Ken Buchanan: Edinburgh boxing legend memorial service to be held at St Giles Cathedral

Funeral procession will pass former site of Sparta boxing club and Leith Walk statue

A memorial service will be held in honour of Ken Buchanan at Edinburgh’s St Giles' Cathedral at noon on Tuesday, April 25.

The Scottish boxing legend, who became the undisputed world lightweight champion in 1971, died earlier this month, aged 77. The funeral procession will pass the former site of Sparta Boxing Club, McDonald Road, and the Ken Buchanan statue in line with his wishes.

Buchanan was born in June 1945 and grew up in a council house in Portobello. He vowed to become world champion at the age of eight after watching a film about Joe Louis. He had major amateur success before turning professional in 1965. In 1971 he became Scotland's first undisputed world champion with a win over Ruben Navarro in Los Angeles.

Boxing legend Ken Buchanan died earlier this month and will be honoured at a memorial service in St Giles Cathedral

Buchanan was made an MBE in 1972 and was inducted into both the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the Scottish Sport Hall of Fame. The statue of him outside Edinburgh’s St James Quarter unveiled last year.

Last year his son Mark revealed Buchanan had been diagnosed with dementia and said it was "likely a result of his sport". Because of the condition he was moved to a care home in Edinburgh.