As a survivor from the last Benn-Eubank dust-ups, prior to a sensational Saturday night (26 April) at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, north London, I feel I’m well placed to put it into context.
Firstly, the highest compliment I can give the enthralling twelve round middleweight non-championship fight is that “It was as good as any of their father’s previous two encounters”, of 1990 and 1993 respectively. I bore witness to the hype and intensity of those meetings first hand, on-site in an excellent seat for both. I was also close to what was happening behind the scenes.
Whilst Saturday may have lacked the drama and knockdowns of the 1990 Birmingham NEC fight and the controversy of the rematch at Old Trafford, it more than equalled in their theatre and intensity.
The near 65,000 in attendance and millions ‘stumping up’ again to watch on box office/pay-per-view/stream (or whatever you want to call it) were not disappointed with the quality on-show throughout the evening and in particular the climax between a super-middleweight/middleweight Chris Eubank Jnr. and a rising welterweight Conor Benn.
Both, the latest in the fistic bloodline (and almost dynasties) of their respective families. The former now 35 years old and the latter 28. None have yet become world champions, but after Saturday night are sure to challenge at some point for one of the splintered titles that are now available in this generation.
The venue was fitting for a match of this interest and hype. The soccer stadium being the most spectacular recently constructed in London and with state of the art facilities. The electricity in the air as dusk moved in was evident, even from my couch !
On this occasion, I decided that I would watch from the comfort of my living room as the evening unfolded. I elected to pay for that ‘privilege’ to what used to be available ‘free to air’. Those days I know are long gone !
After an excellent undercard brought together by The Ring magazine, Saudi investment, Matchroom and BOXXER promotions, among others, THE main event was imminent. The competitiveness of the so-called ‘Co-main event’ between Anthony Yarde and Lyndon Arthur in their trilogy fight at light-heavyweight set the tone.
It was an excellent match-up and, it delivered. On our card we thought Arthur just edged it by taking the last round, but the judges saw it the other way. Yarde being victorious. It was so enthralling, being more of a bludgeoning chess match than the actual main event, that a fourth match-up would be welcome. Both will move onto other challenges though we’re sure.
With the venue rocking as the two main eventers emerged from their dressing rooms and shown on the big screen the electricity was ramped up. As a domestic viewer hopes, you could feel it emanate from your television screen.
We knew Chris Eubank Snr. Would finally show up ……resplendent in his shin-length mock flying jacket/coat, with fur to spare ! He looked the same eccentric we had come to love three decades ago.
Nigel Benn was always going to turn up and backed his son throughout the weeks of build-up. Thankfully both seniors met and embraced each other on numerous occasions though the event.
The promoters and fighters did well to mimic and reminisce about the senior’s previous encounters with the ring entrances and fighting attire. I knew Conor would come out to the chimes of Big Ben and strains of ‘Dangerous’, ala his father. It took a while for the latter sounds to kick-in but, they came.
Eubank Jnr. Would inevitably come into Tina Turner’s anthem ‘Simply the Best’. Both son’s also donned copies of the shorts their father’s wore in the first 1990 fight. On conclusion of the twelve rounds, when the decision was given and Eubank Jnr. announced the winner he dropped to his knees like his father back in the NEC. That was full circle and absolute sporting theatre.
Both fighters gave it their all throughout in a real toe-to-toe contest. Skills were evidently shown and one area of my being surprisingly impressed was the strength of Benn’s chin. He took and withstood shot after shot from his adversary. This his father showed many years back too, but in the first fight eventually succumbed to Eubank Snrs. power.
If any fight warranted a rematch this, is it. The contest was excellent entertainment and both came out with the shields and heads held high. An immediate rematch has been mooted for September, but boxing politics is a fickle thing. We can only hope that, like their father’s, that hostilities are repeated. Only then will we know who truly is the better boxing family.
If it doesn’t materialize, then the family boxing pedigree and legacy of each is up there and has been one to behold.
Congratulations to all involved. Boxing is back in the mainstream.
The Undisputed 