO2 Dec 10, 1936Holborn Stadium Club, Holborn, England
105Win79–10–16Phil MilliganTKO7 Nov 16, 1936King's Hall, Belle Vue, Manchester, England
104Win78–10–16Pat PalmerKO8 Sep 16, 1936Shawfield Park, Glasgow, ScotlandRetained British and NBA flyweight titles;
Won vacant European flyweight title
103Win77–10–16Syd ParkerKO9 Jun 16, 1936Cathkin Park, Glasgow, Scotland
102Win76–10–16Pat WarburtonTKO3 May 28, 1936Holborn Stadium Club, Holborn, London, England
101Win75–10–16Mickey McGuireTKO4 Mar 25, 1936New St James Hall, Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, England
100Loss74–10–16Jimmy WarnockPTS12Mar 11, 1936Kings Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland
99Win74–9–16Phil MilliganPTS12Dec 19, 1935Adelphi SC, Glasgow, Scotland
98Win73–9–16Harry OrtonPTS10Dec 12, 1935Edinburgh National Sporting Club, Leith, Scotland
97Win72–9–16Gaston MatonPTS12Dec 3, 1935Caledonian Stadium, Glasgow, Scotland
96Win71–9–16Jackie BrownTKO2 Sep 9, 1935King's Hall, Belle Vue, Manchester, EnglandWon British and vacant NBA flyweight titles
95Win70–9–16Charlie HazelKO1 May 6, 1935Cathkin Park, Glasgow, Scotland
94Win69–9–16Tomas PardoeRTD14 Apr 14, 1935Embassy Rink, Sparbrook, West Midlands, England
93Draw68–9–16Jackie BrownPTS12Mar 4, 1935Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, Scotland
92Win68–9–15Bobby MageePTS12Jan 7, 1935City Hall, Glasgow, Scotland
91Win67–9–15Sandy McEwanPTS12Dec 13, 1934Edinburgh National Sporting Club, Leith, Scotland
90Win66–9–15Tut WhalleyDQ8 Dec 5, 1934Caird Hall, Dundee, Scotland
89Win65–9–15Johnny GriffithsKO1 Nov 29, 1934Edinburgh National Sporting Club, Leith, Scotland
88Win64–9–15Peter MillerKO8 Nov 12, 1934New St James Hall, Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, England
87Win63–9–15Pedro RuizPTS12Nov 7, 1934City Hall, Glasgow, Scotland
86Win62–9–15Billy JohnstoneTKO5 Oct 25, 1934Adelphi SC, Glasgow, Scotland
85Win61–9–15Valentin AngelmannPTS12Sep 26, 1934Cathkin Park, Glasgow, Scotland
84Win60–9–15Jim BradyPTS12Aug 30, 1934Parkhead Arena, Glasgow, Scotland
83Win59–9–15Maurice HugueninPTS12Aug 8, 1934Cathkin Park, Glasgow, Scotland
82Win58–9–15Jim CampbellPTS15Jun 27, 1934Cathkin Park, Glasgow, ScotlandRetained BBBofC Scottish Area flyweight title
81Win57–9–15Peter MillerKO3 May 31, 1934Parkhead Arena, Glasgow, Scotland
80Win56–9–15Evan EvansTKO3 May 29, 1934City Hall, Glasgow, Scotland
79Win55–9–15Jim CampbellPTS15May 16, 1934Olympic Sports Ground, Glasgow, ScotlandWon BBBofC Scottish Area flyweight title
78Win54–9–15George LoweRTD2 Apr 17, 1934Adelphi SC, Glasgow, Scotland
77Win53–9–15Carlo CavagnoliPTS10Mar 21, 1934Kelvin Hall, Glasgow, Scotland
76Win52–9–15Freddy WebbKO3 Feb 8, 1934Adelphi SC, Glasgow, Scotland
75Win51–9–15Jim BradyPTS12Jan 30, 1934Music Hall, Edinburgh, Scotland
74Draw50–9–15Bob FieldingPTS10Nov 9, 1933The Stadium, Liverpool, Merseyside, England
73Win50–9–14Bert KirbyPTS12Oct 29, 1933Palais de Danse, West Bromwich, West Midlands, England
72Win49–9–14Boy Ian McIntoshTKO4 Oct 24, 1933Music Hall, Edinburgh, Scotland
71Win48–9–14Willie VoganKO2 Oct 12, 1933Music Hall, Edinburgh, Scotland
70Win47–9–14Joe CowleyTKO7 Sep 8, 1933Parkhead Arena, Bridgeton, Scotland
69Win46–9–14Alex FarriesTKO4 Aug 17, 1933Parkhead Arena, Glasgow, Scotland
68Win45–9–14Billy Kid HughesTKO9 Jun 29, 1933Parkhead Arena, Glasgow, Scotland
67Win44–9–14Billy WarnockTKO11 Jun 15, 1933Parkhead Arena, Glasgow, Scotland
66Win43–9–14Jim MahargPTS12May 25, 1933Parkhead Arena, Glasgow, Scotland
65Win42–9–14Alex FarriesPTS8May 11, 1933Parkhead Arena, Glasgow, Scotland
64Win41–9–14Freddie TennantPTS10May 5, 1933Premierland, Bridgeton, Scotland
63Draw40–9–14Jim BradyPTS12May 2, 1933Premierland, Dundee, Scotland
62Win40–9–13Walter LemmonPTS10Apr 21, 1933Premierland, Bridgeton, Scotland
61Draw39–9–13Paddy DochertyPTS10Mar 31, 1933Premierland, Bridgeton, Scotland
60Loss39–9–12Jimmy Young KnowlesPTS12Mar 28, 1933Premierland, DundeePremierland, Dundee, Scotland
59Win39–8–12Jim BradyPTS12Mar 25, 1933The Ring, Glasgow, Scotland
58Draw38–8–12Jock Joe AitkenPTS10Feb 17, 1933Premierland, Bridgeton, Scotland
57Win38–8–11Joe GreenPTS10Jan 27, 1933Janet Street Boxing Pavilion, Leith, Scotland
56Win37–8–11Freddie TennantPTS10Jan 25, 1933Premierland, Dundee, Scotland
55Win36–8–11Dan ConlinPTS10Jan 13, 1933Premierland, Bridgeton, Scotland
54Draw35–8–11Freddie TennantPTS10Dec 23, 1932Premierland, Bridgeton, Scotland
53Win35–8–10Jim Tiger NaughtonPTS6Dec 8, 1932Scottish Stadium, Govan, Scotland
52Win34–8–10Paddy DochertyPTS10Dec 1, 1932Scottish Stadium, Govan, Scotland
51Draw33–8–10Paddy DochertyPTS10Nov 18, 1932Premierland, Bridgeton, Scotland
50Win33–8–9George McLeodKO5 Nov 10, 1932Music Hall, Edinburgh, Scotland
49Win32–8–9Tommy HigginsPTS10Nov 4, 1932Premierland, Bridgeton, Scotland
48Win31–8–9Alex FarriesPTS10Oct 29, 1932Glasgow, Scotland
47Draw30–8–9Billy BeattiePTS6Oct 21, 1932Hamilton, Scotland
46Win30–8–8Freddie TennantPTS10Oct 17, 1932National Sporting Club, Edinburgh-Leith, Scotland
45Draw29–8–8Jock Joe AitkenPTS10Oct 7, 1932Monkland AC, Town Hall, Airdrie, Scotland
44Win29–8–7Paddy DochertyPTS10Sep 26, 1932National Sporting Club, Edinburgh-Leith, Scotland
43Win28–8–7Paddy DochertyPTS10Sep 3, 1932The Ring, Glasgow, Scotland
42Win27–8–7Alex FarriesPTS10Sep 1, 1932Edinburgh, Scotland
41Draw26–8–7Tony FlemingPTS6Aug 20, 1932The Ring, Glasgow, Scotland
40Win26–8–6Peter CurranPTS10Aug 19, 1932Hamilton, Scotland
39Win25–8–6Jim JeffriesPTS6Jul 29, 1932Craighead Park, Blantyre, Scotland
38Draw24–8–6Tommy HigginsPTS10Jul 15, 1932Craighead Park, Blantyre, Scotland
37Loss24–8–5Freddie TennantPTS10Jul 8, 1932The Ring, Glasgow, Scotland
36Win24–7–5Jock Joe AitkenPTS12Jun 9, 1932The Ring, Glasgow, Scotland
35Win23–7–5Scotty DeansKO4 May 21, 1932Glasgow, Scotland
34Loss22–7–5Young Matt GriffoPTS6Apr 23, 1932The Ring, Glasgow, Scotland
33Win22–6–5Jim Tiger NaughtonPTS6Apr 21, 1932Glasgow, Scotland
32Win21–6–5Young Matt GriffoPTS6Apr 16, 1932The Ring, Glasgow, Scotland
31Win20–6–5Jim O'DriscollPTS6Apr 9, 1932The Ring, Glasgow, Scotland
30Draw19–6–5Young McManusPTS6Mar 18, 1932Glasgow, Scotland
29Win19–6–4Scotty DeansPTS6Mar 11, 1932Premierland, Bridgeton, Scotland
28Win18–6–4Jimmy BarrPTS6Feb 27, 1932The Ring, Glasgow, Scotland
27Win17–6–4Kid MurrayPTS6Feb 20, 1932The Ring, Glasgow, Scotland
26Loss16–6–4Jim JeffriesPTS6Feb 12, 1932Dumbarton, Scotland
25Win16–5–4Jack RileyPTS6Feb 11, 1932Scottish Stadium, Govan, Scotland
24Win15–5–4Kid HardyPTS6Feb 5, 1932The Ring, Glasgow, Scotland
23Win14–5–4Charlie DeaconTKO4 Jan 1, 1932Premierland, Bridgeton, Scotland
22Draw13–5–4Tommy MurdochPTS10Dec 16, 1931Glasgow, Scotland
21Win13–5–3Paddy SweeneyPTS6Nov 28, 1931Glasgow, Scotland
20Win12–5–3Peter SherryPTS6Nov 13, 1931Premierland, Bridgeton, Scotland
19Win11–5–3Mick CassidyPTS6Nov 6, 1931Premierland, Bridgeton, Scotland
18Loss10–5–3Mick Young McAdamPTS8Oct 29, 1931Scottish Stadium, Govan, Scotland
17Win10–4–3Young O'BrienPTS4Oct 15, 1931Scottish Stadium, Govan, Scotland
16Win9–4–3Tommy MurdochPTS8Oct 12, 1931Glasgow, Scotland
15Loss8–4–3Paddy DochertyPTS8Oct 1, 1931Premierland, Bridgeton, Scotland
14Draw8–3–3Joe BoagPTS6Sep 26, 1931Glasgow, Scotland
13Loss8–3–2Paddy DochertyPTS10Sep 25, 1931Glasgow, Scotland
12Draw8–2–2Tommy MurdochPTS8Sep 18, 1931Premierland, Glasgow, Scotland
11Win8–2–1Jim McKenziePTS6Sep 12, 1931Glasgow, Scotland
10Loss7–2–1Young O'BrienPTS6Sep 4, 1931The Ring, Glasgow, Scotland
9Win7–1–1Jim DevanneyTKO3 Aug 22, 1931The Ring, Glasgow, Scotland
8Draw6–1–1Young DonnellyPTS8Aug 14, 1931Watson's Arena, Glasgow, Scotland
7Win6–1Willie LeggattPTS6Jul 31, 1931Glasgow, Scotland
6Win5–1Joe RiversPTS6Jun 26, 1931Glasgow, Scotland
5Win4–1Young McCollKO3 Jun 11, 1931Watson's Arena, Glasgow, Scotland
4Win3–1Peter SherryPTS6May 30, 1931Barrowfield Park, Glasgow, Scotland
3Loss2–1Packy BoylePTS6May 23, 1931The Ring, Glasgow, Scotland
2Win2–0Tommy MurdochPTS6Apr 29, 1931Glasgow, Scotland
1Win1–0Young BryceTKO2 Apr 24, 1931Glasgow, Scotland