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Re: If Benn had fought Graham in 1990
Posted: 21 Apr 2021, 05:52
by mickey1975
coghaugen11 wrote: ↑21 Apr 2021, 05:23
At Old Trafford in ‘93 the security was totally inadequate - guys were smashing through the turnstiles without tickets and standing in the gangways for the main event! Even when the police arrived they seemed unable to dislodge all of them, having successfully dispersed of touts outside. And punters in very expensive seats had to stand to get a view of some of the rounds. Those were dark days, dark brilliant fantastic times
Why were touts there when it wasn’t a sell out? I bet people got in cheap.
Re: If Benn had fought Graham in 1990
Posted: 21 Apr 2021, 05:58
by coghaugen11
Why don’t you ask them?
25,000 were predicted initially. Which would’ve been insane at the time. Bruno-Bugner at White Hart Lane had about 15,000.
Today it’s a much bigger thing to go to the O2 for a night out, or go to a Joshua fight. You just click a few buttons on your phone. And the tickets are cheap. My ticket at OT was £75 and that was the cheapest and in the rafters - I saw fornicate all. There were no big screens or anything back then to actually see the fight!
Re: If Benn had fought Graham in 1990
Posted: 21 Apr 2021, 06:01
by Switch hitter
coghaugen11 wrote: ↑21 Apr 2021, 05:44
Douglas was a novice pro in way over his head
At the time many including Mickey Duff thought the timing was right and Graham was there for the taking......
Re: If Benn had fought Graham in 1990
Posted: 21 Apr 2021, 06:01
by coghaugen11
The average wage was like £90 a week 30 years ago
Re: If Benn had fought Graham in 1990
Posted: 21 Apr 2021, 06:03
by coghaugen11
Switch hitter wrote: ↑21 Apr 2021, 06:01
coghaugen11 wrote: ↑21 Apr 2021, 05:44
Douglas was a novice pro in way over his head
At the time many including Mickey Duff thought the timing was right and Graham was there for the taking......
One of the few he got wrong.
Graham had just made Mike McCallum look silly for six rounds and arguably beat him (if not for the point deduction?)
Douglas had about 13 fights all going two or three rounds on Grandstand ffs, mediocre yank imports
Re: If Benn had fought Graham in 1990
Posted: 21 Apr 2021, 06:05
by Switch hitter
Coco wrote: ↑21 Apr 2021, 05:47
If Julian Jackson can get to Graham so could have Benn
Whilst Benn could definitely punch he wasn't in the same league as Jackson regarding power. Benn would be dangerous early but get beaten up 8 / 9 / 10 and stopped
Re: If Benn had fought Graham in 1990
Posted: 21 Apr 2021, 06:06
by Switch hitter
coghaugen11 wrote: ↑21 Apr 2021, 06:03
Switch hitter wrote: ↑21 Apr 2021, 06:01
coghaugen11 wrote: ↑21 Apr 2021, 05:44
Douglas was a novice pro in way over his head
At the time many including Mickey Duff thought the timing was right and Graham was there for the taking......
One of the few he got wrong.
Graham had just made Mike McCallum look silly for six rounds and arguably beat him (if not for the point deduction?)
Douglas had about 13 fights all going two or three rounds on Grandstand ffs, mediocre yank imports
To go that close against McCallum shows how good Graham was. McCallum would have beat Benn with ease
Re: If Benn had fought Graham in 1990
Posted: 21 Apr 2021, 06:08
by coghaugen11
Benn was in anyone’s league in terms of brute force. Just couldn’t deliver as skilfully, ie Jackson’s Kayos all on the button, accurate to pressure points and timed perfectly. Benn could punch your forehead or nose and bowl you over
Re: If Benn had fought Graham in 1990
Posted: 21 Apr 2021, 06:09
by coghaugen11
Switch hitter wrote: ↑21 Apr 2021, 06:06
coghaugen11 wrote: ↑21 Apr 2021, 06:03
Switch hitter wrote: ↑21 Apr 2021, 06:01
At the time many including Mickey Duff thought the timing was right and Graham was there for the taking......
One of the few he got wrong.
Graham had just made Mike McCallum look silly for six rounds and arguably beat him (if not for the point deduction?)
Douglas had about 13 fights all going two or three rounds on Grandstand ffs, mediocre yank imports
To go that close against McCallum shows how good Graham was. McCallum would have beat Benn with ease
Nobody beats Benn with ease but Benn was made for McCallum to toy with at mid-range
Re: If Benn had fought Graham in 1990
Posted: 21 Apr 2021, 17:30
by THEBUTCH
If there was ever a boxer of substance and style to beat Benn, it was "cockney" Mike McCallum.
Re: If Benn had fought Graham in 1990
Posted: 21 Apr 2021, 18:21
by dookus
THEBUTCH wrote: ↑21 Apr 2021, 17:30
If there was ever a boxer of substance and style to beat Benn, it was "cockney" Mike McCallum.
It's true. The Cornishman would've slowly broken Benn down.
Re: If Benn had fought Graham in 1990
Posted: 21 Apr 2021, 18:22
by coghaugen11
Nobody from Yorkshire ever beat Nigel Benn.
Re: If Benn had fought Graham in 1990
Posted: 21 Apr 2021, 18:23
by coghaugen11
But McCallum may of had the best chance!
Re: If Benn had fought Graham in 1990
Posted: 23 Apr 2021, 18:27
by coghaugen11
Apparently OT was a sell-out, 43,000 tickets were allocated and all were sold. They couldn’t justify having fans any further back in the stadium because Benn and Eubank would’ve been two dots.
Re: If Benn had fought Graham in 1990
Posted: 23 Apr 2021, 18:49
by mickey1975
coghaugen11 wrote: ↑23 Apr 2021, 18:27
Apparently OT was a sell-out, 43,000 tickets were allocated and all were sold. They couldn’t justify having fans any further back in the stadium because Benn and Eubank would’ve been two dots.
18,000 at White Hart Lane. According to the promoter. He lost a fortune.
Re: If Benn had fought Graham in 1990
Posted: 23 Apr 2021, 19:50
by coghaugen11
Yeah a lot more were expected, like 30,000 for some reason. It was a hard sell after the awful first fight and the fact if it went the distance it might’ve just gone to Eubank again regardless.
Re: If Benn had fought Graham in 1990
Posted: 23 Apr 2021, 23:12
by Grilling Machine
I liked Herol, but his masterful rep doesn't quite hold up with points losses to McCallum and Kalambay, while Grant as well as Jackson stopped him, so Benn was definitely capable. Graham also looked really ragged late against Kenny Bristol from memory, whereas Watson was the only time in Benn's prime I felt the tide had really taken him. (Graham did claim to have been a lazy trainer in his early years.)
I'm seeing Benn by stoppage in the third quarter. Different stylistically, but a similar pattern to Graham-Brewer.
Re: If Benn had fought Graham in 1990
Posted: 24 Apr 2021, 05:51
by coghaugen11
If Benn could pace himself, you never know. He didn’t tire against Sanderline Williams or Robbie Sims in non-title fights - fighters who were better than basically all of Calzaghe’s world title challengers. Interesting, really.
Re: If Benn had fought Graham in 1990
Posted: 24 Apr 2021, 06:43
by THEBUTCH
No they weren't
Not all of them.
Re: If Benn had fought Graham in 1990
Posted: 24 Apr 2021, 06:44
by Switch hitter
Grilling Machine wrote: ↑23 Apr 2021, 23:12
I liked Herol, but his masterful rep doesn't quite hold up with points losses to McCallum and Kalambay, while Grant as well as Jackson stopped him, so Benn was definitely capable. Graham also looked really ragged late against Kenny Bristol from memory, whereas Watson was the only time in Benn's prime I felt the tide had really taken him. (Graham did claim to have been a lazy trainer in his early years.)
I'm seeing Benn by stoppage in the third quarter. Different stylistically, but a similar pattern to Graham-Brewer.
Graham trained himself for the Grant fight and was dead at the weight and also a past his prime. Duff pleaded with Ingle to be in his corner that night. W Herol was robbed in the second fight with Kalambay and only lost to McCallum with the point off...... everyone knows about the Jackson fight.
Re: If Benn had fought Graham in 1990
Posted: 24 Apr 2021, 06:47
by coghaugen11
THEBUTCH wrote: ↑24 Apr 2021, 06:43
No they weren't
Not all of them.
I’d say they were. Wins over Duran and Barkley and a draw with Toney. Different kettle of fish that is. Things dried up dramatically.
Re: If Benn had fought Graham in 1990
Posted: 24 Apr 2021, 06:51
by THEBUTCH
Have another look at "some" (agreed not all) of Calzaghe's challengers. Simms and Williams were not as good as some of them.
Re: If Benn had fought Graham in 1990
Posted: 24 Apr 2021, 06:53
by THEBUTCH
It's wasn't often you saw Mike McCallum frustrated and not enjoying his night's work but Graham, despite boxing poorly, gave McCallum fits.
The point deduction was a tad harsh, and even then it was a very close fight. McCallum was very unimpressive on that occasion.
Re: If Benn had fought Graham in 1990
Posted: 24 Apr 2021, 06:55
by coghaugen11
They thought he was slowing in a voluntary defence/warm up for Watson against Irishman Steve Collins in Boston, when raw novice Collins had Mike running away in the last few rounds. But that was just Mike being smart.
Watson was the clear betting favourite v MM. A sharpened MM turned it on though, ring rusty Watson dropped those hands while exhausted in the 11th and got put out.
Re: If Benn had fought Graham in 1990
Posted: 24 Apr 2021, 07:25
by coghaugen11
THEBUTCH wrote: ↑24 Apr 2021, 06:51
Have another look at "some" (agreed not all) of Calzaghe's challengers. Simms and Williams were not as good as some of them.
The best he fought was Charles Brewer. He wasn’t quite as good as them.