Ken gets his hands (gloves?) on Edinburgh Award!

Once voted ‘Britain’s Greatest Ever Boxer’ by the Boxing News, Leith-born Ken Buchanan is the only living British fighter in the International Boxing Hall of Fame. He famously fought on the same bill as Muhammad Ali in Madison Square Garden twice.

Ken’s famous fighting hands have been immortalised on a flagstone outside the City Chambers. They sit next to the hand prints of previous Edinburgh Award recipients including fellow sporting legends Sir Chris Hoy MBE (cycling) and George Kerr CBE (Judo).

Edinburgh’s Lord Provost Donald Wilson said: “In many ways, a lasting tribute for Ken Buchanan in his home city is long overdue. It seems right to me that those famous fighting hands have been immortalised in stone and given pride of place along our very own Edinburgh Award ‘walk  of fame’. It has been an honour to present this award on behalf of the city to Ken Buchanan – an Edinburgh man whose success has been under-recognised for so long.”

Ken Buchanan is the 10th recipient of the Edinburgh Award. He said: “I am absolutely overwhelmed to have this prestigious honour presented to me. The fact that I’ll have everlasting hand prints at the Royal mile is just amazing and I would like to thank everyone who voted for me and who joined me at the ceremony. This is a moment I will never forget.”

Bradley Welsh, founder of the Holyrood Boxing Gym and actor in Trainspotting (T2), added: “For a young person like me growing up in Edinburgh, Ken was a real inspiration. He was held in such high regard at that time all over the world as one of the top boxers yet he stayed true to his roots and his community. Some boxers when they reach a certain high in their careers forget where they come from but Ken always had time for his city and Edinburgh’s boxing clubs. It was an absolute honour for me when he opened Holyrood Boxing Gym 11 years ago and a joy to join him as he received the Edinburgh Award.”

Nominations for the Edinburgh Award 2017 will open in the autumn.