Only three fighters beat Robinson prior to his initial retirement. Of those, Turpin was the only one to do so without a significant weight advantage. After the loss to Turpin, Robinson won the middleweight title 4 times (all against Hall of Famers) and dominated the LHW champ for 2/3rds of their fight. Robinson was at his absolute peak as a weterweight during the 40s, but even so Turpin’s win over him is far and away the best middleweight win ever by a British fighter.
Eubank was very lucky in his two fights against Watson. I started a thread asking which fighter had the least luck against the same opponent in a series of fights. My choice is Watson in his fights with Eubank.
Honorable mention for Martin Murray. BJS had the potential to fill these boots but that is now unlikely to ever come to fruition. Interesting life story Randy Turpin with an ultimately tragic ending.
I thought Eubank thoroughly outboxed Watson at Earls Court for the middleweight title. And there's nothing lucky about a timed, perfectly executed uppercut.
I'm with those saying either Turpin or Fitzsimmons. As good as Eubank, Benn and Watson were, I think Turpin was too awkward and compact for them to hang. Fitzsimmons may benefit from lore, but he did take on HWs and win so.....kinda have to think he had ungodly power. Having said that, CEJ is the goat so, gonna go for him.
Eubank thoroughly outboxed Watson in their first fight?? OK, I'll have to disagree with you on that one. As for the rematch I didn't say the uppercut was lucky. What was unlucky was that Watson caught his head against the rope when he went down. If that uppercut had landed and Watson hadn't caught his head on the ropes he would have won the fight as he had an unassailable lead and the uppercut wasn't a knockout punch. Instead he sustained an injury that led to the fight being stopped, his career being finished and permanent brain damage that almost killed him. All because of where he fell when he went down. THAT'S unlucky.
I think Eubank, Benn and Watson were good fighters but not world class. Incidentally, Eubank's prancing around the ring and throwing punches off-balance always irritated me and he benefitted from some dodgy decisions (the first fight with Watson and the rematch with Benn) I thought Watson was the best of the 3 and he came up short against Mike McCallum.
Well, OK but that's a pretty high bar you're setting! I'm not suggesting the three could and would have beaten everyone in the world (at MW at the time) but they could all hang at world level for sure. I mean, if someone had a slight off-day against an on fire Benn they were going home hurt. FWIW I think Turpin man-handles Benn and Watson but struggles a bit more with a pre-Watson II Eubank. Fitz is harder to judge across the eras but has the resume to make me a believer.
Documentary here for anyone interested in the Randy Turpin story. It's an old one but has some great footage and interviews. This content is protected