I LOVE that story about Peter Keenan fronting up to the world heavyweight champion, Sonny Liston, when the American came over to the UK in 1963. Sonny had objected to Keenan smoking a cigar in his presence and was extremely rude to the Scotsman in saying so. Little Peter, who was only a bantamweight in his prime, but an extremely good one, told the champ that he was quite prepared to have it out with him outside, with the bare knuckles. I have also heard it said that Keenan was an extremely hard man ‘on the cobbles’ and not a man to cross.
Like many of our best little men, at flyweight and bantamweight, Keenan came from Scotland. This country, along with Wales and Ireland, had a reputation for producing superb fighters at these weights and Keenan was no exception, he was one of the best.
He took part in 17 title contests, all of them over 15 rounds, between 1951 and 1959. He first won the British bantamweight title in 1951, regained it in 1954 and, over the course of eight British title contests at the weight, won two Lonsdale belts outright. He was only the third man, and the first Scot, to achieve this feat.
He also twice held the European title, when that title really meant something. He reigned as the Empire (now Commonwealth) champion for four years and he fought for the world bantamweight title against the South African, Vic Toweel, in 1952. In an 11-year career he won 54 of his 66 contests and ducked nobody.
In 1948, just before he turned professional, BN stated that, “Peter Keenan, Scotland’s rising new flyweight, gives every indication that he will follow the path to fistic fame already blazed by so many Scots boys at this poundage, amongst whom were such champions as Jackie Paterson, Benny Lynch, Johnny Hill, Elky Clark and Tancy Lee.
To be mentioned in the same breath as this galaxy of stars, one must be something better than the ordinary, and undoubtedly Peter, at eighteen years of age, has shown talents well above the average”. The writer also noted that Keenan had a devastating punch and that “eight of the opponents in his last 21 bouts have ‘hit the deck’ and stayed there”.
Whilst Keenan would go on to outgrow the flyweight division, this prediction came true. Keenan not only carried his punch into the professional ranks, but it remained a potent weapon in the higher division. He won his debut in 57 seconds, had his opponent down five times in the first round in his third contest, and scored two more clean knockouts before the year was out.
In 1949, he stepped up in class and by the end of the year he was rated at number four in the British flyweight division. At the time this was a very competitive weight, but one which Peter could not sustain. After beating Vic Herman in an all-Scottish 10-rounder in front of 15,000 at Firhill Park, Glasgow, Peter made the move to bantamweight and future glory.
His 1955 Empire title defence against Jake Tuli sums up his incredible tenacity and fighting spirit. After being dumped for three counts in the first round and hammered from pillar to post until the ninth, Keenan, who was a long way behind on points, turned the takes in dramatic fashion in the 14th round.
Under the heading “Keenan’s Sensational Kayo Win”, BN reported that Keenan “threw a perfectly timed left hook which spreadeagled the South African on his back while Keenan, with his hands held high from the first moment Tuli touched the canvas, did a jig on the ropes”.
After his boxing career was over Keenan became a very successful businessman and he put a lot back into the game, promoting regularly at Paisley and Glasgow. When he died in 2000, he was remembered as one of Scotland’s greatest ever fighters and a man who was respected by all, including Sonny Liston.