Benn v Eubank - opponents

[Mimmy]

Out of these 2 who fought the tougher opponents in their career? Benn fought and beat Dewitt, Barkley and the G Man but apart from McClennan was the other 2 past their best and not considered prime fighters?

Both faced Michael Watson with very different endings.

Both faced Steve Collins but were both Benn and Eubank both over the hill by then?

Who had the tougher record.

[CharlesListon]

Benn

[Rexob]

Benn!

[jameswilson]

Benn.

[bigjack]

Eubank did fight carl thompson twice at cruiserweight so i'd say he's tougher than anyone Benn fought.

[SamWise72]

Carl Thompson was not a better cruiserweight than McClellan was a middleweight. He was upper European level, and won a cheap version of the title. I loved Carl, but comparing him to McClellan is daft.

[littlepug]

Barkley won world titles in 2 weight divisions aftere getting beat by Benn

[PredatorHayds]

Benn.

Eubanks toughest opponent was probably Benn himself.

The G-Man fight takes the biscuit as best opponent either faced.

[Old Jack J]

Benn by quite a distance

[milpool]

I was/am a big fan of Eubank but some of his opponents were woeful. Benn had the better opposition.

[littlepug]

benns win over Galvano in Italy was a belter of a result, Benn showed real poise and purpose that night and got the win against the odds

[Crazyboy]

I suppose its worth remembering they fought each other, eubank was awesome against Benn... a great CV with Benn included.

[bigjack]

Carl Thompson was not a better cruiserweight than McClellan was a middleweight. He was upper European level, and won a cheap version of the title. I loved Carl, but comparing him to McClellan is daft.

Benn fought McClellan at supermiddle,where he wasn't proven and anyway i wasn't comparing the fighters i was thinking more about the weight issues that Eubank would have faced with thompson,Carl was a very big man and a world class puncher.

[rhino222]

Carl Thompson was not a better cruiserweight than McClellan was a middleweight. He was upper European level, and won a cheap version of the title. I loved Carl, but comparing him to McClellan is daft.

Benn fought McClellan at supermiddle,where he wasn't proven and anyway i wasn't comparing the fighters i was thinking more about the weight issues that Eubank would have faced with thompson,Carl was a very big man and a world class puncher.

absolutely......ask david haye!!

[reggaereggae]

Benn by far. People forget that Eubank scraped some awful 'wins' against mediocre (by world class standards) opponents.

All Eubank's big wins are against British fighters. Benn was his best win. And though he won against Watson, I believe Watson won the first fight and was winning the second until that bomb. And whilst Watson is a good fighter, his reputation is from one world class win only - Benn (who fought a silly fight and is one of those fighters who are rather erratic.) mcCallum smashed him.

To be honest when you look at both their records, all seem like sub world champion level. But benn's big wins plus he performed better against lower ranked opposition take him above.

[bigjack]

Benn by far. People forget that Eubank scraped some awful 'wins' against mediocre (by world class standards) opponents.

All Eubank's big wins are against British fighters. Benn was his best win. And though he won against Watson, I believe Watson won the first fight and was winning the second until that bomb. And whilst Watson is a good fighter, his reputation is from one world class win only - Benn (who fought a silly fight and is one of those fighters who are rather erratic.) mcCallum smashed him.

To be honest when you look at both their records, all seem like sub world champion level. But benn's big wins plus he performed better against lower ranked opposition take him above.

The original poster asked who had the tougher opponents,Benns toughest was a middleweight making his debut at the weight..McClellan, whereas Eubank fought a true cruiserweight puncher twice,the same cruiserweight who knocked out David Haye and other decent cruisers and yet Eubank took everything Carl could throw at him,so i'd say Eubank having jumped up 2 weight divisions fought the tougher opponent of the 2.Benn fought a higher class all through his career but didn't fight anyone as big,strong or tough as Thompson for me .

[Bodyshot3]

Benn by some distance during their primes in terms of overall quality and also being prepared to take it on the road more often......

......although Chris ended strongly to his credit by having the balls to fight Carl T and have a whirl at a very confident Calzaghe after Collins checked his bank balance and then did a bunk.

And Chris was also prepared to give Ray Close - who was a right handful - a rematch in the hotbed of the Kings Hall, Belfast. It is easy to forget (given the time) that Close was a very decent fighter indeed and that not all of Chris's defences were against Dan Sherry or Ron Esett.

To be fair both guys also had some opponents in common; both getting in with the dangerous Henry Wharton and Mike Watson as well.

But Benn still gets it though for fighting DeWitt and Barkley 'stateside', getting in with the G-Man and heading over to do an 'Italian Job' on Galvano.

[SamWise72]

Eubank faced huge physical disadvantages against Thompson, and proved his chin (if it was ever in doubt), but he lost. I do not think a defeat to a strong European cruiserweight stacks up to a win against the most feared middleweight in the world, even if he was stepping up to do it. The point that Eubank beat Benn has weight to it though.

[bigjack]

Eubank faced huge physical disadvantages against Thompson, and proved his chin (if it was ever in doubt), but he lost. I do not think a defeat to a strong European cruiserweight stacks up to a win against the most feared middleweight in the world, even if he was stepping up to do it. The point that Eubank beat Benn has weight to it though.

It's not the win that counts though is it,the question was who had the tougher opponent and i still think Eubank fighting a huge puncher in Thompson 2 weights above his normal weight and also making his debut at cruiser was a tougher ask myself.Mcclellan was a very good middleweight but he had one fight at super middle and lost so how does that make him tougher than Thompson,who's punches would be a lot harder than the G mans.

[deadpan]

Benn.

If the internet was around back then Eubank's run of tedious, gifted wins against unheralded fighters would have led to him being vilified.

Anyway, look at the fighters neither of them faced -

Jones Jr
Toney
McCallum
Nunn
Kalambay
Hopkins (at a push)
Graham

There'd be plenty losses there.

[lillywhite14]

Rocchigiani was a good win for Eubak too, away from home in Germany against a 35-0 chap is never to be sniffed at. Usually gets overlooked.

Benn faced the tougher opponents though. The Cat was a favourite of almost everyone's, but he wasn't top class. He got at Haye when he was a green, part time playboy who thought 'this boxing lark is easy', let's not pretend he outclassed a prime Haye, who was levels above Thompson.

[magwitch]

Eubank beat Benn himself, as well as Watson, who beat Benn with contemptuous ease. Mind you - Watson also won about 20 rounds of boxing against Chris too.
I don't remember anything about the McClellan fight other than the first round.... I suspect he may have beaten Eubank but there's no way to be sure.
Both Eubank and Benn could take a good hiding without complaint. I'd say they were as tough as each other. A tie for me.

[reggaereggae]

Rocchigiani was a good win for Eubak too, away from home in Germany against a 35-0 chap is never to be sniffed at. Usually gets overlooked.

Benn faced the tougher opponents though. The Cat was a favourite of almost everyone's, but he wasn't top class. He got at Haye when he was a green, part time playboy who thought 'this boxing lark is easy', let's not pretend he outclassed a prime Haye, who was levels above Thompson.

Good point about Graciano. I had forgotten about that win. Eubank 'generally' seemed to perform well against good opposition but seemed flat againt guys like Ray Close etc

[lillywhite14]

Eubank beat Benn himself, as well as Watson, who beat Benn with contemptuous ease. Mind you - Watson also won about 20 rounds of boxing against Chris too.
I don't remember anything about the McClellan fight other than the first round.... I suspect he may have beaten Eubank but there's no way to be sure.
Both Eubank and Benn could take a good hiding without complaint. I'd say they were as tough as each other. A tie for me.

I think Eubank would have been a nightmare for McClellan. Iron chin who could dig deep. Eubank would often fight to his opponents level. Would have been a barnstormer but I can picture Eubank dragging him into deep water similar to what Benn did but without the early drama ( Benn was always vulnerable )

[banjo]

Benn obviously has McClellan, Barkley and DeWitt, also wins over US hardmen Sanderline Williams and Robbie Sims aren't to be balked at either, the win away in Italy to win the WBC title is a tad underrated too.