Chris Eubanks v Nigel Benn ?

[Grant]

I cant remember the fight but just saw the last round on social media. With the description that it was a controversial draw. What was the controversy? Looked awsome from what i saw.

[tobyh5]

Are you quite young? I guess I am quite old in fact as it was a good few years ago now I think about it. I was there, seated next to the fighters entrance / exit and it was controversial as the consensus was that Benn had done enough to reverse the defeat. Pretty much as soon as the draw was given, Benn stormed out of the ring and passed us on the way back to the dressing room.

I remember that night so well, over 40,000 at Old Trafford, Robin Reid on the undercard, Crisanto Espana defending his WBA welter title on the undercard too, but I think there was only 1 or 2 other fights. Benn came into the ring pumping up the crowd with The Goodmens Give It Up blasting out. I was in the tunnel area when they fighters arrived and it was amazing, Eubank got out, strutted like a peacock then went into the stadium, then Benn pulled up in a limo, got out and started waving the WBC belt around while screaming.

Other memories. Paul Hoko was there, chatted to him and asked when he was next fighting, he jabbed me in the stomach and said "Whenever you are ready", I was on ITV as stood behind Conteh while he was interviewed, I chatted to Micky Vann who reffed Bruno v Lewis one week earlier and I recall him telling me that Lewis had a presence, a menace of destruction, was not just the size but "something" you felt in his presence.

Two other memories, I walked out of the stadium with Mike McCallum, no one knew who he was, I did so we chatted for about 20 minutes as we fed out the line, I said, "You beat Toney both times" which he loved, but I was lying, I did not think that. He invited me to a party but I could not go as my mate had run off to get the car (on reflection, should have partied and left the mate) and the other one, as Bruno walked past waving, eye still swollen from Lewis fight, everyone cheered "bruno, bruno, bruno" and I being the smart arse taunted "LENNNOOOXXXX LEWIIIIISSSSSS", he looked me in the eye and walked off. Yes, I was a real w4nker back then too

[thepocketrocket]

People were getting rather sick of Eubank getting away with dodgy decisions because the WBO (a new and lesser thought of organisation) wanted a visible champ.

I seem to remember Jim Watt (when he had his own voice and not a Matchroom clone) saying something on the lines of them having a break in at the WBO offices and them finding the scorecards for the next three Eubank defences

Didn't stop it being a great fight, but he was a British Paulie Ayala, for those who remember Paulie's awful decisions in the 2000's.

[orbtastic]

postscript to the decision, it got Eubank out his contractual agreement as FW/DK did not have any sort of contractual tie-in for the fight ending in a draw. I believe Benn would also have ended up signing with King if he lost or won.

[Ossyrules]

The fight weren’t quite as epic as the first encounter in my opinion. Feel they maybe let a few too many years slide before the rematch. I felt Benn deserved the nod in a close decision. Eubank a little too inactive, but looked dangerous when he poured it on. Benn was a huge puncher but eubank had the chin it’s an awesome match up

I also recall that warren and King felt Hearn double crossed them with the draw

[TheGman]

postscript to the decision, it got Eubank out his contractual agreement as FW/DK did not have any sort of contractual tie-in for the fight ending in a draw. I believe Benn would also have ended up signing with King if he lost or won.

Ye i remember that,i remember an interview with barry hearn and king was all made up planning fights with Benn vs Nunn and Eubank vs Nunn and hearn was meant to of said "err no im eubanks manager,the contact said win or lose and they drew so contract is void" i remember hearn saying king walked off in a huff haha. I thought benn won even though he had 2 pounts deducted i think,benn well won the fight and eubank scrapped through another title defence

[tobyh5]

and eubank scrapped through another title defence

As was so often the case. I also went to his defence against some Brazilian guy Mauricio Amaral at Olympia, the same night Brazil won the world cup and I remember Eubank again pulling up in a stretch limo while his opponent turned up in a c-reg transit van (10 years old I think then), it was battered and he climbed out and no one bothered him, not recognisable as not famous but I spotted him as he walked past a fight poster as it had his face on it.

I also remember waiting for about 2 hours after the fight for Eubank to come out. He did and was arguing with Hearn who apparently said something on TV about it being a tight fight or even that the decision was lucky and Eubank told him to "fck off and get in the other car with my mother in law", which Hearn duly did. Herbie Hide then came out and refused an autograph to a young lad, about 10 years old (there was only about a dozen of us there) and then hearing a voice similar to Eubank behind me (was his brother) who then went and got a night bus home.

[Syntax Error]

I thought a draw was a fair result.

I thought Benn edged it, but he had a point taken off which meant a draw was probably about right.

[Stuarty]

I'm 33 years old and I was but s boy when this fight happened. At the time I was more of a Eubank fan but I thought Benn won the fight. I've watched it since and I still think the same. Cracking fight though

[Tuan_Jim]

Herbie Hide then came out and refused an autograph to a young lad, about 10 years old (there was only about a dozen of us there)

Heard quite a few stories like this about Herbie Hide over the years. A vile and obnoxious bully with the public, a quivering wimp with anyone who could stand up to him. A couple of years ago he was interviewed on BBC news about his coke dealing bust. He said he missed boxing because people used to look after him, and then he started crying - literally crying. A 45 year old man, crying because he didn't have people to look after him.

[cutsman]

Are you quite young? I guess I am quite old in fact as it was a good few years ago now I think about it. I was there, seated next to the fighters entrance / exit and it was controversial as the consensus was that Benn had done enough to reverse the defeat. Pretty much as soon as the draw was given, Benn stormed out of the ring and passed us on the way back to the dressing room.

I remember that night so well, over 40,000 at Old Trafford, Robin Reid on the undercard, Crisanto Espana defending his WBA welter title on the undercard too, but I think there was only 1 or 2 other fights. Benn came into the ring pumping up the crowd with The Goodmens Give It Up blasting out. I was in the tunnel area when they fighters arrived and it was amazing, Eubank got out, strutted like a peacock then went into the stadium, then Benn pulled up in a limo, got out and started waving the WBC belt around while screaming.

Other memories. Paul Hoko was there, chatted to him and asked when he was next fighting, he jabbed me in the stomach and said "Whenever you are ready", I was on ITV as stood behind Conteh while he was interviewed, I chatted to Micky Vann who reffed Bruno v Lewis one week earlier and I recall him telling me that Lewis had a presence, a menace of destruction, was not just the size but "something" you felt in his presence.

Two other memories, I walked out of the stadium with Mike McCallum, no one knew who he was, I did so we chatted for about 20 minutes as we fed out the line, I said, "You beat Toney both times" which he loved, but I was lying, I did not think that. He invited me to a party but I could not go as my mate had run off to get the car (on reflection, should have partied and left the mate) and the other one, as Bruno walked past waving, eye still swollen from Lewis fight, everyone cheered "bruno, bruno, bruno" and I being the smart arse taunted "LENNNOOOXXXX LEWIIIIISSSSSS", he looked me in the eye and walked off. Yes, I was a real w4nker back then too

What a night!

[rd350lc]

Herbie Hide then came out and refused an autograph to a young lad, about 10 years old (there was only about a dozen of us there)

Heard quite a few stories like this about Herbie Hide over the years. A vile and obnoxious bully with the public, a quivering wimp with anyone who could stand up to him. A couple of years ago he was interviewed on BBC news about his coke dealing bust. He said he missed boxing because people used to look after him, and then he started crying - literally crying. A 45 year old man, crying because he didn't have people to look after him.

I remember that too , it was on look East and he looked pitifull sitting there .

Wonder what he's up to now ?

[Taansend]

I was there. In a corporate box that had a bar and the Man U youth team (think about who would have been in that team then).

We were in the same hotel as Benn.

Five of us drove up there. My mate borrowed his works 'spare' car. On the way a massive fly flew out of the air vent. It was well tricky. Took us ages to kill it. Half hour later another massive fly from the same vent. Same thing. We had half a dozen over the five hour trip.

Next day we're heading home and giant fly after giant fly kept coming out of the vents. My mate is driving 90mph, coked up, and freaking out smacking around everywhere. We pull over at a service station, open the boot to discover the bloke who had borrowed the car the week before had left his maggot box in there. Hundreds of flies just f*cking erupted everywhere.

As for the fight a draw was a fair result. Many felt Benn was robbed but they were the same people who thought Eubank would knock him out again

I bumped into John Barnes after the fight. He was wearing a black & white striped blazer. Nice fella. Big bloke too.

[Autobarn]

They were both in amazing shape for this one. Not as good a battl as the first, though, because both showed better defence in this one. Benn really added to his game, using feints, head movement, aggressive counter punching. Benn cut the ring off and knocked Eubank skidding off balance so many times with well placed body shots. But Eubank was so big and fast for the weight, could steal openings at will and it was very close. I certainly had Benn winning despite the deductions. This was Benn’s most technical performance.

Good event, great tension, huge staredown before and after the fight. The staredown as the scores were being read out was awesomely tense. For this, and the controversy, it still delivered a great rivalry. Eubank excelled in the first fight when he had something more to prove -a far better fight where both consistently landed their best shots - whereas Benn had to show something more second time out and for me did with his compact, mature and quite accomplished performance. Benn really took advantage of Eubank’s balance issues, and Eubank wasn’t able to hurt Benn enough.

[tobyh5]

Next day we're heading home and giant fly after giant fly kept coming out of the vents. My mate is driving 90mph, coked up, and freaking out smacking around everywhere. We pull over at a service station, open the boot to discover the bloke who had borrowed the car the week before had left his maggot box in there. Hundreds of flies just f*cking erupted everywhere.

That is brilliant!

[handsofstone]

The Eubank/Benn rematch is the 1st fight I can remember watching ever, my dad loved Benn and hated Eubank in equal measure, he used to watch tv lying on the floor on his stomach and I always mind after the fight both his elbows were a mess with carpet burns with him throwing the punches willing Benn on, he was raging when it was ruled a draw

I watched the fight again a couple of years ago, wasn't nearly as exciting as I remembered

[TheGman]

I liked the interview just before the fight when it went to mickey rourke and mickey brought james toney in and they were arguing,eubank was crap at arguing and just sat there open mouthed thinking of something to say hahaha

[littlepug]

I liked the interview just before the fight when it went to mickey rourke and mickey brought james toney in and they were arguing,eubank was crap at arguing and just sat there open mouthed thinking of something to say hahaha

It was a show before the fight called "best of enemies" hosted by johnathon ross, they had spitting image puppets of Eubank and henry cooper on which was quite funny

[TheGman]

I liked the interview just before the fight when it went to mickey rourke and mickey brought james toney in and they were arguing,eubank was crap at arguing and just sat there open mouthed thinking of something to say hahaha

It was a show before the fight called "best of enemies" hosted by johnathon ross, they had spitting image puppets of Eubank and henry cooper on which was quite funny

Ye that was it, funny, benn had dreads on that show then on fight night came down with his hood up and pulled it down in the ring and had a skin head,he looked probably in the best shape iv ever seen him

[littlepug]

there was only a week between Benn v Eubanks 2 and Lewis v Bruno, can remember someone from sky sports stopping regular folk in the street to ask them their opinion on the fights, and surprisingly everybody had one (and Benn fight wasnt even on sky !)

[Jackson328]

Points deductions cost Benn a pretty clear win for me, think it was low blows wasn't it? I watched this fight again recently for the first time in over 20 years and it didn't seem half as exciting as it did at the time but I find thats often the case when I try to revisit the past. Reason I rewatched this fight is I was reading 'No Middle Ground' a book about the Benn/Watson/Eubank story and as I read about each fight I found myself pausing my read to watch them again on youtube. Actually made the reading more enjoyable but took me a week to finish the book!