Boxing’s Last Chance Saloon: Lee Swaby – John “Buster’ Keaton

This Friday two of British boxing’s most dangerous journeymen will square off for the right to be known for the rest of their days as “Champion of Great Britain”.

With 29 losses between them, Lee Swaby and John “Buster’ Keaton are grizzled veterans of the British circuit but, nevertheless, the vacant cruiserweight title bout at the Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield, is almost certain to be a compelling brawl between two punchers who admit they are desperate to win.

With Swaby making his second challenge for a Lonsdale Belt and Keaton, incredibly, making his fourth, both men admit this is the “Last Chance Saloon’.

Swaby, 22-15-2 (11KOs), said: “I love Buster, everyone who meets the guy loves him, he’s so funny. He comes into the gym and he’s got you rolling around in stitches within five minutes, laughing and joking. But this is serious for me, Friday, I know this is my last chance to do something big in boxing. It really is the Last Chance Saloon for both of us so any friendship will be out of the window.”

Lincoln based Swaby blames over-training for his disappointing loss to defending champion Mark Hobson in May 2004 British Title challenge.

He said: “I was stupid, really. In the first fight (April 2002) I had Hobson down twice but couldn’t finish him because I felt I needed to conserve energy for later in the fight. I wanted to make sure that I didn’t need to think about getting tired in the rematch so in addition to doing what I was doing in the gym I was running, swimming and even going to the gym in the mornings and in the evenings on top of what my trainers knew I were doing.

“By fight night, I was just knackered. But this week I’ve got the chance to make something of my boxing career. It is funny, I was almost unbeatable as a kick boxer, I won two world titles and no-one would fight me anymore so I turned to boxing in 1997. My career hasn’t turned out like my kickboxing one did, but I will be as proud to be British cruiserweight champion as I was kickboxing world champion.”

Meanwhile, co-challenger Keaton, 25-14 (15KOs) will be making his fourth attempt at the Lonsdale belt in just over a decade.

“How ever have I got a fourth shot at British Title?” laughs down-to-Earth 34-year-old. “Some fighters don’t even get one. The law of averages says I should win this one. But, seriously, I think this time I’ll be British Champion. Everyone has told me the same thing, if I am fit, I’ll beat Lee. And, believe me, he won’t beat me on fitness the way I have trained for this one.

“Lee’s southpaw style won’t bother me. I’ve sparred with Naseem Hamed, Ryan Rhodes – some of the best southpaws to come out in Britain over the last 10 years – so that won’t be a factor.”

The Sheffield slugger added: “I know Lee can hit but so can I.”

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