Rudkin vs McGowan II – Brutal, British Battle

On the 6th of September 1966, two fighters embraced as the bell rang and waited anxiously for the referee to make a decision on who had won.
In one corner was the slick Scottish Flyweight Walter McGowan who was WBC World Flyweight Champion. The other was the reigning British and Empire Bantamweight champion and he was named Alan Rudkin.

The decision was given. McGowan had won a controversial decision, most believing Rudkin had taken it, although respected veteran broadcaster Harry Carpenter believed McGowan had done enough but just. There were calls for a rematch that seemed inevitable. However, Rudkin felt hard done by feeling he won the fight and had been stolen of his titles.

22 months later the fighters re-entered the ring in the long awaited rematch. It was a natural to sell; the first fight was an epic and close fight and ended with a disputed decision. And here it was.

McGowan had lost his Flyweight title to the great Chatchai Chinoi in a war but eventually his eye gave out and he lost on cuts. In the rematch he was ahead on the cards before his left eye fell to pieces and again he lost on cuts. He took 8 months out before signing to fight Rudkin again.

Rudkin on the other hand was quite successful in the interim with 6 wins including 2 stoppages. However he had lost on points in a fight for the European Bantamweight crown but still longed for his British and Empire titles. After the defeat by Mimoun Ben Ali (for the European title) he rebounded with a brilliant second round KO over the touted American Ronnie Jones, landing a perfect right hand to lay Jones out.

The action got under way.

The early rounds were close with McGowan the pure boxer he was landing fast jabs but Rudkin fought back well with the harder shots and edged these early rounds. Both fighters produced beautiful boxing of the highest quality.

As the fight wore onto the middle rounds Rudkin hid fine form in the eight he turned up his pressure and McGowan started to struggle as Alan forced himself forward with hard straight punches to the head and brutal body shots. He continued this in the 9th causing TV commentator, Harry Carpenter, to a liken him to a ‘Bulldog’. A few seconds later Alan seemed to floor Walter with a wicked right hand but the legendary referee Harry Gibbs ruled it a slip, which was highly plausible as the ring was very slippy. But, Alan turned it on believing Walter to be hurt and really bullied the Scotsman for the rest of the round. In the 10th Rudkin kept the pressure and looked to be in complete control with the average card being 8-2 to the scouser and Rudkin was keeping a ferocious pace.

Walter sat down on his stool after the 10th his right eye was shut and in the last round Rudkin had opened a cut over his left cheek bone. Looking at him you wouldn’t have expected what was about to happen.

The bell for the 11th rang. McGowan sensing the need for a big push in the late rounds got up on his toes and started to land beautiful combinations and fast jabs on the advancing Rudkin. No-one could believe it Walter looked to be fading in the last few rounds but had started this amazing comeback but could he keep it up.

As Walter came out for the 12th round he walked onto a brilliantly placed shot by Rudkin that seemed to shake the Scotsman. Watching it I had the feeling this could be the end for the Scotsman as he tied up Rudkin to avoid his follow up attacks. As they broke Walter got up on his toes and proceeded to box as he had done in the last round but this round he was landing with authority and landed a precise right uppercut onto the onrushing Alan’s chin, forcing Alan back. This brilliant comeback continued in the 13th as Walter boxed brilliantly but Alan was always forcing the pace. Now the solid lead for Rudkin had evaporated and now the fight was in the balance but all Rudkin needed to do was win 1 of the last 2 rounds to secure victory.

The 14th round commenced and Alan tore straight into McGowan with punishing body shots. The tide started to turn as Rudkin found the target more and more with hard accurate shots. Commentator, again Harry Carpenter, commented Rudkin had ‘Savage Intensity’ which summed it up brilliantly, Alan wasn’t going to be denied of his titles that he believed rightfully belonged to him. Alan’s ‘Savage Intensity’ caused a horrific cut over the cut-prone McGowan’s left eye.

‘Second’s Out, 15th and Final round’ Shouted the timekeeper.

Both men rose from their stools Rudkin cut over his left eye and McGowan with both eyes shut and cuts above and below his left eye. You knew these guys had been in a fight. They got to centre ring and touched gloves and proceeded to tear into each other like hungry dogs. Rudkin landed furiously to the body making sickening BOOM’s every time they landed. Walter threw fast flurries to the body back in an attempt to keep Alan off of him but he couldn’t as they both kept trading. McGowan had to give ground and he did as Alan stalked him landing bloodying combinations as McGowan leaped in with fast flurries in a brilliant last round.

As the bell sounded both men embraced tightly and Walter planted a kiss, instead of a hook, on the cheek of Rudkin, which summed up the love and respect each guy had for each other. In a fight of such savagery they could embrace like this was a testament to their sportsmanship.

Harry Gibbs walked over to Rudkin and raised his hand; he had scored it to Rudkin by a round or half a point – the closest it could be!

Rudkin was delighted he had redeemed himself and won back his treasured titles. The look on Rudkin’s face showed it all he was full of relief and joy for winning as he was raised onto someone’s shoulders and paraded around the ring as the crowd cheered for his and McGowan’s amazing performance. Oddly there was some booing but this writer believes it to be of fans disagreement with the decision but the booing was minimal.

Thus concluded the greatest most savage yet superbly skilled fight to take place in the British ring. Many would say that one of the Kevin Finnegan vs Alan Minter trilogy, or Jamie Moore vs Mathew Macklin. But for me this honour belongs too the incredible fight between two of the almost forgotten greats of the British ring in Alan Rudkin and Walter McGowan.