Johnny McMillan

Johnny McMillan’s amateur career was brief. He shot to fame in 1924 by beating Jim McKenzie of Leith to win the Scottish ABA flyweight title. He then went to London to compete in the national ABA Championships, but was eliminated by the defending champion Teddy Warwick, who went on to retain his title by beating McKenzie in the final. All three men were selected for the Paris Olympics, with McMillan a reserve.

After a brief amateur career, Glaswegian McMillan turned professional in 1925 and fought as a featherweight. Despite losing his début fight to Frenchman Charly Sauvage at Manchester in December that year, McMillan went on to box in the paid ranks for 11 years until losing to Frank McCudden in the final eliminator for the Scottish title at the Parkhead Stadium in July 1936. McMillan ended with a record of 39 wins, 18 losses and two draws in a 59-fight career. Between 1930-32 he engaged in 15 bouts in the USA with a creditable 9-5-1 record. Despite holding Scottish area titles, McMillan had just one crack at the British featherweight title but lost on points over 15 rounds to Seaman Tommy Watson at Glasgow’s Kelvin Hall in 1934. It was unfortunate for McMillan that, after finishing his heavy training just a couple of days before the fight, he had a fall while out riding and injured his arm, which hindered him throughout the contest. As a keen trade unionist McMillan continued his involvement with the sport after retirement and was the Glasgow secretary of the National Union of Boxers.