52 fight challenge: Week 2 - Chris Eubank vs Michael Watson I

[Horse]

Chris Eubank vs Michael Watson I: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxC7W3G7j3g

Watch and discuss.

[forestbox]

Chris Eubank vs Michael Watson I: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxC7W3G7j3g

Watch and discuss.

Nice pick.does the fights have to be all British or can it be a British fighter involved?

[PredatorHayds]

Good fight.
Shame Watsons talent as a fighter have been forgot over time.

[thepocketrocket]

One of numerous robberies in favour of Eubank because the WBO wanted a visible champion. Didn't Jim watt once joke that the WBO offices were raided and they found the scorecards for the next three Eubank fights (or words to that effect)

On the flipside, i do think Watson gets aggrandised maybe a little too much. People forget he took a beating against McCallum. the same people then decide to slate Collins, but 'forget' that Collins was much more competitive against the great man.

[Counter-puncher]

I recall that, at the time, I thought the robbery cries were a tad overstated.

I think I originally called it a draw.

[Noxy]

I remember that fight well, I had Watson winning it.

[Rexob]

The best comeback punch of all time! a classic example of "it's not over until it's over!"

[Boxerbeetle]

The best comeback punch of all time! a classic example of "it's not over until it's over!"

Wrong fight

[Noxy]

One of numerous robberies in favour of Eubank because the WBO wanted a visible champion. Didn't Jim watt once joke that the WBO offices were raided and they found the scorecards for the next three Eubank fights (or words to that effect)

On the flipside, i do think Watson gets aggrandised maybe a little too much. People forget he took a beating against McCallum. the same people then decide to slate Collins, but 'forget' that Collins was much more competitive against the great man.

Yep, I agree about Collins. He was the real deal and doesn't seem to always get the respect he deserves. I think it might be because people don't find him the most likeable of characters (unlike Watson). He was a real handful inside the ropes though and only lost to the really serious players, McCallum for example.

[Rexob]

The best comeback punch of all time! a classic example of "it's not over until it's over!"

Wrong fight

Oh yeah

[Rexob]

The first fight was shite! With neither fighter really prepared to throw anything significant! especially Watson, who talked a great fight going into it, as Eubank was hated at the time by most people, and fans thought he would go all out, which he did the second time around but as Boxerbeetle said that's another fight all together.

[Counter-puncher]

One of numerous robberies in favour of Eubank because the WBO wanted a visible champion. Didn't Jim watt once joke that the WBO offices were raided and they found the scorecards for the next three Eubank fights (or words to that effect)

On the flipside, i do think Watson gets aggrandised maybe a little too much. People forget he took a beating against McCallum. the same people then decide to slate Collins, but 'forget' that Collins was much more competitive against the great man.

Yep, I agree about Collins. He was the real deal and doesn't seem to always get the respect he deserves. I think it might be because people don't find him the most likeable of characters (unlike Watson). He was a real handful inside the ropes though and only lost to the really serious players, McCallum for example.

I agree Collins did better vs McCallum than Watson did, but think that was largely a style issue actually. Collins isn't known particularly as a speedster but he was pretty quick on his feet when he fought McCallum, quicker than either Watson or McCallum. Watson't slightly plodding/ stiff/ measured/onepaced style (when compared with McCallum) meant he was pretty much made to order for the Bodysnatcher IMO.

[Counter-puncher]

and Collins did a much better job than Watson did of avoding a pounding to the body early, and managing to get into the later rounds not too damaged, where he could take a little bit of advantage of McCallum's age

[thepocketrocket]

Well he isn't being underrated in this thread, nice one lads.

All comments so far are correct i feel. I also feel there is a sense of bitterness that he came over and beat 'our boys', who had been staples on ITV. Many won't ever have seen his other fights before then, so it is easy to write off his wins as 'oh, he wasn't that good, Eubank and Benn were old'.

[daviddee]

Wow how different that fight was from I remember. . I couldn't understand the robbery shout when I watched it years ago. Got to say most they rounds were very very close. I hate 10/10 rounds but scored 4 in this fight most I've ever done. I have this 117-115 to Eubank quite a poor fight and standard for a world title

[davie]

Watched it ahead of schedule because I couldn't wait to see what Horse picked,
Nice close fight, lot's of rounds hard to score. I had it Cooper 143-142 Bugner,
thought Harry Carpenter had it a bit wide for Cooper but he desevred the win and it was a fine performance for an old man against a younger bigger and faster opponent.

Wait, what? Eubank v Watson.....

Yay, 2 fight challenges in one week

[davie]

Eubank Watson
---10-----10
---10------9
----9------10
---10------9
---10------9
----9------10
---10-----10
----9------10
---10------9
---10------9 - weird round, was scoring it Eubank all the way then in the last minute Chris looked like he was going to keel over.
---10-----10 - A round of 2 halfs
----9-----10
--116----115

[PredatorHayds]

I've scored it 115-113 Watson.
Close fight that could of gone either way.
Forgot how good watsons jab was. Outstanding in this fight.
Question mark over Eubanks fitness though. Looked out on his feet last few rounds.

Really good fight.

[Monte Fisto]

115-113 Eubank, he just took to many of the early rounds for me. I think Eubanks boxing style is actually more fashionable today then ever before. Often criticised for taking parts of a round off as opposed to being complimented for controlling the tempo of the fight.
Still a very close fight but i just thought Eubanks accuracy, angles and movement was slightly superior.

Watsons stamina was incredible, and round 11 was an epic round. Eubanks seemed gassed in the tenth and in the first half of the 11th but in my mind fought back and managed to shared the 11th.

[dookus]

I had it:

Eubank - Watson
10 - 10
10 - 9
9 - 10
10 - 9
10 - 9
9 - 10
10 - 10
10 - 9
10 - 9
9 - 10
9 - 10
10 - 9

116 - 114 to Eubank

Watson worked much harder but found it really hard to pin Eubank down with the jab - usually falling short or missing by a fraction. Both men did great work to the body, Watson shading it there. Eubank landed the harder shots and managed to neutralise a lot of Watson's work at range. As knackered as Eubank was in the championship rounds, Watson didn't take full advantage, although he won two of the last three on my card.

If the drawn rounds are scored to Watson I can see a draw. Some of the rounds were very close - 7 rounds to 5 for Watson is not out of the question.

Very good technical match-up.

[Cyclops]

Another good choice. Probably the first boxing match I ever saw. Looking at the date, I would have been ten years old

I seem to recall we all thought Watson had it in our house and were suitably annoyed.

I'll make time to watch it and have my scores in.

[Horse]

Eubank - Watson

10 - 10
10 - 9
9 - 10
10 - 9
10 - 9
9 - 10
9 - 10
10 - 9
10 - 9
9 - 10
9 - 10
10 - 9

115-114 Eubank

[dookus]

Eubank - Watson

10 - 10
10 - 9
9 - 10
10 - 9
10 - 9
9 - 10
9 - 10
10 - 9
10 - 9
9 - 10
9 - 10
10 - 9

115-114 Eubank

Pleased to see we have nearly identical cards!

[davie]

Eubank - Watson

10 - 10
10 - 9
9 - 10
10 - 9
10 - 9
9 - 10
9 - 10
10 - 9
10 - 9
9 - 10
9 - 10
10 - 9

115-114 Eubank

Pleased to see we have nearly identical cards!

I must have fell asleep after round 7
I was identical to both your cards for the first 6, had the 10-10 same as you for 7 then basically disagree with you both on the last 5.
I must have gave up and started guessing

[davie]

Good fight.
Shame Watsons talent as a fighter have been forgot over time.

I had never watched any Watson fight other than viewing his last against Eubank on youtube a few year back.
I don't think his talent has been forgotten, he is still highly regarded and rated alongside the very good British super middle weights of the day.
But one thing I will say, having viewed that fight, he may not be remembered as well as the Eubanks and Benns because of his style.
Eubank was flamboyant and Benn could be destructive and the 2 together made for great fights and a famous rivalry.
Watson took the pace off that Eubank fight and fought tidily behind that jab. Effective and worthy of as much praise as Eubank flashy work & wild swinging power punching
Just not something that sticks in the memory quite like the style of those other 2, not to mention they were more memorable characters outside the ropes