25 years ago: Eubank vs Benn 2

All fair points, to be honest. You're probably correct in saying that politics was more of a reason for these fights not happening instead of boxers ducking etc., but even 20-odd years later it still annoys me that, for one reason or another, we didn't get to see these fights. Then again, it does make for interesting debates on forums like these.

Edit to say: Great point re: Kalambay. I totally forgot all about him. He was a terrific fighter and deserves to be placed up there with all the others previously mentioned.

 

I listed all of the early 90’s MW’s in a thread a few days ago.

It’s unbelievable how strong the division was. But like you’ve noted, most of the guys missed each other. It’s a crying shame. By the time that Hopkins had picked up the belt in 1995, the division was unrecognisable from what it had been in the first 2 years of the decade. Most of the guys had either moved up or retired.

 

I was there. A truly awful stadium for boxing! And from the nosebleed seats it seemed an epic, and a Benn win.

Watching it on TV a couple days later, it was OK, not a notch on fight one, and a draw seemed a fair result. It was a fight that needed the atmosphere, because if it were staged in one of them dreary dinner shows that they had in the 70s and 80s, it would have been quickly forgotten.

 

@PhillyPhan69 The two books are No Middle Ground : Eubank Benn Watson and the last golden era of British Boxing The Hate Game : Benn Eubank and boxings bitterest rivalry. Two must have books if your a fan of the fighters and the times. The autobiographies of all 3 are excellent also.

 

That kind of leads back to the initial thread---all those guys fought each other in the
UK. And had rematches.

In America, what big 168 matches did we get back then? Toney--Jones? What else? Maybe Liles/Little but that was more of a good match as opposed to a must see bout. It sure wasn't highly anticipated. Enjoyable, for sure. I see no reason we should have been subjected to the numerous mismatches we got instead, from the networks.

 

Toney-Little

Nunn-Liles

I see your point.

Those Brit matches were easier to make though, and most of them warranted rematches.

 

Benn won