Right now, their two sons are ramping up the interest levels and the controversy, this as they get ready to fight their “Next Generation ” showdown: Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Junior.
But we older fans know that as exciting as the upcoming April fight between these two “boxing juniors’ may be, it will be nothing like when the two dads, Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank Snr. got it on.
These two middleweights/super-middleweights went to war twice, in November of 1990, and in October of 1993. Eubank, who had placed himself firmly under the skin of the at the time far more accomplished and well known Benn, scored first blood; Eubank stopping Benn in the ninth round of a great fight; Eubank battling through Benn’s venomous power, his tongue later requiring a number of stitches, so badly had a Benn punch come close to severing it.
Yes, Eubank, an odd, monocle-wearing character who was seemingly ill-placed as a fighter (Eubank almost admitted as much, controversially, as he said that boxing was “a mug’s game”) could fight. Benn knew it now, as did the British public.
But Benn, insisting he had not underestimated his irritating rival, but had instead “overestimated him,” wanted a rematch. So did the entire British nation. It had to happen. Finally, after a whole lot of stuff – Eubank’s tragic return fight with Michael Watson and the post-fight ramifications that really shook up the boxing world being the biggest story by far – the two men who appeared to genuinely hate each other met again.
The Eubank-Benn rematch, dubbed “Judgement Day,” took place before 43,000 fans at Old Trafford in Manchester. Benn, the reigning and defending WBC super-middleweight champion, went to war with Eubank, who held the WBO belt. It was a far different fight from the first battle the two had, with both men boxing, using patience, and being smart this time around. In fact, aside from a thrilling final round, this rematch could have been described as a pretty dull affair.
The hype was of course massive, as was the controversy surrounding the decision – it was a draw, with both men keeping hold of their respective titles but ultimately proving nothing as far as who was the better man, the better fighter.
And so it would remain…..
Benn and Eubank exited the ring as equals over 30 years ago, there never being a third fight! If ever a boxing rivalry cried out, indeed begged for another instalment, it was this one. But no, we got no third fight. Instead, Eubank and Benn, who later settled their differences out of the ring and (sort of) became friends, left it at 1-0-1.
And now we fans are going to yet get to see Benn Jr and Eubank Jr get it on in what could even be called a fight with almost as much hype and attention attached to it as the two battles their dads gave us back in the day.
Nostalgia sells, too. Benn v Eubank “The Next Generation ” will be big. Just don’t go expecting to see anything as special as either of the two intense fights the two fathers gave us.
