52 fight challenge: Week 41 - Nigel Benn vs Gerald McClellan

[Horse]

Nigel Benn vs Gerald McClellan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7to-Ch5Omaw

Watch and discuss.

[Horse]

Recent weeks' fights:

Week 40 - Chris Pyatt vs Sumbu Kalambay: http://boxrec.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=204759
Week 39 - Jim McDonnell vs Azumah Nelson: http://boxrec.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=204457
Week 38 - Glenn Catley vs Markus Beyer: http://boxrec.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=204237
Week 37 - Billy Hardy vs Orlando Canizales I: http://boxrec.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=204054
Week 36 - Paul Ingle vs Junior Jones: http://boxrec.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=203594

Week 35 - Michael Brodie vs Neil Swain: http://boxrec.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=203460
Week 34 - Richie Woodhall vs Thulani Malinga: http://boxrec.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=203235
Week 33 - Joe Bugner vs Joe Frazier: http://boxrec.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=203046
Week 32 - Colin Jones vs Milton McCrory I: http://boxrec.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=202947
Week 31 - Kirkland Laing vs Roberto Duran: http://boxrec.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=202714


British & Irish boxing 52 fight history knowledge challenge thread: http://boxrec.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=197079

[Horse]

Supplementary fight.

Nigel Benn Vs Lou Gent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w59zw7tImLk

[handsofstone]

I watched this recently so I'll sit this one out, excellent fight with tragic results, how different would things have been if Benn had been TKOd when he was knocked out of the ring?

[Autobarn]

I don't have the same take as many regarding this fight.

McClellan was always very anxious to finish in the opening round of big fights.

Hurt Julian Jackson in the opening of their battle between boxing's biggest punchers, then looked lost for rounds, where Jackson outboxed him - before mustering another assault, this time that finished Jackson.

And then in the rematch, just getting it over early.

Against Benn there was no long count, Benn was out of the ropes and you're supposed to get longer. McClellan kept trying to hit Benn before the referee told them to resume action, even trying to push the referee out of the way, and got the ire of the referee.

I don't believe Gerald could have got him out of there in the opening round. Also worth considering are the big shots he landed while Benn was technically down, with the ropes cradling his slumped form as the power shots reined down on him.

It was a raw, dirty, street kind of fight - from both sides. Benn is very nasty inside with the holding and hitting. Benn was in another out of control war with Iran Barkley. Another controversial opening round and another savage affair between a Brit and an American.

Astonishing comeback from Benn. His desire and tactic of punching as he was comimg out of a crouch and body punching saw him through. His strength, having been a super middleweight for longer, surely helped as well. His work was just the more consistent as McClellan was drawn into increasingly uncharted territory. He made a monumental rally in the 8th and Benn just wasn't going away.

McClellan did have strange demeanour and body language from quite early. But I think I've seen the squinting in other fights. Most analyses of the fight are sentimental, I.e. he wouldn't have been hurt if... he'd managed to get Benn out of there.

[magwitch]

I’m glad Nigel popped up because yesterday I was searching to see if there was one on his Barkley fight, when frankly, he might have been flung out for punching an opponent on the deck.

[CiganoBoxer]

Benn V McClellan is one of only three fights I've ever bought a ringside ticket for .
The bookmakers gave Benn more chance of surviving a firing squad than they did McClellan .
That night was crazy , never felt an atmosphere like it before or since , as the paper said next day something "in the air' that night ..no exaggeration, to this day even tho we was behind the press by two rows i remember telling people the next day that the punches both men were landing like soccer balls being kicked against a brick wall .
Probably the best fight we will eva see with the worst possible outcome.
You know the next day in the british peppers Emmanuel Stewart was quoted saying he told/ advised Gerald not to take the Benn fight in London without a few fights in the weight class against less opposition, Mcclellan ignored his advise , an took the fight , this was his first fight at 168 an he didn't even get that right as he come in at 165 ...Stewart was proved right .
You can't help but think if he had still been listening to Steward then this would of never of happened.

[littlepug]

Benn V McClellan is one of only three fights I've ever bought a ringside ticket for .
The bookmakers gave Benn more chance of surviving a firing squad than they did McClellan .
That night was crazy , never felt an atmosphere like it before or since , as the paper said next day something "in the air' that night ..no exaggeration, to this day even tho we was behind the press by two rows i remember telling people the next day that the punches both men were landing like soccer balls being kicked against a brick wall .
Probably the best fight we will eva see with the worst possible outcome.
You know the next day in the british peppers Emmanuel Stewart was quoted saying he told/ advised Gerald not to take the Benn fight in London without a few fights in the weight class against less opposition, Mcclellan ignored his advise , an took the fight , this was his first fight at 168 an he didn't even get that right as he come in at 165 ...Stewart was proved right .
You can't help but think if he had still been listening to Steward then this would of never of happened.

what a fantastic experience you had there mate, this is by far my favourite and most watched fight, have even watched it twice back to back on occasion first with English commentary and then the U.S version for a different slant !

[Lenny]

The build up to this was a nightmare for McClellan, i'm sure most have read War Baby or seen fight of their lives.

The guy who ended up training Gerald couldn't even wrap his hands, kept having to take breaks during simple pad workouts and was pretty much a clown.

I agree the fight happened too early for McClellan, he should have been given a chance to grow into the division. He wasn't ready to go into the trenches with a fighter like Benn. Dirty fight from both guys and Don King is a cunt

[handsofstone]

Benn/Gent was unbelievable,Gent down 5 times in 3 rounds but rocked Benn a few times,himself,crazy fight,round 2 must be up there with the best of all time

[Autobarn]

McClellan, to me, was just a great, vicious puncher. He didn't really want to box just fight. Which was Benn's attitude, in his more foolhardy days.

Benn just would not budge, would not stay down. Nigel seemed to have a chip on his shoulder before, during and after the fight.

Benn was never any good after this fight.

Unbelievable courage by both that night.


Wow, didn't know I'd missed a Benn classic all these years, regarding the Gent fight. I collect all the tear ups and dramatic fights from this era, 154-168 pound fights, McCallum-Jackson/Curry; Jackson-Drayton/Graham/Tate/Eddie Hall/Cardamone; Benn-Logan/Watson/Eubank 1/Barkley, Barkley-Sims/Hearns, etc etc

[davie]

I haven't scored this and won't over-analyse it. But I pretty much gave Benn every round where he stayed on his feet so 83-86 at the time of stoppage I think.

It was a rough fight, with a few dirty tactics. It was a good performance from Benn and his style must have been hard to nail down. He's one of those guys who you could name many fighter at 160/168lbs who would beat him but I can't think of a man in history or a style of fighter that would have found him an easy nights work in this kind of form.

I didn't notice the obvious sign of brain injury that other say they can clearly see early in the fight.
His timing is off and he's slugging around the 4th but nothing that isn't consistent with someone who's not had a great camp, new to a weight class, put a lot into the early rounds and has suspected stamina issues. He went in hard early and took a few heavy bombs after Benn recovered in the 2nd.

The commentary do mention the blinking in the 9th, so it is apparent, with hindsight, that we are watching a man fighting on at that point with the brain injury we now know had occurred. That made the last couple of rounds particularly difficult watching.

The last time I re-watched the fight was years back and although I knew the outcome, hadn't really read into it.
This time however, I have discussed it many times on here and read a lot more about it online and I must concede to Tomasino's reservations about watching it once again on here. Not a regret as such but very difficult viewing.

A couple interesting articles/site about Gerald and both have links for donations for the trust set up to support his care, a fitting way for this thread to pay tribute.
http://www.boxingnewsonline.net/twenty- ... igel-benn/
http://www.geraldmcclellan.com/

[Horse]

Benn - McClellan

1. 8 - 10
2. 10 - 9
3. 10 - 9
4. 10 - 9
5. 10 - 9
6. 10 - 9
7. 9 - 10
8. 8 - 10
9. 10 - 10
10. - - - KO

85-85 Even


Benn - Gent

1. 9 - 10
2. 10 - 10
3. 10 - 6
4. - - - TKO

29-26 Benn

[Autobarn]

Saw Benn v Gent. Good, wild little tear up.

Quite relevant to this thread, as Benn got in some decent rounds against bigger men, taking the best ofGent and also Nicky Piper, who are really light heavyweights. That is the kind of experience that can help you against a fighter moving up in weight to challenge you, in McClellan. Not much can prepare a fighter for McClellan, for me one of the outstanding Kronk fighters, after Hearns, and alongside the likes of Moorer and later Adonis Stevenson. But in those later rounds, when endurance and physical strength come into play, it must've been helpful for Benn to impose himself as the bigger man.

And obviously, as a middleweight, Benn was the smaller man against Eubank and Watson in those two all time British classics. They were even huge at super middleweight. Invaluable experience, even, especially, in defeat.


Benn had many exciting or thrilling fights. Logan, Watson, DeWitt, Barkley, Eubank 1, Gent, McClellan. Comparable, I'd say, to McClellan rival Julian Jackson, who had riveting fights with Mike McCallum, Milton Leaks, Terry Norris, Buster Drayton, Herol Graham, Thomas Tate, Eddie Hall, the first with McClellan & the comeback versus Agostino Cardamone. Shame Benn and Jackson were never the same weightat the same time. Though, I am greatful for all the great fights they provided and in no way take them for granted. Would've been amazing, giving Bennthe advantage as the bigger man, who learned how to adapt when unable to blow his man out, who found ways to overcome his own vulnerabilities. Though Jackson certainly had enough power to put Benn out.