Top 5 British and Irish super middleweights of all time?

In no particular order

Benn
Collins
Froch
Calzaghe
Eubank

Have to give a mention to Michael Watson, I'm sure he will be in lists because he was truly talented but he only had one fight at SMW and that ended in tragedy.

 

Calzaghe
Collins
Eubank
Benn
Watson

The definitive version.

 

Bump.

 

Jesus. What a thread...having degale in a top 10 hasn’t aged well.

Calzaghe an obvious number 1. Beyond that it is tricky as there are a number of close fighters...

1. Calzaghe
2. Eubank
3. Collins
4. Benn
5. Froch

 

1. Joe Calzaghe
2. Nigel Benn
3. Carl Froch
4. Steve Collins
5. Chris Eubank

 

Some people having Eubank & Benn above Steve Collins is just bizzare to me, seeing as Collins kicked their asses twice each. Collins took Eubanks undefeated record when he was in his absolute prime.

 

1 Joe Calzaghe
2 Carl Froch
3 Steve Collins
4 Chris Eubank
5 Nigel Benn

Froch has the best resume though, and Benn was the most exciting to watch.

 

Eubank and Benn were the throwback greatest for their come-from-behind wins over Watson and McClellan in two of the most brutal fights ever.

Calzaghe was the best I guess because he never had to come from behind being battered like that, although did he fight that kind of mid-20s killer opposition? No because there wasn't anyway... He got off the floor to beat Mitchell, Hopkins and Jones but never stayed in hospital after a win or pissed or shat blood.

Collins and Froch were tough like Calzaghe, too. But Joe threw a half-dozen or dozen to their clumsy one or two, you know!?

 

Greatest?

1- Eubank
2- Benn
3- Calzaghe
4- Collins
5- Froch


Best?

1- Calzaghe
2- Eubank
3- Benn
4- Collins
5- Froch


The Collins from their rematch would've always beaten Eubank, as would the Benn from their rematch. Collins didn't let him get set for a second and Benn didn't stop moving his head or body for a second. You had to be extraordinary against Eubank, you couldn't just stand with him or he was something else.

I do think a 92-93 Eubank can stop an 02-03 Calzaghe though if he wished, and think he was literally robbed against a counterpunching Collins in their first fight (knockdown for Collins counted that was less clear a KD than the one not counted early on for Eubank).

Calzaghe was maybe too big and strong for Benn to knockout and too sharp for a big 30+ Collins. I like Benn to take Froch out, Eubank to slip Carl's jabs, move laterally and counter, and Collins to land more v Froch coming in with the sneak right hand he had. Froch was great, though - he actually has a shot at pulling Joe onto a long right uppercut and decking him, and then what, war if pre-05 Joe.

 

TBF, prime Collins beat a shell of Nigel Benn

 

That's being kind. After the McClellan fight he had that shadow on the brain on x-rays, which caused his balance to go to **** - he was falling over himself when throwing shots. Look how awful he looks against Nardiello.

Also, Collins doesn't win that first Eubank fight with a better referee. He probably didn't anyway, regardless of the incorrect six-point swing in his favour from counted/discounted kd's (all three judges gave R2 to SC, the round Eubank knocked him down but wasn't counted, and in R8 Eubank wins the round barring the dodgy KD against him so all three judges scored it 10-8 SC). We wouldn't of heard from Steve Collins again, he'd of retired I'm sure.

 

Steve Collins beat your boy Eubank fair and square, he got his tactics spot on and really got under Eubanks skin. And he beat him again in the rematch. You really need to deal with those losses and stop making pathetic excuses. And deal with the fact Collins was too good for Eubank

 

1. Calzaghe
2. Froch
3. Collins
4. Eubank Snr
5. Benn

Calzaghe was some way ahead of the rest of them, prime versions of the other 4 could beat each other, Calzaghe would have made a fool of Collins had it gone ahead, he was just technically and physically above him. All 5 had great careers though, mad to think that they were all within a 20 odd year period.

 

Even if you were to do a top 20 it would be a strong list

Michael Watson, Robin Reid, Henry Wharton, Herol Graham, Ray Close, Callum Smith, George Groves, James Degale, Billy Joe Saunders, Richie Woodhall, Glenn Catley, Martin Murray, John Ryder, Mark Kaylor, James Cook, Brian Magee

 

Forgive me lads because it was before my time. Collins beat Benn and Eubank twice apiece. How can he rank below them?