I don't remember the exact circumstances but I doubt the fight didn't happen for that reason. It was probably just timing. Jones beat Toney in November 1994, I think. Benn signed to fight McClellan and they fought in early 1995. Jones fought Vinny Pazienza in mid 1995 by which time I doubt Benn was fully recovered from the war with McClellan. I guess they could have met in early 1995 instead of Benn and McClellan but it was only after the war with McClellan that people were really talking about it as a possibility. This is all from memory, so the chronology might be off but I think after Benn got back in the ring it was clear he wasn't the same fighter as before. But scared? Not Benn. He wasn't ducking anyone. Roy? Who knows.
Definitely. If he'd get in the ring with the G man he wouldn't think twice about tangling with Jones.
Benn at first wanted to fight Roy saying after one of his fights Gerald brought out the best in him because he scared him but that Roy would scare him even more and make him fight at an even higher level! The next post fight interview Benn had changed his mind saying if he and Roy fought someone would get hurt so he no longer wanted the fight and Eubank said the same thing in front of Roy a few yours ago on youtube in a get together of all the top super middles of the 90`s, either way neither man had the skills and speed of Roy but did seem reluctant to take risks.
Benn said he wanted to fight Roy because he was more scared of Jones than McClellan and that`s what Nigel said he thrived on, the fear brought out the best in him and he knew Roy was better than McClellan.
I think if a Benn /Jones fight had come off ,we'd have seen Nigel put on a great performance .The fear would have seen him pumped up and dangerous .But it More than likely would be his down fall to. He'd have gone back to his blasting mode, making Jones pick him off .The end result IMO would have seen Benn in front slightly but stopped against the rope's, a similar ending as Benn v eubank 1.
I remember that show. If anyone fancies watching it, it's called 'The Gloves Are Off: The Super Middleweights.'
Good stuff. I can understand why Benn changed his mind - I doubt he was scared about being hurt (although I wouldn't blame him if he was) but possibly because of what he had done to McClellan, he didn't want to do that again to another fighter. Maybe Ben was shot from the punishment he took against McClellan or maybe his heart just wasn't in it in the same way after that fight.
I really hate threads like this, that implies the very best of the best in the sport suffered from some kind of debilitating cowardice to stop the big fights from happening. Very disrespectful and flat out incorrect to boot. Do you have any clue about the kind of history and life Benn led before becoming a boxer? An intensely hard man, but I'm not particularly in the mood to contribute to speculative crap threads so, enjoy.
Fighters at his level don't duck fighters out of fear of retribution if he was that easily scared he would never have been a world champion
The proof is is in the post fight interview- when G-man is laying on the canvas fighting for his life. Benn called out RJJ. RJJ kept moving up in weight classes rather quickly. MW champ in 93 vacant. Only Jones can explain why he fought several fights for no titles in 93-94. SMW champ in 95. LHW champ by 96 Post Gman--yeah I can see Benn changing a bit...but not punkish. Takes a lion to beat the man (Gerald) that stopped RJJ from winning his 3rd GG title.
Benn feared no boxer. Don King is to blame. King had Benn and wanted Jones to sign a 3 fight deal. Roy wisely didn't agree and neither would back down. Benn was never the same after McCellan fight so that was it.
