Rob Boag started his latest contribution to this column with a stark warning.
“If any of your readers suffer from haemophobia (a fear of blood), then I suggest they don’t read the rest of this article,” he warned.
“During the late 1940s and 50s, my dad and uncle Joe had friends within the Glasgow professional boxing fraternity, which meant good seats for most championship bouts that took place in Glasgow.
“In 1951, it was announced that Bobby Boland from Dundee was to get a crack at the British bantamweight title against holder Peter Keenan from Glasgow.
“It would be a 15-rounder in June of that year at Firhill Park.
“This generated excitement between the two cities.
“Sports writers described in detail the strength, skills and technique of both men.
“Bobby was described as a hard-hitting fighter who kept moving toward his opponent with punishing body blows.
“Peter was deemed a ring technician with a KO punch in either hand.
“Keenan was given the edge because of his boxing skills but everyone knew this title bout was too close to call.”
Canadian resident Rob continued: “We have all heard of the Thrilla in Manila and the Rumble in the Jungle — this was Bloodspill in Firhill.
“On Wednesday, June 27, 1951, the fans arrived in their thousands to Firhill Park.
“Dad and uncle Joe had great seats in the ringside area, with a great view of the action.
“Round 1 — There was no cautious feeling out of each other. Boland came out of his corner and went after Keenan, a great start to this title bout.
“Round 2 — Started off where round 1 finished, then there was a bad clash of heads. Keenan was cut but the damage to Boland was a gash high up on his forehead.
“The blood flowed and poured down Bobby’s face and into his eyes and, with every clinch in that round, it cascaded on to Keenan.
“At the end of round 2, Bobby’s corner lads tried every trick in the book to stem the flow, slathering Vaseline on it before the bell sounded for the third round.
“And so it went, round after round, the champion and the challenger trading punches and the gash on Bobby’s head refused to close.
“It was a bloodbath, it covered both boxers.
“Round 10 — When the fighters grappled and clinched against the ropes, blood flecked and speckled and spattered out of the ring and on to the front-row fans.
“Hard, tough veterans of the Glasgow fight game turned their heads away, and some of them stood up, calling at the referee to stop the fight.
“Round 12 — Boland came off his stool and went at Keenan with a vengeance but Peter had enough endurance and skill left to block and counter Bobby’s punches.
“More calls came from the crowd to stop it, and the referee eventually stepped in between the two gladiators and looked again at Bobby’s weeping wound.
“The official then stopped the fight — a TKO victory for Peter Keenan.”
Rob surmised: “Scottish boxing had never witnessed anything like this before, and never since, and never will.
“Dad and uncle Joe referred to stitches after a fight as embroidery. They told us Bobby and Peter were well and truly embroidered later that evening in their dressing-rooms.
“Keenan described Boland as the greatest Scottish professional bantamweight boxer never to win a title.
“Offered Keenan: ‘He was a tough, tough customer inside the ring, and a good guy outside the ropes’.”
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