Chic Brogan

Born: January 8, 1932;

Died January 17, 2015.

An appreciation.

My uncle, Chic Brogan, who has died after a brief illness, was a boxer who won the Scottish Bantamweight title in 1956 and the Scottish Featherweight title in 1958.

After a successful amateur career, fighting out of Clydebank, he turned professional in 1950 at the age of 18.

At Paisley Ice Rink in December 1954, he fought Cambuslang's Charlie Hill for the vacant Scottish Featherweight title. Having defeated him previously in two amateur championships, he was confident that he could triumph in their first professional meeting. He put up a strong challenge, The Glasgow Herald reporting that "Hill was caught and dazed several times in the early rounds." It proved not to be enough as Hill won on points after 12 rounds.

In 1956, he fought twice for the Scottish Bantamweight title. In June he lost on points to Malcolm Grant at the Kelvin Hall. A decision The Glasgow Herald called hotly disputed. Three months later he fought Grant again, this time at Firhill. Despite bleeding from cuts above both eyes he could afford to box calmly in the last two rounds such was the points lead he had built up. Sure enough when the bell sounded at the end of the twelfth he had won the title on points.

An opportunity arose to fight World Bantamweight Champion Alphonse Halimi of France in a non-title fight at Palais des Sports in Paris in September of 1957. Chic could not turn this down, but unfortunately, this was the biggest mismatch of his career as Halimi, unbeaten in 19 fights at this weight, powered his way to a second round knockout.

With the Scottish featherweight title again vacant in February 1958, Chic fought for it once more. This time he won, outpointing Owen Reilly of Maryhill over 12 rounds at Hamilton Town Hall. Despite Reilly getting the better of the early rounds, Chic came back strongly and in the final two rounds caught the 1956 Olympian with a barrage of lefts and rights to the body.

With momentum behind him, Chic challenged Charlie Hill for his British Featherweight title at Cathkin Park in July 1958. His old injury above his right eye opened up in the first round. The cut bled profusely by the eleventh round and this forced his retirement.

Chic was known for being a smart boxer. He stuck to his tactics, no matter how much the crowd bayed for a knockout blow. Perhaps this lack of a killer instinct was the reason he did not achieve wider success.

His last professional fight was his defence of his Scottish Featherweight title in November 1959. Despite outclassing Dave Croll in the first round at Dundee's Caird Hall, he fell to a knockout blow in the second.

At the end of his career his professional record read: 42 fights; 22 wins (nine by KO), 19 losses (seven by KO) and one draw. After he retired from boxing he worked as a joiner, firstly with John Brown and Company, then with Glasgow City Council. He also found time to run a gym in Clydebank training young boxers and became an accomplished golfer.

He is survived by May, his wife of 59 years, children Jim and Lorraine and his grandchildren Kevin, Kirsty, Amy and Katy.