Boxers of Glasgow: 6 of the all-time best Glaswegian boxers

By Liam Smillie

Digital Reporter

Published 2nd Apr 2025, 12:17 BST

Glasgow has produced some truly incredible boxers over the years - today we wanted to celebrate six of the very best

Next to football, boxing may just be Glasgow’s most popular sport - and it’s no surprise, boxing is a real working class sport and thrives in areas like Glasgow and Lanarkshire.

We’ve put together this list of Glasgow’s best ever boxers from the 20th century.

Many of the boxers featured are in the lower weight classes. Glasgow was known to produce some of the hardest most ferocious wee men in Europe, who performed incredibly well on the international stage.

A lot of these boxers put Glasgow on the map thanks to their efforts in fighting in Europe and abroad. Many of them share tragic stories following their careers in boxing also.

Take a look below as we explore six of the best all-time boxers from Glasgow.

Scottish flyweight boxing champion Benjamin Lynch (1913-1946). Born in Glasgow, he joined an amateur boxing club called the LMS Rovers and was spotted at a boxing saloon in the Gorbals by manager Samuel Wilson. After a series of contests, he beat contender Jackie Brown in Manchester in September 1935 to become Scotland’s first world boxing champion. Eventually Lynch succumbed to alcoholism, and in 1939 was refused a licence to box.

1. 1913: Glasgow’s boxing champion, Benny Lynch, is born

Scottish flyweight boxing champion Benjamin Lynch (1913-1946). Born in Glasgow, he joined an amateur boxing club called the LMS Rovers and was spotted at a boxing saloon in the Gorbals by manager Samuel Wilson. After a series of contests, he beat contender Jackie Brown in Manchester in September 1935 to become Scotland’s first world boxing champion. Eventually Lynch succumbed to alcoholism, and in 1939 was refused a licence to box. | Getty Images

Paul Weir (born 16 September 1967) is a Scottish former professional boxer who competed from 1992 to 2000. He was a world champion in two weight classes, having held the WBO mini-flyweight title in 1993 and the WBO junior-flyweight title from 1994 to 1995.

2. Paul Weir

Paul Weir (born 16 September 1967) is a Scottish former professional boxer who competed from 1992 to 2000. He was a world champion in two weight classes, having held the WBO mini-flyweight title in 1993 and the WBO junior-flyweight title from 1994 to 1995. | The Fight City

Paul Weir (born 16 September 1967) is a Scottish former professional boxer who competed from 1992 to 2000. He was a world champion in two weight classes, having held the WBO mini-flyweight title in 1993 and the WBO junior-flyweight title from 1994 to 1995. He received the Freedom of the City of Glasgow in January 1981. The previous year he had been awarded an MBE.

3. Jim Watt

Paul Weir (born 16 September 1967) is a Scottish former professional boxer who competed from 1992 to 2000. He was a world champion in two weight classes, having held the WBO mini-flyweight title in 1993 and the WBO junior-flyweight title from 1994 to 1995. He received the Freedom of the City of Glasgow in January 1981. The previous year he had been awarded an MBE. | Getty Images

Jacobs at different points in his career held several British, Commonwealth and European welterweight titles - inducted into the Scottish Boxing Hall of Fame in 2011, he now coaches boxing in Glasgow.

4. Gary Jacobs

Jacobs at different points in his career held several British, Commonwealth and European welterweight titles - inducted into the Scottish Boxing Hall of Fame in 2011, he now coaches boxing in Glasgow. | Gary Jacobs Personal Training

Glasgow Boxing Sport Careers

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