Froch upsets Nigel Benn

[Tuan_Jim]

Benn was signed with Don King who Roy Jones was wary of dealing with, and Benn was a Showtime fighter and Jones HBO. Alas Jones pursued the fight but for all of his grandstanding Benn didn't reciprocate. Instead he stayed over here and skulked along against uninspiring opposition, clubbing that nameless bum on the Bruno/McCall undercard, and the squealing cheating Nardiello, and the 40 year old bananaskin Malinga, who RJJ had whacked years ago.

Benn would have been massacred by Roy Jones, but it would have been a great way to go, a fight that he was pumped up for, on the big stage in the States, one last hurrah. Instead he spluttered to a stop, losing pointless bouts with Malinga and Collins.

[keithmoonhangover]

Would Toney or RJJ have passed a drug test over here?

[palooka]

Hey, Keith - how's it going? How's Lefty getting on?

[Broomhall]

We're never going to know who would've won but to me, Nigel Benn is more of a boxing hero then Froch will ever be. As for Benn not fighting RJJ and Toney, I always got the feeling it was them that didn't want to know. The exicitement Eubank & Benn brought to British boxing in the 90's has not been reached since IMO. Froch/Degale/Groves, might have talent but they're not characters!

Purely because of Satelite TV. If Froch/Groves/DeGale where on BBC/ITV they would be just as big characters. Look at the Froch/Groves sellout fight. Cannot understimate the power of TV. Benn/Eubank had the advantage of careers on nationwide TV.

[Tuan_Jim]

Would Toney or RJJ have passed a drug test over here?

Would you be able to name one drug test that Eubank or Benn took before any of their fights over here?

[Tuan_Jim]

Purely because of Satelite TV. If Froch/Groves/DeGale where on BBC/ITV they would be just as big characters. Look at the Froch/Groves sellout fight. Cannot understimate the power of TV. Benn/Eubank had the advantage of careers on nationwide TV.

I doubt it Broomhall. Groves and Degale have no charisma, Eubank and Benn had bags of charisma. Benn was thrilling - Groves and Degale aren't. Eubank could stink out the place but he was like a cartoon super villain. Froch has boxed many times on BBC and ITV - as much as we like and admire him, he just isn't a personality. He's a sort of cold, stern, serious type, without any of the flair of Benn, Eubank, Bruno, Hamed.

The list of good fighters who boxed on BBC and ITV and didn't become household names like the aforementioned is very nearly endless.

[mikiesb]

Nigel benn at his peak when he fought gerald mc could.of beaten Jones.or toney he also was not meant to defeat Iran Barkley.easily.I don t thin .nigel was the same fighter after Gerald Mc fight for obvious reasons . .

Froch for me has not.ducked anyone especially doing the super six tournament however for me if he wants to really go out on top then he has to rematch ward.

[thepocketrocket]

Yes, despite Froch never backing down from anyone, and fighting the best, he is in danger of being overrated. He lost to the two best fighters he fought, handily, and the guys he have beaten (Kessler was finished by the time of the rematch) are certainly not elite. Yet there seems to be some sort of idea he is King Kong

Froch v Benn would be a classic, but would depend a lot on which Nigel turned up. Nigel could throw in a few stinkers, but these were usually against tricky opponents, like Malinga or Galvano. Froch is there for a war, and he would get it with Benn.

Possibly the best British fight of all time if it had happened. Styles make matches.

[Eddy]

We're never going to know who would've won but to me, Nigel Benn is more of a boxing hero then Froch will ever be. As for Benn not fighting RJJ and Toney, I always got the feeling it was them that didn't want to know. The exicitement Eubank & Benn brought to British boxing in the 90's has not been reached since IMO. Froch/Degale/Groves, might have talent but they're not characters!

Purely because of Satelite TV. If Froch/Groves/DeGale where on BBC/ITV they would be just as big characters. Look at the Froch/Groves sellout fight. Cannot understimate the power of TV. Benn/Eubank had the advantage of careers on nationwide TV.

I don't agree. Michael Watson was better then both Eubank and Benn. He's a lovely fella,just didn't have the Xfactor like those 2. After he spanked Benn and was robbed in his fight with Eubank, he was still not bigger in terms of popularity. This was before his last fight with Chris. Like with Steve Collins, Ben & Eubank will be more remembered, but Steve beat the both of them twice.

Again with Mike Tyson, will always be more popular then Lewis and Holyfeild because he was more interesting personality as a person to the public. I always believed both Lewis and Holyfeild had his number (which they did).

[thepocketrocket]

We're never going to know who would've won but to me, Nigel Benn is more of a boxing hero then Froch will ever be. As for Benn not fighting RJJ and Toney, I always got the feeling it was them that didn't want to know. The exicitement Eubank & Benn brought to British boxing in the 90's has not been reached since IMO. Froch/Degale/Groves, might have talent but they're not characters!

Purely because of Satelite TV. If Froch/Groves/DeGale where on BBC/ITV they would be just as big characters. Look at the Froch/Groves sellout fight. Cannot understimate the power of TV. Benn/Eubank had the advantage of careers on nationwide TV.

I don't agree. Michael Watson was better then both Eubank and Benn. He's a lovely fella,just didn't have the Xfactor like those 2. After he spanked Benn and was robbed in his fight with Eubank, he was still not bigger in terms of popularity. This was before his last fight with Chris. Like with Steve Collins, Ben & Eubank will be more remembered, but Steve beat the both of them twice.

Collins actually did far better against McCallum than Watson did. Something that it missed when people are saying he is an Irish bum who 'only beat Nige and Chris because they were old.'

[Eddy]

Yeah but Steve Collins was born in 1964, he's 2 years older then Eubank & only 4 months younger then Nigel Benn!

[keithmoonhangover]

Would Toney or RJJ have passed a drug test over here?

Would you be able to name one drug test that Eubank or Benn took before any of their fights over here?

Could you?

[Tuan_Jim]

Would Toney or RJJ have passed a drug test over here?

Would you be able to name one drug test that Eubank or Benn took before any of their fights over here?

Could you?

Keith, you're the one who insinuated Jones and Toney couldn't pass a test over here, meaning you believe there was a different test over here that Eubank and Benn were passing. Is this another case of you talking about things you know nothing about?

[lillywhite14]

Hey, Keith - how's it going? How's Lefty getting on?

WHat is the deal with lefty? He still alive!!? He just vanished!

[keithmoonhangover]

Keith, you're the one who insinuated Jones and Toney couldn't pass a test over here, meaning you believe there was a different test over here that Eubank and Benn were passing. Is this another case of you talking about things you know nothing about?

I'm not insinuating anything mate. Toney and Jones have both tested positive for 'roids in the past. Benn and Eubank have not.

[keithmoonhangover]

Hey, Keith - how's it going? How's Lefty getting on?

WHat is the deal with lefty? He still alive!!? He just vanished!

I haven't spoke to him in a while. I've just messaged him on Facebook.

[palooka]

Hey, Keith - how's it going? How's Lefty getting on?

WHat is the deal with lefty? He still alive!!? He just vanished!

I haven't spoke to him in a while. I've just messaged him on Facebook.

Hope you're both OK, tell lefty he can come back but he's on the naughty step for a while

[jamesmcdonnell]

We're never going to know who would've won but to me, Nigel Benn is more of a boxing hero then Froch will ever be. As for Benn not fighting RJJ and Toney, I always got the feeling it was them that didn't want to know. The exicitement Eubank & Benn brought to British boxing in the 90's has not been reached since IMO. Froch/Degale/Groves, might have talent but they're not characters!

Purely because of Satelite TV. If Froch/Groves/DeGale where on BBC/ITV they would be just as big characters. Look at the Froch/Groves sellout fight. Cannot understimate the power of TV. Benn/Eubank had the advantage of careers on nationwide TV.

I don't agree. Michael Watson was better then both Eubank and Benn. He's a lovely fella,just didn't have the Xfactor like those 2. After he spanked Benn and was robbed in his fight with Eubank, he was still not bigger in terms of popularity. This was before his last fight with Chris. Like with Steve Collins, Ben & Eubank will be more remembered, but Steve beat the both of them twice.

Again with Mike Tyson, will always be more popular then Lewis and Holyfeild because he was more interesting personality as a person to the public. I always believed both Lewis and Holyfeild had his number (which they did).

I've always thought that, I thought Watson was the best of the lot, but sadly, things turned out badly for him. But for a lapse of concentration, and a bit of confusion as to what the ref was doing (thinking that he was waving it off, when in fact he was waving them back in) Watson was going to clobber Eubank, and probably stop him. Although the first fight was closer than some said at the time, I clearly had Watson winning it.

Sure, he got completely outboxed by McCallum, but then Benn and Eubank never fought McCallum, and no way would either have beaten him. Benn would have been whacked, and Chris would have been outfoxed all night long.

If he'd gotten the decision in the first fight, he wouldn't have had to have fought with such desperation in the rematch to batter Eubank, and what transpired most likely never would have done, but that's how things panned out.

[Dixonian]

This is pretty much the Calzaghe Froch scenario at the tail end of Joe's career. Calzaghe's legacy has not changed because he did not fight Froch. Froch's legacy will not be questioned because he did not fight Degale.

A win over Froch would have boosted Calzaghe's record and all time standing significantly.

Froch's legacy could also be significantly boosted if he beats DeGale and DeGale goes on to do good things at world level.

So, I see things completely differently.

Thing is, if Calzaghe had given Froch a beatdown would he then go on to have the career that he did? It's all butterflies and hurricanes.

As I often say: 'We only now know the significance of then.'

[SNG]

This is it. Lets say Calzaghe beats Froch on points, Froch likely misses out on the super six and the big fights for a couple of years so wouldn't have the record he has now, he may have gotten the Bute fight sooner, but also may not have, they saw Froch as a finished fighter after Ward and came over for a supposed easy fight. His career would look very different now, and certainly wouldn't be a three time world time champion.

[manno]

I went to quite a few of Benns fights and in particular was lucky enough to be at the G man fight. After that fight I thought it should have been shit or bust for nigel...states v either jones or toney then retire. Nigel Benn owes nobody anything reguarding the payin public but some of his peformances post G man were very poor. Froch stops a staggering, still on his feet benn Iin 8rounds but not until nige has whistled some boomin right hands over to have him swayin like a tree in the wind. Terrific matchup.

[ALI]

Yes, despite Froch never backing down from anyone, and fighting the best, he is in danger of being overrated. He lost to the two best fighters he fought, handily, and the guys he have beaten (Kessler was finished by the time of the rematch) are certainly not elite.

Nonsense, i had Froch winning the first Kessler fight, no way can anyone say he lost that fight handily.

Kessler may have been schooled by Ward, but to say he was not elite is silly, his win over Froch alone puts him there. He's the best scalp on Calazaghe's record, if your saying he was not elite what does that say for poor old Joe's tally of 47 & 0?

[thepocketrocket]

Yes, despite Froch never backing down from anyone, and fighting the best, he is in danger of being overrated. He lost to the two best fighters he fought, handily, and the guys he have beaten (Kessler was finished by the time of the rematch) are certainly not elite.

Nonsense, i had Froch winning the first Kessler fight, no way can anyone say he lost that fight handily.

Kessler may have been schooled by Ward, but to say he was not elite is silly, his win over Froch alone puts him there. He's the best scalp on Calazaghe's record, if your saying he was not elite what does that say for poor old Joe's tally of 47 & 0?

I had Kessler winning comfortably. 117-111 from what I remember. Froch did well in rounds, but I just couldn't give him too many.

As for Kessler, by the time of the second fight being elite, I have to disagree. This was a Kessler who had been messed up by injuries, not the vintage version, and everyone knew that. If that was vintage, not faded Kessler, there would have been a third encounter, and Kessler would have carried on anyway, instead of retiring

[lillywhite14]

I don't think anyone beat the very best version of Kessler. He suffered with injuries for years, even back for the Calzaghe fight, which even then was closer than the scores suggest.

He deservedly won the first Froch fight.

I honestly think Kessler, on form and fit, could have beat everyone he lost to.

[Counter-puncher]

I don't think hed ever beat Ward mate, style all wrong, too much athleticism for the slowfooted Kessler to overcome.