15 years ago today - Nigel Benn v Gerald McClellan

[dondada]

Where have all the years gone? For one man, one suspects the time has not been moving as quickly as for the rest of us.

Here's a retrospective on perhaps the best (and worst) fight ever to take place in a British ring in my lifetime, which I did for Boxing Monthly five years ago:

http://www.boxing-monthly.co.uk/content/0502/one.htm

[Syntax Error]

Thanks for the link OP.

This fight is a real guilty pleasure for me.

I don't know what to feel when I watch it now.

It is no doubt a terrific fight, but as we all know what the outcome is, it sort of diminishes the pleasure watching the fight.

In hindsight, it's clear to see that McClellan is suffering from about round 4 onwards, as he is blinking profusely from about that point on, but nobody would have known what the problem is.

The fight obviously ended the G-Man's career & effectively ended Benn's career, as he was never the same again.

I can't believe that was 15 years ago!

[Adamj1987]

great fight i love watching it, its just sad at what happened to gerald

[hitman_hatton1]

remember the threads on the 10th anniversary of this.

5 yrs have passed.

just a sad story this one ain't it.

definitely highlights the risks all fighters take when they step thru those ropes.

true warriors.

[whicker]

It seems 15 years ago, to me. Another era, so to speak- I was a child when that fight was on.

Some events do seem more recent, though- like the world trade center attacks- thats going to have been NINE years ago.

[coghaugen11]

Still the most immense atmosphere at a public house I've ever witnessed, was during that fight.

[whicker]

Still the most immense atmosphere at a public house I've ever witnessed, was during that fight.

On a somewhat dark note, I watched that with two friends- both have since died.

[DIRT SUGAR]

Just said exactly same thing to my work colleague. We were in row 14 for that one and I can remember it clearly. It was his first introduction to professional boxing and to this day he says it's the most exciting sporting event he went to.

The atmosphere was amazing even before the fight with each side of the hall seeing who could cheer the ringcard girl the loudest and scraps breaking out all over the place.

I've said on here a few times how, after Benn got through that hellish first round (during which I remember thinking – bloody hell £75 and it's not even going a round, oh well at least I got to see Mike McCallum fight) he came out in the second and started rolling and hooking and somehow got back into the fight.

At the end of the second when the bell rang Benn turned to his corner and just gave a pump of his arm as if to say 'come on!' and I've not seen a crowd react the way it did to this day. The whole place erupted and it was absolute bedlam for the rest of the fight. At the end of the fight a pissed up Scouse lad sat next to me gave me a hug then fell backwards (everyone stood up on their chairs) took out about four people behind him.

I've bought the last T-shirt which was pinned on the board (you can see it on the TV coverage) and the girl who sold it to me said "Everyone's hands are shaking."

Best fight I've seen live by a mile, nothing has come anywhere close since. I've never seen two fighters' efforts create such an extraordinary atmosphere. I was knackered by the end and could hardly speak.

Obviously massive cloud hangs over the fight in the form of McClellan's plight but it was an amazing fight.

[chinny]

http://www.geraldmcclellan.com/contact.html

Can donate via paypal

[bennie]

I hated it. I hate fights in which neither man is 'thinking'.

[My Name Is Earl]

Bet Jim Watt still has nightmares about his commentary at the end. Just one of those commentators moments to be fair. He was on a different planet as we all were on watching such an epic.

[DG.]

http://www.geraldmcclellan.com/contact.html

Can donate via paypal

[DIRT SUGAR]

I hated it. I hate fights in which neither man is 'thinking'.

Disagree with you their Bennie. Benn and McClellan were wrecking machines so you would hardly have expect it to pan out like say Pernell Whitaker vs Willie Pep.

Does that mean you hated Ali-Frazier III?

[mickey1975]

I hated it. I hate fights in which neither man is 'thinking'.

Disagree with you their Bennie. Benn and McClellan were wrecking machines so you would hardly have expect it to pan out like say Pernell Whitaker vs Willie Pep.

Does that mean you hated Ali-Frazier III?

Bennie would have said it was great if it was two guys we had never heared of and nobody had seen it

[Collins2000]

I hated it. I hate fights in which neither man is 'thinking'.

Disagree with you their Bennie. Benn and McClellan were wrecking machines so you would hardly have expect it to pan out like say Pernell Whitaker vs Willie Pep.

Does that mean you hated Ali-Frazier III?

It's plausible to hate it for the resulting damage to Gerald.

But to hate it for the way they fought?

Makes no sense to me.

[bennie]

I hated it. I hate fights in which neither man is 'thinking'.

Disagree with you their Bennie. Benn and McClellan were wrecking machines so you would hardly have expect it to pan out like say Pernell Whitaker vs Willie Pep.

Does that mean you hated Ali-Frazier III?

The latter is the best example for hating not just a fight but boxing itself. Yes, I hated Ali-Frazier III.

[Libertine]

Bleeding hell, 15 years ago!
Where does it al go?

As others have said, a great fight but a difficult watch because you're all to aware of how it pans out for McClellan.

[Collins2000]

I hated it. I hate fights in which neither man is 'thinking'.

Disagree with you their Bennie. Benn and McClellan were wrecking machines so you would hardly have expect it to pan out like say Pernell Whitaker vs Willie Pep.

Does that mean you hated Ali-Frazier III?

The latter is the best example for hating not just a fight but boxing itself. Yes, I hated Ali-Frazier III.

Really Bennie?

In that case, throwing in the towel at Boxing News and finding sanctuary in the "Classic Mutual Back Rub" thread at Boxers Of The Past was a great move Bennie.

[whicker]

I hated it. I hate fights in which neither man is 'thinking'.

Disagree with you their Bennie. Benn and McClellan were wrecking machines so you would hardly have expect it to pan out like say Pernell Whitaker vs Willie Pep.

Does that mean you hated Ali-Frazier III?

It's plausible to hate it for the resulting damage to Gerald.

But to hate it for the way they fought?

Makes no sense to me.

Actually, I think I see his point. From a "true neutral" point of view some would say it wasn't a great fight.

I don't necessarily AGREE, but I see what he means.

The personalities of the fighters, and especially the massive UK popularity of Nigel Benn , made it really exciting . We so much WANTED Benn to win- the big underdog etc.

[Collins2000]

Disagree with you their Bennie. Benn and McClellan were wrecking machines so you would hardly have expect it to pan out like say Pernell Whitaker vs Willie Pep.

Does that mean you hated Ali-Frazier III?

It's plausible to hate it for the resulting damage to Gerald.

But to hate it for the way they fought?

Makes no sense to me.

Actually, I think I see his point. From a "true neutral" point of view some would say it wasn't a great fight.

I don't necessarily AGREE, but I see what he means.

The personalities of the fighters, and especially the massive UK popularity of Nigel Benn , made it really exciting . We so much WANTED Benn to win- the big underdog etc.

How do I fit in then? I was rooting for Gerald.

[whicker]

It's plausible to hate it for the resulting damage to Gerald.

But to hate it for the way they fought?

Makes no sense to me.

Actually, I think I see his point. From a "true neutral" point of view some would say it wasn't a great fight.

I don't necessarily AGREE, but I see what he means.

The personalities of the fighters, and especially the massive UK popularity of Nigel Benn , made it really exciting . We so much WANTED Benn to win- the big underdog etc.

How do I fit in then? I was rooting for Gerald.

Yeah, if you are wanting either man to win, thats part of what makes it a great fight. Part of the excitment etc.

Which is exactly how it SHOULD be of course. (In my opinion.)

But I think the original point was that if the viewer happened not to favour either boxer, and sort of "stepped back" and viewed it from a "technical" perspective, it wasn;t a good fight.

As I say, I don't necessarily agree with that (personally, I'd say boxers don't need to be "thinking" to make a good fight)- but I can understand that point of view- some people who enjoy the more technical, thoughful "chess match" style boxing wouldn't think much of Benn V McCellan

[Collins2000]

Actually, I think I see his point. From a "true neutral" point of view some would say it wasn't a great fight.

I don't necessarily AGREE, but I see what he means.

The personalities of the fighters, and especially the massive UK popularity of Nigel Benn , made it really exciting . We so much WANTED Benn to win- the big underdog etc.

How do I fit in then? I was rooting for Gerald.

Yeah, if you are wanting either man to win, thats part of what makes it a great fight. Part of the excitment etc.

Which is exactly how it SHOULD be of course. (In my opinion.)

But I think the original point was that if the viewer happened not to favour either boxer, and sort of "stepped back" and viewed it from a "technical" perspective, it wasn;t a good fight.

As I say, I don't necessarily agree with that (personally, I'd say boxers don't need to be "thinking" to make a good fight)- but I can understand that point of view- some people who enjoy the more technical, thoughful "chess match" style boxing wouldn't think much of Benn V McCellan

Ah, ok , i get your point.

But I can't believe anyone, Bennie included, was actually sitting back in his chair saying to the guy next to him "Yes, it's all very exciting. But I'd prefer a chess match boxing match,"

Can you, sir?

[DIRT SUGAR]

Think Bennie should get into fencing if boxing's got too much for him

[whiskey]

I find it hard to sympathise with Gerrald McClellan if im honest.

The stories of him buying that labrador and timing how long his pit bull took to kill it left me cold. From what his own coach said, he sounds a very wicked man. Whilst it's easy to demonise someone who cant defend themselves, and I know Gerald wasn't like Don King and killed someone.. but even so, despite his tragic plight I cant say i'd donate to him.

That said, it was an amazing fight and I suppose it need that kind of crazy character to make the event what it was.

[DIRT SUGAR]

“In boxing you are going to war, and in war you must be prepared to die.”
Gerald McClellan