Evan Armstrong

“Great All Rounder”

Born in Ayr on February 15th 1943 former British and Commonwealth featherweight champion Evan Armstrong may have been a champion rabbit breeder outside the ropes but there was nothing bunny-like in the ring about the man who once told Boxing News editor Harry Mullan  that “fitness is my thing, I keep punching away until I sicken my opponents…” That philosophy and willingness to travel anywhere in the world to box in the other guy’s backyard, often against opponents others avoided, made Armstrong a worthy claimant to a place in the Scots Boxing Hall of Fame.

After a respectable amateur career that saw Evan succeed the great Dick McTaggart as captain of Scotland’s amateur boxing team, the Ayr-born, but Tarbolton-based Armstrong, launched his pro career in 1963. In 1966 Evan claimed his first “name” fighter’s scalp when he knocked out Edinburgh’s former British Flyweight Champion Jackie Brown. Positive proof that the never-say-die Ayrshire man had simply shrugged off a 1964 stoppage cuts defeat by Craigneuk’s Bobby Fisher. Again, proof that Evan Armstrong had a superb chin to add to his prime ring qualities of strength, courage and supreme fitness lies in the fact that only someone of the undisputed class of South African World bantamweight champion Arnold Taylor was ever able to knock the rock hard Ayrshire man out. However, as Evan’s 39 win in 54 contests records shows Armstrong was more acquainted with triumph than disaster in the ring. In July 1972 Evan became British Featherweight Champion by knocking out Londoner Jimmy Revie on his home patch in the 12th round.

Future World Champion Jose Legra may have beaten Evan in February 1972 for the European 9 stone crown but he was taken the full 15 rounds distance in the process. Similarly a 15 rounds points loss of his British title to Tommy Glencross in Glasgow was followed by back to back stoppage victories over Glencross and Australian Bobby Dunne in Brisbane to add the Commonwealth title to his British diadem. Another Englishman, Alan Richardson, was stopped inside eleven rounds in London in July 1974 in defence of Evan’s Commonwealth title, but perhaps Armstrong’s bout with Mexican Joe Medel best sums up this great Ayrshire boxer’s never-say-die I-will-box-anywhere attitude. Former World Flyweight Champion Walter McGowan regarded Mexican Joe Medel, who stopped him inside the distance in London in 1965, as his toughest opponent. An offer to box in the high altitude of Mexico City against the same Jose Medel was taken by Evan who then not only took the fearsome Mexican the distance but claimed the Mexican press had picked himself as a winner over home boy Medel! Little wonder former Boxing News editor Harry Mullan called Evan Armstrong “…one of the bravest battlers I’ve watched…” Evan Armstrong may have ducked publicity throughout his career but nobody deserves more to have a place in the Scots Boxing Hall of Fame.