Jim McKenzie

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexMale
Full nameJames "Jim"•McKenzie
Used nameJim•McKenzie
Born13 August 1903 in Leith, Scotland (GBR)
Died8 January 1931 in Portobello, Scotland (GBR)
AffiliationsUnited Scottish Amateur Boxing Club
NOC Great Britain
Medals OG
Gold 0
Silver 1
Bronze 0
Total 1

Biography

The brother of the 1920 Olympic bantamweight bronze medallist George McKenzie and nephew of the IBU world professional flyweight champion Tancy Lee, Jim McKenzie followed the pair of them into the ring, and enjoyed a successful amateur career. A member of the famous Leith Boxing Club, he won the Scottish Eastern Division flyweight title in 1923 and then, with Tancy Lee in his corner, finished runner-up to Teddy Warwick in the national ABA final. McKenzie returned to London to try and wrest the title from Warwick the following year, but the defending champion was victorious again, in what was a brilliant contest. This time, McKenzie had his brother George in his corner. Despite losing in the 1924 ABA final, McKenzie went to the Paris Olympics and returned home with the flyweight silver medal after losing the final to the future American world champion Fidel LaBarba.

McKenzie turned professional a few months after the Olympics and fought a draw against the experienced Kid Socks on his début. McKenzie’s short career, and life, was cut short when he died of Lysol poisoning in 1931 at the age of 27. His brother George also died young, at 40, also of Lysol poisoning.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1924 Summer Olympics Boxing GBR Jim McKenzie
Flyweight, Men (Olympic) 2 Silver

Olympic family relations