It is arguable that the super middleweight division ranks as the most exciting and talent-rich weight division the British boxing scene saw in the 1990s and the 2000s.
During the two decades, the weight class saw so much British talent, all facing each another over a relatively short period of time – with UK greats such as Nigel Benn, Chris Eubank, Michael Watson, Steve Collins, and others engaging in some superb fights in the 1990s, and with warriors like Joe Calzaghe, Carl Froch, Robin Reid, George Groves and others giving us so much excitement in the 1990s and 2000s.
And the above-listed fighters each made an even bigger name for themselves by beating fine fighters from around the world. Of these warriors, it could be said that Benn holds the most impressive resume; Benn having beaten the likes of Gerald McClellan, Iran Barkley, Doug DeWitt and other US stars.
And then we look at the British 168 pound fights that are confined to Dream Fight status, such as Benn against Joe Calzaghe, Benn against Carl Froch, Froch against Calzaghe, and others. Recently, Froch spoke about how he feels he would have beaten Benn. Benn has responded and, in speaking with Fruity Slots, the 60 year old “Dark Destroyer” spoke of how Froch had a tough time with Mikkel Kessler, a fighter he says “was no Iran Barkley, was no Doug DeWitt, was no Chris Eubank, was no Gerald McClellan.”
“Carl Froch said ‘he’d beat me and he’d do this,’ that’s his opinion, you can’t knock a man for his own opinion,” Benn said. “He had a tough fight against [Mikkel] Kessler, but Kessler was no Iran Barkley, he was no Doug DeWitt, he was no Chris Eubank or Gerald McClellan, I can go on. But I’m not knocking him, he had a good chin, he fought Jermain Taylor and just pulled it out the bag, he was about to lose that, I’m not knocking him, he was three time world champion, but I’d give it my all and I know if I catch him, that’s it mate. And if he catches me, who knows, we both had dynamite in our hands.”
While some fans may feel Benn is doing Danish warrior Kessler a disservice by saying he is “no Barkley,” and “no DeWitt,” it’s hard to say that both Eubank and McClellan do not deserve to be rated about Kessler. But that’s a debate for another time. What we can all agree on is the fact that Benn Vs. Froch would have been a great fight, a war that either man might have won. Both men enjoyed much success and both proved their toughness, heart, power, and desire – Benn in the 1990s, Froch in the 2000s. Who would have won prime for prime? Talk about a tough one! It is worth nothing, however, that Froch was never once stopped during his career, while Benn was stopped some four times.
But as far as an often debated Dream Fight between Froch and Calzaghe goes, Benn has no doubt who would win.
“He could have fought Joe Calzaghe but that never happened,” Benn said of Froch. “Joe would have won that 100 percent. He was the best super middleweight of all-time.”
Again, something to be debated. In fact two things – would Calzaghe really have beaten Froch “100 percent?” And is Calzaghe actually the best super middleweight of them all?
