nowboxing.com/2013/09/a-look-back-at-british-great-chris-eubank/33618/ By Nonito Perez It was 1983 and I was due to work a corner at the Empire State Games in Syracuse, and watching the novice-class of the 147 LB. division, there was this wild Brit fighting out of the Jerome Boxing Club in the Bronx. He did progress and become an NY champion but never was the receiver of any best boxer awards, though he was always fun to be around. He apparently went back home to continue what we thought was to be a limited career. Of course he grew up to be Chris Eubank, who I can tell you had plenty of fans in the Big Apple! Seeing recent interviews with Chris on this site, it has inspired me to give my memories on the U.K legend. Perhaps the funniest memory being at Bowling Green in Financial District, Manhattan NY when he did a one-armed jump over a barrier to get on to the subway train. The strap of his rucksack got caught on the barrier and he was pulled flat on his back, much to the amusement of onlookers! Chris was a kid I got to know on a first-name basis at least. He stood out like a sore thumb. While all his contempories were wearing basketball tops and baseball caps and talking street language, Chris was as well-groomed as a Manhattan banker and spoke like James Bond, which alienated people. Who IS that guy!?, people would murmur as he stiffened up with his shoulders back. I watched many a sparring session of Chris at the Jerome Boxing Club, recalling him working with the likes of notorious gym destroyers like Johnny Walker Banks and the Burton brothers (Richard and Robert who can be seen either side of Mike Tyson during his put your mother in a straitjacket rant following the Lewis-Tyson press brawl), amateur stars Kevin Bryant, Rey Rivera and Bradley Austin, future World champion Vince Phillips, and later shortly before his disappearing act useful southpaw Bertram Buchanan. He rarely held his own. Adonis, the guy who ran that gym, said Chris would be there morning, noon and night, more than anyone else in his 40-something years running the gym. What I remember about Chris was that he had talent in his hands and feet, but was too much of an arm puncher and seemingly too rigid to make it as a Pro contender. He was limited. What got him through mean spars was chin, heart and aggression: he could let his hands go and wouldnt budge. A Limey wasnt supposed to be this tough! Fast forward to 1991, I was now living in Ontario, Canada and young local hopeful Dan Sherry had a W.B.O title fight coming up in England. I tuned in to TSN, missing the start of the fight, and friends said, Whos that gummy guy walking around like robocop!? After a double-take, low and behold, it was Chris Eubank! Now a World champion, filling arenas in Europe and showing more patience and pounce from his lower stance and slicker style. He could also punch now very well, to say the least. Sherry was disposed of after some Shananigans and Eubank was soon a regular fixture on the Prime Sports Network as well, disposing of such foes as Lindell Holmes, Tony Thornton, Ron Essett, Nigel Benn, Michael Watson, Thulani Malinga and others in impressive fashion; all either (or multiple) World, U.S, North American or British Commonwealth champions, both before and after. Some resume! Thanks to YouTube, us Yanks can appreciate the personality and character that Chris grew into on the celebrity circuit in England, where he apparently amassed 17,000,000 million viewers for his drawn return match with Nigel Benn! A W.B.O holder from 1990 to 1995, it was not until his 20th World title that he first tasted pro career defeat. Having turned pro in 1985, that is one hell of an astonishing record! I believe he made the W.B.O belt as the likes of Naseem Hamed, Oscar de la Hoya, Marco Antonio Barrera, Dariusz Michalczewski and Joe Calzaghe went on to hold the belt after Eubank brought attention to it due to his longevity and star profile overseas. Always a one-off who stood out from the crowd, he was also the fighter who started extravagant ring entrances, with the likes of Naseem Hamed, Roy Jones, Floyd Mayweather and Ricky Hatton following suit. I will never forget Chris Eubank. September 28, 2013
Eubank learned his trade the hard way, that's why beyond all the brashness and stunts he put on.. he was one tough ****er.
exactly people mug him off for all his antics but lets remember Eubank was one hard man and was in some spectacular wars
eubanks chin is probably the best ive seen in british boxing for the last 15 years , i include froch in this , imagine froch going in with a cruiser now ? eubank was crazy tough !
I was watching an old clip today from Buncey's show where Eubank advices David Price and Adam Booth on not letting fame and money take away your hunger as a fighter. This shows the mindset he has as a fighter. It's also interesting to see what he says about Degale: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PydXSPyUvvE I suggest watching from 05:30 onwards
Going off on a tangent, why did price split with Booth. In hindsight it doesn't look like a great decision.
I think when Setanta went bust Haymaker Promotions had no other TV deal so there boxers gradually left.
that was a great read, cheers for sharing-stories from within the ropes are a refreshing change-I propose a dedicated thread for this type of stuff
When Eubank is talking he has all the gestures and posture of a man who is about to say something very profound but when he actually speaks he never has anything to say. He never makes a point. He is one seriously weird man. Just imagine being his son, it must have been a nightmare.
Thanks for sharing. His autobiography is a great read for those that havent read it, get it off amazon for a couple of quid
Agree with this. I always find it myself cringing when he is interviewed as he can never quite get the point across. The way he speaks doesn't flow well and isn't suited for TV. As you say, it's as if he's building up to make a great point but never quite gets there. Quite often, the interviewer will get fed up waiting for him and moves onto the next question. I would like to read his auto-biography though. He's a very interesting character.
