Benn, Collins, Watson, Eubank, Calzaghe...rank them definitively explaining why.

No. They were poor performances and he wasn't up for them. Ron Essett fight as well - awful stuff. But atleast he was fighting... Calzaghe wasn't even fighting, he wasn't in the ring. The drastic weight-making after unmotivated training had a lot to do with Eubank's 10-20% of below-par showings. And the 2nd Benn fight where he was so stiff and slow to react.

No he didn't. Eubank comfortably out-classed him and still scraped most of the later rounds when his legs were completely gone.

It's not actually, he thought it was just a style thing.

Cut him some slack! Last time in the ring he nearly killed a man. His head was clearly elsewhere and he out-jabbed and out-boxed Sugarboy easily.

 

Nah, Nigel Benn was a dumb bomber early in his career who simply never had a plan B. At super-middle his power wasn't nearly the same but he used his boxing ability more. If Wharton was a middleweight and they fought in the 80s, Wharton would have won. Check the Sanderline Williams fight as an example of early Benn's lack of adaptability (as well as the Watson fight, obviously).

As for Eubank, I could easily argue that his prime was in 1995 - it was the only time (apart from in 1990 perhaps) where he put up 2 good performances in a row (Wharton/Collins I).

 

How the HELL did Eubank outclass Watson in the first fight, Watson clearly got the better of it. I'm goint to watch it again now and score it. And in Eubank's autobiography Eubank specifically stated that the Wharton fight was one of his best performances - there was no mention of styles although there should have been as Wharton was made for Eubank. I would like to know what excuse Eubank had for the second fight against Ray Close, if he was stupid enough not to bother training hard for that one considering the first fight, then I'll be even more harsh on him than I am usually.

I will cut Eubank slack for the Malinga fight - the second Watson fight did effect him in the immediate aftermath.

 

I thought Stretch/Watson I were v.v.good... Jarvis/Thornton/Giminez all in '92 v.v.good... Cronin/Corti/Benn all in '90... great punch-picking in all of those bouts esp Corti, Jarvis, later Wharton..terrific punch-picking displays..

 

I certainly agree that there is no way in hell that Collins should be last. You shouldn't use the Benn fights as a barometer of how good Collins was, however, Collins beats ANY version of Benn in my opinion, and beats Eubank 6/7 times out of 10.

 

He said in that book it was his best performance since the Rocchigiani fight earlier in the year.

 

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0IkUt1u9SM[/ame]

 

The Gary Stretch performance was horrible! He was being comfortably outboxed until his strength told against the natural 154lb and he found a big punch. And the Thorton fight was underwhelming in my opinion. The Ferreyra performance was better than I tend to give Eubank credit for.

 

Autobiography view (ie - considered) > Direct aftermath of a fight.

 

Calzaghe
Benn
Eubank
Watson
Collins

Watson was possibly better than all his rivals but didn't get the breaks and the achievement to justify ranking him higher unfortunately.

 

I'm going to make a point of finding that book in my room and proving myself right.

 

You'll remember he was stating he was going to stop RC on body shots in the early rounds.... he clearly wasn't his sharpest that night and judging by that statement hadn't trained too hard.

 

i disagree..sure benn was a better boxer at supermiddleweight, but at mw he was a far better FIGHTER....his fight against barkley could have gone either way...hell, so could hagler/hearns...it didnt though...mclelland was purported to be THE biggest puncher in the world, a monster of a man...and i think benns willingness to fight fighters like these is what, ultimately, sperated him from the pack....eubank most dangerous oponent was benn....benn would fight ANYONE.....even fighting domestic bangers cos he knew it would make good fights...cant take it away from eubanks though, he tamed the beast in an epic war, as did watson....would the more polished benn i imagine you are touting as the prime version, the thinking smw, have lost these fights...well, he beat eubank for me in the rematch....

i gained much more respect for eubank near the end of his career, i think he showed such class and substance in his losses to calzaghe and thompson, and tremendous fighting heart...