This is a firsthand account from legendary Boxing News editor Harry Mullan, who was ringside in Birmingham, England, on November 18, 1990, to witness the historic first clash between Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank. Thirty-five years before their sons would meet professionally, these two icons engaged in what Mullan describes as “the battle of wits and wills.” Here is his report…
Only Nigel Benn, Chris Eubank, and their accountants truly know if the rumoured million-pound payday was real or just tabloid hype. But whatever promoter Barry Hearn paid for their epic showdown in Birmingham that Sunday, it felt insufficient.
How can you quantify the pain, effort, and dedication these two men exchanged for nothing more significant than a piece of plastic symbolizing the WBO middleweight championship?
What is the price of a soul bared? Because that is precisely what Benn and Eubank did in the most thrilling contest I have ever watched in a British ring. Considering this list includes epic world title challenges like Howard Winstone`s and Barry McGuigan`s, or Leotis Martin`s classic heavyweight victory over Thad Spencer at the Albert Hall, that is high praise indeed.
This might even surprise those who only saw it on television. This was one of those nights where you absolutely had to BE ringside, close enough to feel the impact of every punch and immerse yourself in the intense battle of wills and strategy.
Television seemed to dilute the event. It failed to capture the palpable atmosphere surrounding the ring and the sense of vulnerability that hung over both fighters, leaving you convinced that at any second during the nine rounds (minus four seconds) it lasted, either man could be devastatingly knocked out.
Ultimately, just as I had predicted, Eubank held the decisive edge, grinding down the defending champion Benn to the point where Las Vegas referee Richard Steele stepped in at 2:55 of the ninth round of the scheduled 12.
To be precise, neither Eubank nor Benn had even proven themselves the best middleweights in the Southern Area yet; Londoner Michael Watson had already beaten Benn and was eager to face Eubank.
However, the championship belt became irrelevant in the end. They were simply fighting for victory, pure and simple, and I don`t believe I have ever seen two men possess a more intense desire to win. This was fueled by a mutual animosity that transcended typical pre-fight dislike, underscored by their vastly different styles and personalities.
We suspected the outcome would hinge more on unknown factors than their established records, and that proved true. Two major questions loomed: Could Eubank truly stand up to a relentless fighter, and could Benn rediscover the fighting spirit that vanished so suddenly against Watson?
The answer to both questions was an emphatic “yes.” Eubank was forced to push himself beyond anything he`d previously experienced, enduring pain and punishment far exceeding his first 24 fights. Benn, meanwhile, exited like a true warrior.
He lost the fight and his grip on a world title, but he reclaimed his pride and earned the respect of everyone – myself included – who had judged him too harshly for his near-surrender to Watson. He fought on, blinded in one eye, reaching a point of total exhaustion, with absolutely nothing left to give. Yet, he still refused to quit or fall, remaining defiantly on his feet at the finish.
Tragically, that is likely the only satisfaction he could take from this unforgettable night. His credibility as a world-class performer was severely damaged after being stopped inside the distance by both Watson and Eubank – both quality fighters, but neither ranking highly internationally. While someone so exciting will always attract offers, there is now likely to be a zero missing from the end of the cheque.
Today`s hero is tomorrow`s challenge. While fighters like Thomas Hearns and Frank Bruno were guided back after demoralizing defeats, I`m unsure if adviser Ambrose Mendy and his American partner Bob Arum can achieve the same for Benn.
Rumours suggested he might challenge IBF champion Michael Nunn, who was ringside at the packed National Exhibition Centre. For Benn`s sake, I hoped it wouldn`t happen. Nunn is precisely the wrong opponent for a brawler seeking rehabilitation; his sharp-shooting style would almost certainly dismantle Benn.
If he intends to continue – and he stated immediately after the fight on Sunday that he did – he will need to lower his expectations and rebuild his confidence against opponents less dangerous than Eubank or Nunn.
Sunday`s battle was won and lost as much in the mind as the body, hinging on the rock-solid resolve and unwavering concentration that drove Eubank to victory. He has always maintained that boxing is an internal exercise, and what Herol Graham terms “mind games” were central to his preparation and approach.
He appeared locked in a kind of trance as he stood for long minutes in his corner during the preliminaries, gloves pressed together, torso twisted in a body-builder`s pose, utterly motionless except for an occasional flex of the neck. It was an extraordinary spectacle, leaving Benn surely wondering exactly what he was facing.
The challenger emerged with a crab-like sideways shuffle at the opening bell, hoping to unsettle Benn with an unorthodox lead right. It didn`t work, and Eubank soon settled into a jab-and-move rhythm, occasionally landing rights and forcing Benn to miss with his sweeping hooks.
When they clinched, Benn lifted Eubank clear off the canvas and hoisted him onto his shoulder, as if demonstrating his physical dominance. However, the opening round belonged to Eubank, as did the interval: he strode around the ring for a full 15 seconds before trainer Ronnie Davies managed to get him back to the corner. This, no doubt, was all part of the mind games.
Early in the second, Eubank stood perfectly still, baiting Benn to lead – a tactic he used throughout the fight. When Benn missed, Eubank struck him with two downward, chopping rights.
Surprisingly, he backed away from Benn, only to then lean straight into a right hand that landed flush on his face. It was the first real test of his chin, and he passed it unfazed, immediately hitting back effectively enough to send Benn reeling into the ropes from a left and two rights in the final moments of the round.
Had there been another half-minute, the fight might have ended right there. But Benn – whose left eye was already reddening and starting to close – recovered brilliantly to take the third round. He ducked low to evade Eubank`s long punches and ripped in punishing body hooks with both hands. Eubank caught him with a stinging right uppercut, but finished the round with blood leaking from a cut on his left cheek.
Benn maintained his momentum to win the fourth on my scorecard as well. He was caught by a long right early on but covered up so effectively that Eubank couldn`t land another clean shot. A right to the head and left hook to the ribs visibly hurt Eubank, who didn`t respond when Benn leaned back against the ropes and invited him forward.
By now, however, Benn`s eye was almost completely closed, a severe handicap as Eubank stayed outside in the fifth and repeatedly landed jabs on his face. Eubank`s punches were incredibly accurate and precise, and although Benn continued swaying side to side, he struggled to make him miss often.
The psychological advantage was now clearly with Eubank, emphasized when he almost dismissively shouldered Benn away as he tried to move in from the ropes. Blood was visible on Eubank`s lower lip – we later learned he had cut the underside of his tongue – but he controlled the center of the ring, picking Benn off with jabs and right crosses. Then, dramatically, Benn dipped low and buried a left hand deep into Eubank`s groin.
Doubled over in agony, Eubank dropped to one knee before rising in obvious distress while referee Steele allowed him time to recover. Benn rushed in aggressively, but Eubank smartly retreated behind his jab and, in close quarters, trapped Benn`s gloves to prevent him from working.
He hadn`t fully shaken off the effect in the seventh, allowing Benn to dictate the pace with an often careless body attack. Eubank jabbed well, but Benn simply shook his head and laughed at the incoming punches. At one point, he trapped Eubank`s head in an armlock with his left arm and landed rights, then retreated to the ropes and covered up when Eubank advanced.
Another punch strayed low, and Eubank appealed to the referee, often a sign that a fighter is starting to lose heart.
That impression was reinforced in the eighth. A clubbing right behind the ear sent Eubank down early in the round, although it appeared more likely he had slipped on a wet patch. However, the referee ruled it a knockdown, forcing the indignant challenger to take the mandatory eight count.
Eubank steadied himself with a flurry of hooks, and then the pair entered one of their characteristic periods of watch-and-wait, standing across from each other trying to force the other into making a mistake. Benn finished the round strongly with a solid right and a left hook.
He was closing the points gap on my scorecard, but his left eye was now completely shut, and in the ninth round, Eubank exploited this fully.
Long rights and jabs landed easily on the impaired target. When Benn attempted to counter, they became tangled, ending with Eubank being dumped on the canvas.
And then, abruptly, it was over. Two rights sent Benn wobbling unsteadily into the ropes, and Eubank unleashed a barrage of punches as the champion desperately tried to roll and evade the danger. He briefly escaped, but Eubank was immediately back on him.
He hammered Benn back into a neutral corner, landing two-handed blows until the referee jumped between them, cradling Benn`s head as Eubank slumped to his knees in victory.
It was a perfectly timed stoppage, and Benn, who accepted defeat with grace and dignity, had no complaints afterward. Indeed, who could complain about any aspect of this truly unforgettable encounter?
Benn weighed 11st 5 1/4lbs, Eubank 11st 5 1/2lbs. The judges, all American, were Dalby Shirley, Bob Burrow, and John Stewart.
Oliver Croft