A well-known Scottish charity legend is set to step into the shoes of former Edinburgh champion Ken Buchanan to help struggling veterans of the sport.
Jock McInnes MBE, who has raised millions of pounds over the past two decades, is taking on an ambassador role previously treasured by his good friend Ken, who sadly died earlier this year.
Leith-born Ken Buchanan won two world titles during his prime and is widely regarded as Scotland's finest ever boxing talent. The 77-year-old passed away at a local care home in April following a battle with dementia.
READ MORE: Brave Edinburgh parents speak out after tragic loss of nine-month-old baby boy
Now, 67-year-old adventurer McInnes, from Perthshire, says it is an "honour and a privilege" to represent the Ringside Charitable Trust, a cause close to the boxer's heart, reports the Record.
Jock said: "Ken spent all his years around boxers and saw others that were falling by the wayside. This charity was really important to him so when they asked me to take up Ken's role I was almost greeting.
"Ken couldn't do enough for folk. I'm just over the moon to be following in his footsteps and carrying on his work helping others."
Jock, who has scaled mountains and crossed deserts, had a long-standing friendship with Buchanan which spanned four decades, visiting the former champ religiously until his sad death.
Ken had been vocal about his past issues with alcohol and dedicated much of his time to supporting Ringside Trust, which provides aftercare to fighters struggling mentally, financially or with additional and mental health issues.
Jock said: "Right until the end I would take Ken photographs and gloves to sign for the charity. We did that right up until his signature was getting really bad.
"I look at other sports and nearly all of them have aftercare in place. I plan to sit down with both disciplines of the sport, professional boxing promoters and Boxing Scotland to discuss how we can all work together and support this remarkable charity.
"This is boxing's opportunity to look after their own."
Grandfather-of-two Jock has taken on some of the most treacherous terrains in the world including walking through the Sahara and Gobi Desert and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Elbrus in Russia.
He has dedicated his next mission to Ken and the charity as he prepares to take on the Thai jungle in November.
On his gruelling trek, Jock will explore the Tham Loda a 1666-metre deep cave all while wearing his trademark kilt.
He said: "I'm just so proud that I'm doing it for him. I'll have a photo of Ken in my sporran. He'll be with me.
"I do miss him. I'm letting a lot of his memorabilia go now and auctioning it off so all the money goes towards my trek and the charity.
"It's what he would want and I've got a head full of memories. I'll take our memories on every step and mile I go."
