Chris Eubank: Why did he not go to USA - your thoughts

[Crease]

Eubank speaks of it in this video; (fast forward until 3:00)
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBw_q1rCa40)

And here is a transcript of his answer to this question:

Johnny Nelson:
"Chris, you and Nigel Benn broke records of filling outdoor stadiums, did you ever think that you could do that again with anybody else? When you carried on boxing, after you boxed Nigel Benn did you think there;s a fight out there that I can do this with - like your Roy's, like your James Toneys"?

Chris Eubank:
"I was never geared that way, I mean. And possibly I was spoiled by the fact that Nigel, Michael and I seemed to be a world unto our own. So I didn't have to go chasing. You know, I had no ego for, you know, to fight James Toney, to fight Roy Jones - this was a kind of suicide. I mean these men."

(then directing his comments to Roy Jones Jr)
"I mean, when we met when Naseem was fighting April 2001. I actually said to you; you know -
"Did you actually say that the only person that you think would give you trouble as Chris Eubank""?

(then talking to the the group in general)
"He said "Yeah". I said "You know what, if that fight would had ever happened - we both would have been hurt. Because I would have had to go to war with you to win. Can't beat guys like this. I mean, in his time - all respect to Joe - in his time, you know - it's suicide. Same with Toney - suicide. And I was never focused that way. For me, it was never about being the best. I was happy being one of the best. That was my truth. Why would I want to fight a man like Roy Jones in his prime"?

Thoughts?

[polecateddy]

Chris learned his trade in America thought, and then came back to the UK as a young pro on the rise. Quite possibly he was under no illusions as to the greater depth of talent in America, and made a sensible economic choice to avoid going to fight there if possible. Someone like Froch has little choice in that for a long time he could even get on UK TV and lacks rivals of the calibre of Benn, etc domestically.

[Crease]

Chris learned his trade in America thought, and then came back to the UK as a young pro on the rise. Quite possibly he was under no illusions as to the greater depth of talent in America

I would definitely say that comment is debatable. Britain had a wealth of good Super Middleweights back during the 90s.

nd made a sensible economic choice to avoid going to fight there if possible

Undoubtedly the money at that weight-class was in Europe. So we could afford the question of: Why didn't Jones or Toney go to England to meet some of the big names.

[Broomhall]

Chris learned his trade in America thought, and then came back to the UK as a young pro on the rise. Quite possibly he was under no illusions as to the greater depth of talent in America

I would definitely say that comment is debatable. Britain had a wealth of good Super Middleweights back during the 90s.

nd made a sensible economic choice to avoid going to fight there if possible

Undoubtedly the money at that weight-class was in Europe. So we could afford the question of: Why didn't Jones or Toney go to England to meet some of the big names.

Yanks very rarely travel unless they really need to. Generally Americans believe the world revolves around the US of A. I would think Eubank made the decision to be a big fish in a small pond.

[Tuan_Jim]

World class boxing was dominated by America in the 1990s. They were the star fighters, competing for the historic and meaningful titles.

In England the fighters were more interested in boxing for the newly invented WBO belt, an organization founded by the WBA's bribe collector, and at first refused recognition by the BBBOC - until they realised the money to be made by the Benn/Eubank fight. Neither man fancied Jones and Toney, and, thankfully, with a WBO belt could stay at home raking up defences against hand-picked mediocrities. Eubank made his decisions and his record is what it is.

[Crease]

In England the fighters were more interested in boxing for the newly invented WBO belt

And yet that World Title was in American hands until Nigel Benn traveled over and pummeled Doug DeWitt and Iran Barkley in title fights.

[stevedoc]

Eubanks always said he was in it for the money so why travel to america to make less money than he did in England ,
He said he never fancied fighting Michel Nunn

[Crease]

Eubanks always said he was in it for the money so why travel to america to make less money than he did in England ,
He said he never fancied fighting Michel Nunn

It's interesting that you've brought up Nunn, when Chris himself hasn't.

I just find some of his comments very curious. The fact that he openly admits that he never sought a fight against Jones Jr or Toney and did not want to test himself against the other top fighter's of his day.

That's pretty strange... Especially for someone who will undoubtedly be ranked as one of the all-time best fighters of his weight class.

[Crease]

One other thing I would highlight is when he said;

"You know what, if that fight would had ever happened - we both would have been hurt. Because I would have had to go to war with you to win."?

I do wonder if he genuinely believes that him and Roy would have permanently hurt each other. Of course, this has to be considered a very real possibility from what we've seen with Michael Watson & Gerald McClellan...

[dr_devious]

Roy Jones would have boxed Chris Eubanks head off in the mid 90s, only one person getting hurt there.

[HomicideHenry]

There was alot of guys from overseas who either didn't fight in America, or didn't do it enough. Steve Collins was one who I thought should have fought more often in America--- and it would of been nice to of seen Eubanks and Benn and Nunn of fought here in America more.

[jimglen]

I believe Eubank 'believed' he was great but knew damn well that RJJ and Toney would have released him of the pleasure of that belief.

I also believe that there is FAR, Far too much emphasis on this America is better business...

the truth is "for the Most Part America was better" but NOT literally 100%.

America ruled namely among bigger fighters and Britain for smaller fighters, only to be surpassed eventually by Mexico and such places. BUT boxing history IS littered with the odd non American fighters from Britain and places elsewhere who were equal or close to the bigger men.

so Benn and Co. were par, better and or 'just' below the best yanks as were countless dozens before them from other parts of the globe.

American 'dominance' does not mean 100% literally; a few TOP boys in every division from the rest of the Leading Boxing Nations were also the Real Deal!!!

[BoxBuzz]

No way America was going to let Eubank in, unless he agreed to sign an agreement to never use his "90 degree blow of death" (or whatever it was called)

Too dangerous, too lethal, creating a litigious nightmare for who ever did the promoting.

He would have left Toney, RJJ, & McCallum's bodies littering the various squared circles.

This was fully covered in an earlier Eubank thread.

[Tuan_Jim]

In England the fighters were more interested in boxing for the newly invented WBO belt

And yet that World Title was in American hands until Nigel Benn traveled over and pummeled Doug DeWitt and Iran Barkley in title fights.

You really are willfully ignorant, aren't you. Yes, Nigel Benn boxed the journeyman Doug DeWitt for the newly invented title nobody respected, rather than fight an elite class world champion like, say, Mike McCallum, Michael Nunn, or Julian Jackson.

[Heartbreak_Kid79]

Chris was probably more content being a bigger fish in a smaller pond- fighting decent guys in WBO fights, whilst avoiding the cream America had to offer Jones, Hopkins, Toney.

[Syntax Error]

It was the combination of great British & Irish opposition, plus the WBO belt.

Eubank got get all the tests he needed, whilst still being able to call himself a 'world champion' without having to go across the pond & tangle with some of the trans-atlantic beasts that were around at the time.

[Counter-puncher]

Steve Collins was one who I thought should have fought more often in America--- .

his first 15 or so fights were all in the US

[Datsue]

Steve Collins was one who I thought should have fought more often in America--- .

his first 15 or so fights were all in the US

Boxed for two world titles there, actually only boxed outside of the USA once in his first 22 fights. So a full two-thirds of his fights were in the US.

Then realised pickings were easier & paydays higher in the Virtua Boxing environment of the 90s domestic super-middle scene. The glaringly obvious fvcking reason he couldn't go back to America is that he couldn't defend his "world title" versus Neville Fuckin' Brown & Cornelius Carr on big-budget cable over there, 'cos people would've laughed, nastily.

It's nice to see Eubank coming out & admitting this so that people like Crease can have their eyes opened though, it's the sort of shite people with brains have been saying for years but usually get shouted down for.

[Counter-puncher]

guy in a pub once, trying to tell me in all bloody seriousness that Collins never lost a fight. 'no, he did mate, I can name the fighters too' 'no, he never lost' 'but he DID, mate, Johnson Kalumbay and McCallum all beat him, I even can give you a lengthy description of the McCallum fight if you want. I've got it on DVD' 'you don't know what you're on about mate he retired unbeaten'. etc.

[BoxBuzz]

That's the sort of person we all run into from time to time who is OFTEN wrong....but NEVER in doubt.

[Crease]

It's nice to see Eubank coming out & admitting this so that people like Crease can have their eyes opened though, it's the sort of shite people with brains have been saying for years but usually get shouted down for.

And where would you have ranked Chris Eubank in his own time, seeing as you consider yourself such a specialist in the topic..

[Datsue]

It's nice to see Eubank coming out & admitting this so that people like Crease can have their eyes opened though, it's the sort of shite people with brains have been saying for years but usually get shouted down for.

And where would you have ranked Chris Eubank in his own time, seeing as you consider yourself such a specialist in the topic..

Behind the guys who I think would've beaten him.

Duh.

[Crease]

guy in a pub once, trying to tell me in all bloody seriousness that Collins never lost a fight. 'no, he did mate, I can name the fighters too' 'no, he never lost' 'but he DID, mate, Johnson Kalumbay and McCallum all beat him, I even can give you a lengthy description of the McCallum fight if you want. I've got it on DVD' 'you don't know what you're on about mate he retired unbeaten'. etc.

I had the same conversation a few years back. I spoe to the guy a few weeks later, and he admitted that he got the information from a documentary and that he inadvertently misquoted it - he went unbeaten when he returned to Britain until he retired, so that would have been from '93 onward...
But in the US, he was definitely fallible.

[Crease]

Behind the guys who I think would've beaten him. Duh.

And would you care to name them? Or have have you already referred to them;

Then realised pickings were easier & paydays higher in the Virtua Boxing environment of the 90s domestic super-middle scene. The glaringly obvious fvcking reason he couldn't go back to America is that he couldn't defend his "world title" versus Neville Fuckin' Brown & Cornelius Carr on big-budget cable over there, 'cos people would've laughed, nastily.

:??

[Counter-puncher]

guy in a pub once, trying to tell me in all bloody seriousness that Collins never lost a fight. 'no, he did mate, I can name the fighters too' 'no, he never lost' 'but he DID, mate, Johnson Kalumbay and McCallum all beat him, I even can give you a lengthy description of the McCallum fight if you want. I've got it on DVD' 'you don't know what you're on about mate he retired unbeaten'. etc.

I had the same conversation a few years back. I spoe to the guy a few weeks later, and he admitted that he got the information from a documentary and that he inadvertently misquoted it - he went unbeaten when he returned to Britain until he retired, so that would have been from '93 onward...
But in the US, he was definitely fallible.

getting matched against guys who can throw a 3-punch combination without falling over their own feet will do that