BoxRec

Chris Eubank Sr on why/how he beat Nigel Benn and Michael Watson



Misunderstood was one word to describe Chris Eubank in his early prime days. Mistakenly thought of as obscenely arrogant, Eubank was merely proud and focussed, and his body language reflected this in the ring.

Eubank tells me about his tough boxing upbringing and how this helped him overcome top-class British rivals Nigel Benn and Michael Watson in the early nineties.


'To an extent, I mean, I have to say, from my viewpoint, Michael and Nigel had been pampered fighters - pampered. They had extremely wealthy and immensely powerful managers behind them in Mickey Duff and allegedly, respectively, as well as Bob Arum in America. I had nothing, I just had myself. I had been turned down by the Top Rank, then turned by Duff, (and) turned down by Warren.

'I mean, I remember taking on a fight for Duff - who didn't like my independant attitude towards the business - on just a few hours notice because I needed the money, and the opponent had 10-12lbs weight on me. I got £500, and Michael Watson, who's fight was the one after mine that night, was paid £5,000 for his fight. That £500 lasted me six months because I couldn't get another fight.

'I knew I had been in with far better fighters than either Michael or Benn had - world-ranked middleweight destroyers like Alex Ramos and Richard Burton when they were live world-ranked middleweights. I mean, I fought Simon Collins and Anthony Logan in the space of eight days; Simon Collins having had a 1-2-round shootout with Watson and Anthony Logan having had a 1-2-round shootout with Benn; I controlled these opponents and cleanly out-classed them, and I was a 10-11-fight novice. I did so because I was a mature adult.

'Listen, I was ringside at the Benn-Watson clash in Finsbury Park when there were 9,000 spectators crammed into this tent contraption. Benn arrived in his Porsche, I recall seeing him in the car park mobbed by fans. It was like a Rocky scene. Five days later, I fought in front of 90 people in York Hall before catching the train back to Brighton to go back to my bedsit and sofabed.

'The point of fact is this: the harder you come up, the harder you become. I beat Benn and I beat Watson because I was harder than them, not because I was more gifted or more naturally talented, or because I had the fanfare and the pampering. For Watson the first time, I lost 19lb in four days, fought the same day as the weigh-in and entered the ring covered in his fans spit.

'In those overdue middleweight clashes I was only troubled by Benn's punching power and by Watson's defensive guard, I always knew I could maneveur around them and beat them with tighter shots; because while they were soaking up the attention on the way up, I was in the gymnasium chipping away at perfecting my craft - moving, punching. When you live a life of zero substances and zero socializing, you have a clear mind and you know your own skillset.

'Yes, I went on to make a lot of money through the business of boxing - tens of millions of pounds, in fact - but I earned it, and enjoyed it.'


Fascinating words from a fascinating man who demands respect for his achievements in the hard world of boxing.

He's an interesting and admirable charactor in a lot of ways Eubank. Fascinating to hear him talk.

My personal favourite story about Eubank came from Barry Hearn.

Hearn described how when Eubank was walking to the ring for the Rocchigiani fight in Berlin in 1994 he was getting an absolute tirade of racist and other abuse from the German crowd and fans were spitting at him and trying to punch him etc. Hearn said he felt genuinely concerned for Eubank's and his own safety as they walked to the ring.

When Eubank got to the ring he stood on the ring apron posing as he usually does antagonising the crowd who by this stage were going nuts with rage.

Hearn says to Eubank "what the hell do you think you're doing, you're gonna get us killed".

Eubank's response: "I'm just savouring the hate Barry, isn't it wonderful?!"

Legend

I remember that - brilliant. Before jumping over the ropes he just stood on the ring apron posing for ages whilst the crowd were going nuts.

Did Eubank enter the ring wearing some weird Herr Flick style black leather trench coat or did I dream that ? ......

The article was very interesting. I was wondering, at what point was Eubank picked up by Matchroom ? From his background I am assuming that he did not have a big fan base to sell tickets to and this was built up over time with promotion.

I wonder if this could happen today ? - there seems to be closed shop. From the very beginning, boxers seem to be categorised as being either the chosen few by a couple of big promoters, good ticket sellers are given opportunities, otherwise they are destined for life as a journeyman (or having limited fights).

I think his first Matchroom fight was Les Wisinewski in Essex and he was top of the bill with some local fighters on the undercard along with Herbie Hide.

The journeymen in question mostly accept their role, turn up happy to accept having given a decent fight, and don't put lots of effort into becoming really good fighters. Eubank was evidently happy to put that work in despite not having a big promoter behind him; sounds as though he was living like a monk and training his arse off. That can get you put in the "who needs him" club, but if you're good enough and patient enough, you can find your way.

SteveDow wrote:He's an interesting and admirable charactor in a lot of ways Eubank. Fascinating to hear him talk.

My personal favourite story about Eubank came from Barry Hearn.

Hearn described how when Eubank was walking to the ring for the Rocchigiani fight in Berlin in 1994 he was getting an absolute tirade of racist and other abuse from the German crowd and fans were spitting at him and trying to punch him etc. Hearn said he felt genuinely concerned for Eubank's and his own safety as they walked to the ring.

When Eubank got to the ring he stood on the ring apron posing as he usually does antagonising the crowd who by this stage were going nuts with rage.

Hearn says to Eubank "what the hell do you think you're doing, you're gonna get us killed".

Eubank's response: "I'm just savouring the hate Barry, isn't it wonderful?!"

Legend

I think that story is just BS from Hearn or Eubanks. The German crowds even in the early 90s were the most hospitable boxing crowd i doubt racism came into it.

I think that Eubank does a good trade in spinning a yarn after the event. I think he looks at things from the "man outside" perspective and then conjours up a story or an opinion that fits the frame. He makes out that Benn and Watson were somehow more casual in their training regimes and approachs to fights, that somehow having a Porsche will make a fighter less likely to succeed. From what i can recolect, Benn was a world champion for a few years and fought some tough fighters, as was the case with Watson untill his tragic fight with Eubank. I think Eubank is talking bull and the reason why he beat Benn and Watson was because he was a very good fighter who had a style that they couldn't quite deal with, as was the case with many of his opponents. It may be true to say that both Watsom and Benn could have under-estimated Eubank, but him beating them had little to do with living in a bedsit on 50 pence a week, whilst they generated more money.

Wow...Eubank talks the biggest load of crap I have ever listened to.

The irony is that this guy got numerous gift decisions due to the fact he was a 'visible' WBO champ who the organisation needed more than the likes of Close or Watson.

Fair play, the Rocky result was justified and deserved as well!

Quixall wrote:I think that Eubank does a good trade in spinning a yarn after the event. I think he looks at things from the "man outside" perspective and then conjours up a story or an opinion that fits the frame. He makes out that Benn and Watson were somehow more casual in their training regimes and approachs to fights, that somehow having a Porsche will make a fighter less likely to succeed. From what i can recolect, Benn was a world champion for a few years and fought some tough fighters, as was the case with Watson untill his tragic fight with Eubank. I think Eubank is talking bull and the reason why he beat Benn and Watson was because he was a very good fighter who had a style that they couldn't quite deal with, as was the case with many of his opponents. It may be true to say that both Watsom and Benn could have under-estimated Eubank, but him beating them had little to do with living in a bedsit on 50 pence a week, whilst they generated more money.

Spot on . How was Benn pampered? He grew up in a house of 9-10 boys and got beaten up almost daily, he had seen campaigns in Northern Ireland in an army that was not averse to racist rants at the time, he had a ferocity about his training that his whole career was testamount to.

And as for Watson the man was possessed its highly likely we did not see anywhere near the best of Watson as surely like Benn he would have had his peak years 1992-96.

mugabi wrote:

Quixall wrote:I think that Eubank does a good trade in spinning a yarn after the event. I think he looks at things from the "man outside" perspective and then conjours up a story or an opinion that fits the frame. He makes out that Benn and Watson were somehow more casual in their training regimes and approachs to fights, that somehow having a Porsche will make a fighter less likely to succeed. From what i can recolect, Benn was a world champion for a few years and fought some tough fighters, as was the case with Watson untill his tragic fight with Eubank. I think Eubank is talking bull and the reason why he beat Benn and Watson was because he was a very good fighter who had a style that they couldn't quite deal with, as was the case with many of his opponents. It may be true to say that both Watsom and Benn could have under-estimated Eubank, but him beating them had little to do with living in a bedsit on 50 pence a week, whilst they generated more money.

Spot on . How was Benn pampered? He grew up in a house of 9-10 boys and got beaten up almost daily, he had seen campaigns in Northern Ireland in an army that was not averse to racist rants at the time, he had a ferocity about his training that his whole career was testamount to.

And as for Watson the man was possessed its highly likely we did not see anywhere near the best of Watson as surely like Benn he would have had his peak years 1992-96.

True,

Out of all of them, Watson had the greatest talent. Watson was beating Eubank until that fateful punch. As you say, Benn's early life could hardly be described as pampered !! If Eubank would have faced Roy Jones, he would have lost and at that time Roy could have bought and sold Eubank 10 times over. Herol Graham toyed with him in the Ingle gym and Graham wasn't living the high life. I think what niggles Eubank is that Benn is more popular with boxing fans. Everytime Ben got in the ring it was dynamite, he brought that excitement to boxing which fans love. Eubank is only remembered for those triology of fights with Benn and Watson. I think it niggles him and he likes to think that he is a "superior" person in many respects and he can't understand why others don't see the same traits as he does.

lol tent contraption Love Eubank

Pathetic comments

To be fair, Herol could toy with anyone. Prime for prime, he'd have set even Jones a puzzle. He'd have lost, but he would have been something Jones had never faced before.

Eubank actually knocked Herol out in sparring in about 60 seconds, and this was in '86 (just before the Graham-Kaylor fight).

coghaugen11 wrote:Eubank actually knocked Herol out in sparring in about 60 seconds, and this was in '86 (just before the Graham-Kaylor fight).

Tyson was put down by James Tillis in sparring.............What is your point ?

I used Herol Graham to make my point that beating someone in the ring isn't down to how much money someone earns or what their lifestyle is, which is the main premace of what Eubank was saying in this article. You seem to imply that i was saying that Graham was the better fighter.

Nice interview, I like hearing Chris's perspective.

Eubank got me into boxing.

Back in the halcyon days when we had TV coverage on ITV and BBC I remember seeing an interview with Eubank on World of Sport before the Benn fight when, to me, Chris was an unknown. I was just captivated by the slow, measured, articulate but supremely confident talk. Eubank is obviously one of those love him or hate him types...I was firmly in the former category. Still am, despite some of his OTT fashion antics over the years (!)
He was still in irrepressible form on Ringside a few weeks ago.
The tragic Watson fight remains one of the best domestic battles ever where the fight action has been (rightly) overshadowed by the tragic events at its conclusion.

Eubanks like me. Every year that passes, the better I once was.

Nigel Benn got beaten up almost daily? Was this mentioned in his book ?

Yes it was mentioned in his book. Most times the fights were over food or who got to eat the Mcvities homewheat

Eubank in his book says he was beaten up almost daily in the street, and that there wasn't even any food to fight for in his homes.

I first met Chris when he came up to the Lonsdale gym where I was training, I was filming Roddouglas training, and they got sparring, its up on youtube!!! had many nights chatting with Chris on the road in the early days