BoxRec

"I sparred with Herol Graham for six weeks around October 1986, and in our last eight-rounder, I put him on his back in the first round with a left hook off a right hand feint, then he got up and outboxed me for four and a half rounds before I put him on his bottom with a right uppercut off a left hook feint, and then he outboxed me for a further two rounds.

"The man was an expert defensive genius. It took me a month and a half to, uhh.... figure him out, so to speak. I had watched him on Television on a Barry McGuigan undercard and reached his manager Barney Eastwood through my brother Peter.

"In New York, I thought I'd seen it all. Certainly not. Watching the sparring were future champions Naseem Hamed, Johnny Nelson and Ryan Rhodes and I remember it clearly, the look of utter astonishment when their hero went down for the first time ever."

coghaugen11 wrote:"I sparred with Herol Graham for six weeks around October 1986, and in our last eight-rounder, I put him on his back in the first round with a left hook off a right hand feint, then he got up and outboxed me for four and a half rounds before I put him on his bottom with a right uppercut off a left hook feint, and then he outboxed me for a further two rounds.

"The man was an expert defensive genius. It took me a month and a half to, uhh.... figure him out, so to speak. I had watched him on Television on a Barry McGuigan undercard and reached his manager Barney Eastwood through my brother Peter.

"In New York, I thought I'd seen it all. Certainly not. Watching the sparring were future champions Naseem Hamed, Johnny Nelson and Ryan Rhodes and I remember it clearly, the look of utter astonishment when their hero went down for the first time ever."

I'm sure that Herol has a slightly different story !!

All i would say is that if Eubank was so confident of beating Herol, then why did he avoid fighting him ?

Quixall wrote:

coghaugen11 wrote:"I sparred with Herol Graham for six weeks around October 1986, and in our last eight-rounder, I put him on his back in the first round with a left hook off a right hand feint, then he got up and outboxed me for four and a half rounds before I put him on his bottom with a right uppercut off a left hook feint, and then he outboxed me for a further two rounds.

"The man was an expert defensive genius. It took me a month and a half to, uhh.... figure him out, so to speak. I had watched him on Television on a Barry McGuigan undercard and reached his manager Barney Eastwood through my brother Peter.

"In New York, I thought I'd seen it all. Certainly not. Watching the sparring were future champions Naseem Hamed, Johnny Nelson and Ryan Rhodes and I remember it clearly, the look of utter astonishment when their hero went down for the first time ever."

Eubank was so confident of beating Herol

He wasn't.

This isn't a KO story. I've never known anyone be knocked out and get up and out-box someone. If scored Herol would have won 76-74, from what Eubank says.

coghaugen11 wrote:

Quixall wrote:

coghaugen11 wrote:"I sparred with Herol Graham for six weeks around October 1986, and in our last eight-rounder, I put him on his back in the first round with a left hook off a right hand feint, then he got up and outboxed me for four and a half rounds before I put him on his bottom with a right uppercut off a left hook feint, and then he outboxed me for a further two rounds.

"The man was an expert defensive genius. It took me a month and a half to, uhh.... figure him out, so to speak. I had watched him on Television on a Barry McGuigan undercard and reached his manager Barney Eastwood through my brother Peter.

"In New York, I thought I'd seen it all. Certainly not. Watching the sparring were future champions Naseem Hamed, Johnny Nelson and Ryan Rhodes and I remember it clearly, the look of utter astonishment when their hero went down for the first time ever."

Eubank was so confident of beating Herol

He wasn't.

Exactly..........

But he perpetuates a story that is more or less saying " I could have beaten him.........."

heaven forbid any1 say anything remotely negative about herol graham.


I dont think its that unbelievable that an ageing fighter was dumped on his arse by a young hungry banger in sparring at the tail end of his career.

stevieb_8006 wrote:heaven forbid any1 say anything remotely negative about herol graham.


I dont think its that unbelievable that an ageing fighter was dumped on his arse by a young hungry banger in sparring at the tail end of his career.

I think your being slightly precious !!

This is a simple case of you said this and i say that, nothing can be confirmed by the statement and it's all been said before, in interviews with Herol himself and at that famous press conference with Brendan, Naz and Eubank.

I always thought it was a Novice Howard Eastman who knocked Herol Graham out in sparring??
Perhaps im confused&getting fighters mixed up...

Tommy Gunn13 wrote:I always thought it was a Novice Howard Eastman who knocked Herol Graham out in sparring??
Perhaps im confused&getting fighters mixed up...

tbh i thought that as well

Quixall wrote:

stevieb_8006 wrote:heaven forbid any1 say anything remotely negative about herol graham.


I dont think its that unbelievable that an ageing fighter was dumped on his arse by a young hungry banger in sparring at the tail end of his career.

I think your being slightly precious !!

This is a simple case of you said this and i say that, nothing can be confirmed by the statement and it's all been said before, in interviews with Herol himself and at that famous press conference with Brendan, Naz and Eubank.

just dont c why herol evokes such loyalty and sympathy from british boxing fans. its not like he never got his shot, he has 3 ffs. its not like he was never put over or beaten. hes spoken of as a jesus-like figure just cause he could make 'em miss. I mean OBV i am aware he was a MAJOR talent, but it seems like its a cardinal sin to dare even suggest one of the "big 4" may have the slightest chance of upsetting him. (that actually wasnt meant to be a personal slight there either Quix, u know I luvs ya)

stevieb_8006 wrote:

Tommy Gunn13 wrote:I always thought it was a Novice Howard Eastman who knocked Herol Graham out in sparring??
Perhaps im confused&getting fighters mixed up...

tbh i thought that as well

Read the text. Eubank never claimed that he had, just the nuthugger who started the thread

stevieb_8006 wrote:

Quixall wrote:

stevieb_8006 wrote:heaven forbid any1 say anything remotely negative about herol graham.


I dont think its that unbelievable that an ageing fighter was dumped on his arse by a young hungry banger in sparring at the tail end of his career.

I think your being slightly precious !!

This is a simple case of you said this and i say that, nothing can be confirmed by the statement and it's all been said before, in interviews with Herol himself and at that famous press conference with Brendan, Naz and Eubank.

just dont c why herol evokes such loyalty and sympathy from british boxing fans. its not like he never got his shot, he has 3 ffs. its not like he was never put over or beaten. hes spoken of as a jesus-like figure just cause he could make 'em miss. I mean OBV i am aware he was a MAJOR talent, but it seems like its a cardinal sin to dare even suggest one of the "big 4" may have the slightest chance of upsetting him. (that actually wasnt meant to be a personal slight there either Quix, u know I luvs ya)

Right back at you Stevie !!

I think the best thing that could have happenned to Herol is if he had of fought a Benn, Eubank, Hagler etc, then all the questions would have been answered. Essentially, McCallum was too good and nothing to do with Herol changing his style or leaving Brendan. The Jackson fight was just unreal in terms of getting hit by that shot, but Herol didn't need to go looking for the stoppage in that fight. The Brewer fight came when he was just slightly too old. He also lost to Kalambay, though that wasn't for a world title, so as you say, he had enough chances.

JDC wrote:

stevieb_8006 wrote:

Tommy Gunn13 wrote:I always thought it was a Novice Howard Eastman who knocked Herol Graham out in sparring??
Perhaps im confused&getting fighters mixed up...

tbh i thought that as well

Read the text. Eubank never claimed that he had, just the nuthugger who started the thread

My fault...
Love the word nuthugger

Tommy Gunn13 wrote:I always thought it was a Novice Howard Eastman who knocked Herol Graham out in sparring??
Perhaps im confused&getting fighters mixed up...

Nah, a young Howard Jones knocked out an ageing Errol Brown. 'It started with a kiss' too.

dondada wrote:

Tommy Gunn13 wrote:I always thought it was a Novice Howard Eastman who knocked Herol Graham out in sparring??
Perhaps im confused&getting fighters mixed up...

Nah, a young Howard Jones knocked out an ageing Errol Brown. 'It started with a kiss' too.

Reminds me of the story from the Tyson/Francis fight when one of W.arren's staff was told 'Errol Brown from Hot Chocolate is upstairs without a ticket and wants to know if he can come in'. The guy gets up to the ticket office to find Marvin Hagler waiting there.

dondada wrote:

Tommy Gunn13 wrote:I always thought it was a Novice Howard Eastman who knocked Herol Graham out in sparring??
Perhaps im confused&getting fighters mixed up...

Nah, a young Howard Jones knocked out an ageing Errol Brown. 'It started with a kiss' too.

I've always been of the opinion that whatever happens in sparring should stay in sparring. It's never cool when a boxer talks about it publicly (especially in regards to knockdowns).

Eastman sparked Collins as I remember it.

It doesn't sound like Eubank is claiming anything, other than being able to put him over.

However, it would be nice to see Copenhagen write about something OTHER than Eubank - I can only guess that he is either Eubank's PR, a Eubank superfan, a slightly weird Eubank obsessive, or....Eubank himself or one of his family.

I remember reading Eastman sparked Collins, but bringing that up usually brings a far more vigorous defence of the Celtic warrior ( he didnt get sparked, he got punched then "blacked out" ) than anything seen here of the bomber so that can of worms should maybe stay shut!

I never put too much emphasis on what happens in sparring. Fighters are often at differing levels of fitness when they spar for starters.

Eubank himself has always said sparring was the most important thing for him and he seemingly always went 100% when sparring ( something he learned in New York maybe? He always talks about how hungry the fighters were there, describes them as killers etc )

coghaugen11 wrote:"I sparred with Herol Graham for six weeks around October 1986, and in our last eight-rounder, I put him on his back in the first round with a left hook off a right hand feint, then he got up and outboxed me for four and a half rounds before I put him on his bottom with a right uppercut off a left hook feint, and then he outboxed me for a further two rounds.

"The man was an expert defensive genius. It took me a month and a half to, uhh.... figure him out, so to speak. I had watched him on Television on a Barry McGuigan undercard and reached his manager Barney Eastwood through my brother Peter.

"In New York, I thought I'd seen it all. Certainly not. Watching the sparring were future champions Naseem Hamed, Johnny Nelson and Ryan Rhodes and I remember it clearly, the look of utter astonishment when their hero went down for the first time ever."

In Octber 1986 Eubank was based in USA. He sparred with Graham for a week two and a half years later.

stevieb_8006 wrote:heaven forbid any1 say anything remotely negative about herol graham.


I dont think its that unbelievable that an ageing fighter was dumped on his arse by a young hungry banger in sparring at the tail end of his career.

Graham was hardly a "ageing fighter"..." dumped on his arse by a young hungry banger in sparring at the tail end of his career".

In late 1986 Herol Graham was the No 1 Middleweight contender , undefeated and in the absolute prime of his life 36-0 and about to add the european title to his british and commonweath ones. He had hardly been touched in the ring much less floored. So the story of a 4-0 novice fighting 4 rounders sparring Graham for ten rounds and flooring him twice is I suspect utter bullshit. Eubank was known for it much of his career until well into his Sm title reign

mugabi wrote:

stevieb_8006 wrote:heaven forbid any1 say anything remotely negative about herol graham.


I dont think its that unbelievable that an ageing fighter was dumped on his arse by a young hungry banger in sparring at the tail end of his career.

Graham was hardly a "ageing fighter"..." dumped on his arse by a young hungry banger in sparring at the tail end of his career".

In late 1986 Herol Graham was the No 1 Middleweight contender , undefeated and in the absolute prime of his life 36-0 and about to add the european title to his british and commonweath ones. He had hardly been touched in the ring much less floored. So the story of a 4-0 novice fighting 4 rounders sparring Graham for ten rounds and flooring him twice is I suspect utter bullshit. Eubank was known for it much of his career until well into his Sm title reign

mugabi wrote:

stevieb_8006 wrote:heaven forbid any1 say anything remotely negative about herol graham.


I dont think its that unbelievable that an ageing fighter was dumped on his arse by a young hungry banger in sparring at the tail end of his career.

Graham was hardly a "ageing fighter"..." dumped on his arse by a young hungry banger in sparring at the tail end of his career".

In late 1986 Herol Graham was the No 1 Middleweight contender , undefeated and in the absolute prime of his life 36-0 and about to add the european title to his british and commonweath ones. He had hardly been touched in the ring much less floored. So the story of a 4-0 novice fighting 4 rounders sparring Graham for ten rounds and flooring him twice is I suspect utter bullshit. Eubank was known for it much of his career until well into his Sm title reign

but shit does happen. didnt selby floor gamboa the other week sparring? wasnt there talk of bellew dropping the granite chinned froch? Thats far more shocking than eubank flooring herol. its not impossible.

The Law wrote:I've always been of the opinion that whatever happens in sparring should stay in sparring. It's never cool when a boxer talks about it publicly (especially in regards to knockdowns).

Totally agree

Just before the Herol/Julian Jackson fight on the Probox version with David Brenner Eubank is asked if he dropped Graham in sparring once & Chris says 'In the 1st round, yea...and I didnt put him on his bottom, I put on his back, thats how hard I hit him!'

also in this vid Graham confirms it was in 86- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0J2lNPGjok 'before I fought Mark Kaylor'