26 September 1970 Ken Buchanan travelled to Puerto Rico where he would meet Ismael Laguna the world lightweight champion from Panama .Many experts believed San Juan’s warm weather would affect Buchanan, but he upset those who thought that way and beat Laguna by a 15-round decision to become world’s lightweight champion.
Later on the 26/6/1972 he fought the Legendary Roberto Duran at Madison Square Garden in one of the most controversial fights of the Era.