Boxing
The British Super Middleweight chronicles

By Paul Concannon

Part 1: The Road to Calzaghe.

07.07 - September the 21st 1990, White hart Lane, London; the Super-Middleweight division is very much in it's infancy and barely a mirage on the global fistic landscape yet Englishmen Chris Eubank and Michael Watson are about to wage a brutal but ultimately tragic battle for the vacant WBO 12 stone title. Eubank would end the torrid affair in round twelve after rising from a stinging knockdown in the previous round. Watson, ahead on all three cards, will collapse into coma.

That horrific injury inflicted on the talented and gallant Islington fighter on that windy night at Tottenham would serve, understandably, to overshadowthe significance of the fight itself. Initially, if not for the gut-wrenching ending, the fight would surely have gone down in the annals of the British fight game as a classic. Watson had abandoned his usual smart-boxing style to attack Eubank with endless sharp clusters forcing the bigger punching Brighton man into the trenches. Eubank responded with heavy counters making for a wall to wall barn-burner of a fight. The eleventh round saw each man exhausted, rocked, hurt and floored. Secondly, it started a new chapter in British boxing, the era of the world class British 12 stoner. Since Eubank and Watson waged war in 1990, six 'local' men have won world titles at the weight with ten others challenging for the belts-no mean statistics.

Watson would go on to make an inspirational recovery, and he and Eubank are now friends with the previous bad blood left where it belongs. Indeed last year saw a touching footnote to the old rivalry when the two embraced and made up in an emotional BBC documentary that charted Watson's plight during the often dark hours of his recovery.

Our current star is Welsh Southpaw, Joe Calzaghe, widely regarded as the best in the World at the
poundage. Fittingly, he won his WBO version against Eubank In a 'changing of the guard' affair when Eubank, by then an ex-champion, was drafted in at late notice to contest the vacant title in 1997. The oft decried WBO belt is seen by some as the poorer relation in what has now become boxing's, 'big four' governing bodies, along with the IBF, WBC & WBA. Others view the worth of the respective governing bodies upon the principle that the man maketh the belt and Calzaghe has defended his title on ten occasions. The Calzaghe story is only the current chapter in over ten years of British excellence at 12 stone, and a little retrospective is called for in order to examine not only Joe's rise to stardom but, more broadly, a golden age of fine achievement for Britain and Ireland at 168 Lbs.

When the dust had settled on the Eubank-Watson bout the road to recuperation for Watson physically and Eubank mentally captured the hearts and minds of both fight fans and public alike. Carrying on his boxing career with the blessing and prayers of Josie Watson, Michael's devoted and wonderful mother, the Brighton man developed in to one of the most enigmatic sportsmen Britain would ever produce. He defended the title on no fewer than 15 occasions during the days when terrestrial TV aired most of the bouts live on Saturday night. Eubank was a complete enigma, struggling with men he was expected to destroy but rising to the occasion when faced with the best. His style was a curious mixture of power, skill, unorthodox movement and some downright sloppy moments including a bizarre overhand right which was slung rather in the manner of a cricketer bowling a ball! His opposition was often less than enthralling, and the fights were sometimes terrible but the showman in Eubank would ensure that even after his worst day the viewing public were always prepared to come back for more. The pouting, strutting ring entrances which including a jump over the top rope in order to enter the ring, and bizarre publicity stunts such as dressing in the manor of British aristocracy and arriving at press conferences in a huge American juggernaut made Eubank impossible to ignore. The man courted fame and oozed controversy. It is fair too say he was not always liked but seldom ignored. Ultimately the 'showbiz' aspect he brought to the sport made him good for boxing. The publicity he generated in the early and mid-nineties was overwhelming-his story however would not be complete without one other crucial aspect. He shared an outstanding and sometimes hate-filled rivalry with another modern British great, Nigel 'The Dark Destroyer' Benn. Eubank and Benn would prove as synonymous to British Boxing history as Morecambe and wise were to British comedy! Benn, an Ilford born ex-soldier, had good reason to dislike the man who had become christened 'simply the best.' Eubank had previously stopped him in the ninth round of a gripping skirmish some years previously, in the process taking away the WBO middleweight title Benn held at the time.

Prior to the fight Eubank had upset Benn with his personal taunts and derision of boxing, which he saw very much as a business and publicly dismissed as, 'a mug's game.' Benn loved boxing and his all action and sometimes shaky style made him every bit the equal of Eubank in terms of popularity. He was a fearsome puncher whose only defeats had come to Watson and Eubank in brilliant encounters. The Eubank defeat rankled with him and his campaign for a rematch saw him lift the WBC's portion, when cutting up and disheartening an Italian, Mauro Galvano, on his home soil of Rome; a tremendous result. Spurred on by taunting from the partisan crowd, Benn rocked the home-town hero early before cuts forced a retirement victory after 3 rounds.

Watching from Ringside was Eubank, who until that point had repudiated all talk of a rematch, alluding to the dreadful pain inflicted on him in the first fight, and the terrible injury he himself had inflicted on Watson in their second encounter. Inspired by Benn's performance and the lure of a big money purse, he gave into to his rival's demands, setting the stage for one of the most eagerly awaited sporting theatres in recent memory.

The Essex man, no 'mug' and a shrewd business man in his own right, decided it was his turn to keep Eubank waiting and set about defending his title, stopping British challengers Nicky Piper and Lou Gent in exciting fights and out-pointing Galvano in a somewhat dreary rematch in Scotland. Eubank kept busy with twopoints wins over veteran challengers Lindell Holmes and Juan Carlos Giminez and an unimpressive draw against Irishman Ray Close. Despite each mans continued success, it was becoming clear that for shear inspiration the two gladiators needed each other more than ever. The division was excellent at that point, and the other side of the Atlantic saw former middleweight Champions James Toney and Michael Nunn winning the division's IBF and WBA segments, with current modern great Roy Jones Jr looming on the horizon. All four champions had marquee value and were all former Middleweight Champions so unification looked a genuine and attractive possibility for the Benn-Eubank winner.

The fight finally took place at Old Trafford, Manchester in September of 93 and did not disappoint.
Benn, sturdier than the weight drained fighter of the first encounter, took it to his hated adversary from the opening bell. The battle was reminiscent of the initial encounter with each taking turns to gain the upper hand, with the fifth round seeing both men under intense pressure. Tempering his attack with a cunning defence and economical work rate it was Benn, who looked likelier to end matters early as he rattled the Iron chinned eccentric on several occasions. Surviving a frenzied twelfth round attack, most believed he had done enough to gain the win and the revenge he sought after so desperately. After what had felt like an ice age the cards were totted up and the bout was declared a draw and Benn was furious. In truth it had been close, and in any case the moral victory very much belonged with Benn; many scribes and pundits had predicted he would be stopped again. The main consequence of the drawn verdict was that the combatants were both still world champions. The 'winner' was to have fought ringsider Michael Nunn on a Don King promoted show but with no losers they remained free to defend their titles away from the sticky clutches of the controversial promoter. In a rare oversight, King a man usually known for his watertight shrewdness, had forgotten to contract an agreement for a draw.

In February of the following year Benn was matched with a Leeds left hooker, Henry Wharton, who had battled all the way to the WBC's mandatory position. It was an eagerly awaited fight between powerful punchers and fireworks were expected. Instead the fight was memorable for a near flawless performance from Benn who out-boxed and out-punched his less experienced foe for a clear points win. The bout displayed a versatile champion at the top of his game, and despite an early knockdown and late rally by Wharton the champion was a worthy winner. Next up was old Eubank foe Giminez; Benn outscored the Paraguayan shock absorber over twelve uneventful rounds more significant for a nasty brawl between rival supporters of Steve Foster and Robert McCracken who fought a tough 12 rounder on the under-card.

It was not long before the shadow of Don King once more loomed over Benn's career. Due to Frank Warrens links with the fuzzy haired promoter, Benn was matched with the frightening WBC Middleweight title holder, Gerald 'G-Man' McClellan in February of 1995. So dangerous was the King promoted American, most believed this could prove to be Nigel's swansong against a man who had stopped nearly all his opponents inside three rounds and shattered fellow bombers Julian Jackson and John Mugabi in one round each. Those were two of the hardest hitting middleweights ever and the fact McClellan was seen as an almost certain bet to dispose of a dangerous and experienced champion was a measure of his perceived menace at the time.

As expected McClellan went straight after the older champion and within seconds he had the shell shocked and now dred-locked Englishman through the ropes and terribly dazed. Benn barely survived an almighty pounding from the lanky Detroit challenger through the remainder of the round. Predictions of his capitulation now seemed glaringly appropriate. Amazingly, Benn blazed back in the second, rocking the American with a big left-hook right hand combination and pursuing him for the entire three minutes.

There would be no let-up. After nine rounds of frenzied excitement that saw the champion floored
again and each warrior rocked time after time, a battered and near broken Benn finally knocked out the shattered Detroit powerhouse in the tenth round, much to the dismay of ringsider King. The celebrations had scarcely begun when McClellan collapsed in his corner and it was quickly apparent that all was not well. In a chilling coincidence, the American, like Watson before him, was rushed to hospital with a blood clot on his brain. The arena fell into a stunned and morbid silence. There would be no fairy-tale ending. McClellan only just survived the surgery and the coma that followed. Mercifully, he lived, but to this day requires 24 hour care from his sister, Lisa. With the greater part of his sight and hearing gone forever and his thoughts a scrambled mixture of the past and present, the Gerald McClellan story still serves as a ghastly reminder of the darker side of boxing.

Benn too was brutalized by the punishment he received and endured an agonizing stay in hospital, his face a swollen visor of pain, and with severe jaw, rib and internal damage he urinated blood and had to be lifted into a bath so spent was his tormented body. In truth, the fight finished Benn as a top level fighter too, but there would be a few more chapters to write before the 'Dark Destroyers' near irresistible era came to a close.

Meanwhile, Eubank's own story continued. He would make a decent defence against an excellent former world champion, Graciano Rocchigiani, in Berlin. With home advantage, many thought the German may have the ability to pull off an upset, but the Champion had one of his better nights to outpoint the Southpaw in a good fight. At this stage, with rare exceptions, most of his defences were distance affairs. This was thought of as a knock-on effect of the Watson trauma, and that was probably a correct assumption; for all of his bluster 'The Brighton braggart' was sensitive, a family man, and deep thinker. It was at this point he embarked upon a deal with SKY to fight on a bi-monthly basis through 1994. He would defend his title six times before the end of that year. Some of the opponents at this point were forgettable; the likes of Dan Schommer, Mauricio Amaral and Ray Close would all fight him to the wire. Irishman Sam Storey was stopped during this period but the only real threat seemed to be old Benn victim, Henry Wharton. Rising to that challenge, Chris boxed brilliantly to thrash Henry for 12 one-sided rounds, perhaps more severely than Benn had done. Wharton's own part in the British 12 stone chronicles was not quite over however; more on him later.

***

Steve Collins was a hard man. The Dublin born box-fighter had learned his trade the hard way. He turned pro in 1986 in Boston USA with Pat and Goody Petronelli who had guided Marvin Hagler to Legendary status at Middleweight. Fighting and beating good men like Tony Thornton, Sam storey and Kevin Watts served him well in terms of genuine high level experience. Collins was proving to be a real throwback. His first world title tilt came at Middleweight against an outstanding Jamaican, Mike McCallum. He performed credibly to lose on points. The early nineties would witness further decision defeats to Reggie Johnson and Sumbu Kalambay in WBA and European title fights. To put those losses in perspective, McCallum would become a three weight world champion, Johnson a two weight world champion and Kalambay had been an outstanding former WBA champion and two time European champion.

By May of 1994 Collins was himself a world champion. Fighting in the UK now, he stopped Chris Pyatt in five rounds to win the WBO Middleweight title, a title he would never defend.

In March of 1995, Eubank needed an opponent for a Millstreet, Republic of Ireland, defence of his WBO crown. Collins who had desperately struggled to make the Middleweight limit seemed the perfect foil. The Irishman was tough, experienced, strong and a name opponent, but on the back of that superb win over Wharton, Eubank was confident he could add the 'Celtic Warrior' to his scalp list. Collins was thrilled with the chance to finally show a larger audience what hewas capable of. Vacating his own title, he stepped up to accept the challenge. There were pre-fight shenanigans in abundance. Collins's use of a hypno-therapist concerned the Brighton man, who said with less than appropriate tact that he could potentially kill the Dubliner. Eubank had been trying to point out that a hypnotised mind may not accept losing, to the extent that he may actually be forced to hurt Collins in order to keep him down. The comments were misconstrued but added to a tense build-up. The fight itself was an interesting and occasionally exciting affair. Collins recovered from a heavy knockdown to take a razor tight and controversial verdict, and with it the Brighton fighters undefeated record and title. After riding his luck in several close fights, Eubank had finally come unstuck in his 15th title defence against a man that was just a touch too busy. The Irish faithful were overwhelmed with the triumph, and a new era was beginning in the shape of the rough and ready Irishman.

Benn's comeback took place just five months after the McClellan tragedy amid fears that the mental impact of that war would affect his performance and more vitally how the physical impact would affect his health. The designated victim was Vincenzo Nardiello, a veteran Italian Southpaw with a reputation as something of a whinger. The man from Rome was a decent enough pro however, with the European title on his resume and a respectable challenge for WBA honours, losing in 11 rounds to a useful Panamanian Southpaw, Victor Cordoba, in a good fight. The psychological fears would prove unjustified as Benn stopped the Italian in the eighth round but the reservations about his material well-being were proved absolutely correct; Benn looked slow, easy to hit, and his own efforts were often depressingly out of range. The Italian swept the early rounds and even rocked Benn at one point. When Benn finally caught up, the challenger found himself on the canvas several times, but the counts smacked more of an unwilling challenger rather than a destructive champion, Nardiello even complaining on a few occasions that he had simply slipped while the referee counted over him. Either way Benn's performance was average enough to suggest his finer days were in the past. He did secure one last successful defence, stopping an American challenger named Danny Ray Perez, before finally losing the title to Sugar Boy Malinga, a hideously awkward South African who had been beaten by himself and Eubank previously. The fight was not pretty, and despite turning the clock back briefly when scoring a fifth round knockdown the Essex bomber was out-boxed, busted up and lost a wide points decision. He sensibly announced his retirement in a tearful farewell in the ring-a touching moment that saw him propose to his girlfriend.

Collins and Eubank renewed acquaintance in a September 1995 rematch in Cork in the Republic of Ireland. Despite the Irishman's home advantage, Eubank was confident he could turn the tables and in the interim he had notched a pair of one-round wins in non-title bouts. Another bitter build-up ensured a genuine grudge match. Eubank wanted his title back, and saw the Collins defeat as simply a blip in his long running title reign. It was the Dubliner who fought like the challenger however, out-hustling and jostling the former champion throughout the twelve rounds. Eubank delivered the higher quality but less frequent punches, nevertheless the non-stop attack of the Dubliner gave him the edge on the judge's cards. Collins walked away with the split decision and he had now completed the double over the devastated Eubank. The Eubank championship era had ended.

Collins defended his title with a points win over Englishman Cornelius Carr in November of the same
year, and then an eleventh round thumping of brave but outclassed British Middleweight Champion, Neville Brown, in March of 96. These wins over decent but unspectacular domestic level types were little more than nice little earners for Collins. He wanted to stamp his authority over the highest domestic 12 stone class and he tempted Nigel Benn out of retirement for one more try. Those who had studied the Ilford mans steady decline since the McClellan battle knew this was a bad move against an in form and durable champion. Benn had beaten sluggers in the vein of Iran Barkley, Doug Dewitt, Lou Gent and Henry Wharton with consummate ease in his hey-day, and would have been favoured to do the same to Collins had they met just a few years earlier. This however was a washed-up but still brave ex-champion and Collins put a punctuation mark on the old Champions career by scoring a pair of retirement victories. Benn was semi-competitive in the first fight until being ruled out with an ankle injury, but sadly was there in name only when being pulled out after six rounds in a needless rematch. This time he had the good sense to retire for good.

Benn finished with a record of 42-5-1 (35). He won his two world titles away from home (In America and Italy) and had the proud boast of never having been beaten by an American fighter. He continues to rank amongst the greatest and bravest fighters in history and his part in the Super-Middle chronicles is complete.

Collins, to his credit, did his ob in a professional manner and had now beaten Eubank and Benn twice. Eubank had been beaten at the tail end of a long and often gruelling title reign and in truth was probably on the wrong side of the hill when Collins caught up with him, while Benn was clearly what the trade harshly dubs a 'shot' fighter when taking on Collins. Eubank and Benn were now ex-champions whose names were inextricably linked by the great rivalry they shared with each other, Watson, Collins, and the heartbreaking coincidence of each having hospitalising and nearly killed one of their opponents. He would make two more defences against foreign journeymen in Fredric Sellier of France who he stopped on cuts in five rounds and a Pittsburgh fire-fighter, Craig Cummings. The visitor floored Collins before being overcome in the third round and this trip was enough to convince Collins to retire just prior to an October 1997 defence against the undefeated Joe Calzaghe. He was a rough edged diamond in a sport sometimes awash with hype and unrewarded potential and though his late career success may have come with a small measure of good timing few could resent the blue collar warrior his late career success. He earned every bit of it. Collins finished with an overall record of 34-3 (21) and two world titles to his acclaim.

***

It seemed Calzaghe, a former amateur star, had been left without an opponent and the furious Welshman dubbed Collins 'The Celtic Worrier' when seemingly being left in the lurch by his opponent's sudden decision to walk away from the sport. Conversely help was at hand in the shape of a former champion who had been due to make an appearance further down the bill. Eubank was drafted in as a last minute replacement against the heavily hyped but untested Newbridge man, and such was the Eubank mystique some writers installed him as the favourite in what was now a vacant WBO title clash.

Calzaghe was already the British Champion. He was fast, heavy-handed and a Southpaw. He had demolished all but one of his opponents inside the distance-he was viewed as a champion in waiting. The bout was equally as fascinating as the Collins fight had looked, and proved to be every bit as exciting as was hoped. The younger and fresher Welshman made his mark within seconds by sending Eubank flying across the ring with a brutal left cross. Seeing the iron jawed old champion on the deck was a rarity indeed and the talented Welsh-Italian set about Eubank for the remainder of the round. There would be no let up. Using an intense, high energy and accurate attack the Welsh-Italian pounded the Brighton man for round after round. Fighting desperately and with amazing depths of courage, Eubank covered himself in glory by lashing back at his tormentor with huge single punches, in the process testing his co-challengers own will, chin and resolve. Eubank touched down again late on but had a great moment in the dieing seconds of the final round when a savage left hook right hand combination had Calzaghe out on his feet for a moment. In true British Super-Middleweight tradition, it had been a remarkable fight, once more displaying the profundity of Eubank's fighting heart and the all round ability of the then up coming Calzaghe.

Eubanks part in this story ends here, but like Benn he would leave the sport with back to back defeats, those being heroic displays in two of 1998's best fights, against Carl Thompson up at Cruiserweight. Eubank always hailed the fact that in boxing he was a winner, but ironically it was defeat to Collins, Calzaghe and Thompson that would show the true colours of a remarkable man. Eubank left the sport in 1998 with two world titles on his CV and an overall record of 45-5-2 (23) he was a winner in defeat as well as victory.

***

Part 2, the next generation.

Roughly one year prior to Calzaghe's triumph over Eubank, another Englishman had lifted a world title in the same poundage. Robin Reid was a former Olympic bronze medallist from Runcorn and a male model with the nick name 'The Grim Reaper.' Seen as just a novice pro when going to Italy to challenge for the WBC title in October of 1996, Reid was chosen as the perfect foil for a recently crowned local champion. The man in the other corner was old Benn foe, Vincenzo Nardiello who had won the title from Malinga on the undercard of the first Benn-Collins bout in a tedious meeting of spoilers. Nardiello took a tight win over the distance. Vast experience and home advantage marked the Italian as a prohibitive favourite over the hitherto untested Britain. True to form, Reid was out-boxed in the early stages, but after an impassioned plea from Frank Warren at ringside, he turning up the heat to wreck the local champion with body shots in a sensational seventh round. After 20 previous wins and one draw against mainly lower domestic level opposition Reid was the WBC champion. The question was, could he keep it?

The man selected for Reid's first defence back in the UK was an undefeated South-African Middleweight called Giovanni Pretorious, known for his bravery and exciting style, many still believed the South-African would be too small for the muscular champion who was every inch a natural at the weight. Those suspicions would prove totally correct as Reid blasted out the plucky challenger in round seven with one brutal right hand. Reid had been in charge but the smaller challenger did have his moments, leaving remaining doubts over the validity of the young champion. Keen to dispel any notions of unworthiness, 'The Grim Reaper' was given something of an acid test in his next defence, a mandatory against old stalwart Henry Wharton. Wharton was on a run of form that had seen him stop former WBC champions Nardiello, a man whose name is an intrinsic part of this story, and Mauro Galvano who had taken Benn the distance in their rematch a few years previously. He deserved his shot and the bout was an even-money affair between an experienced contender and a young champion who oozed potential.

The bout took place in a packed MEN arena on a Naseem Hamed undercard, and Reid made the most of the showcase by out-punching Wharton over 12 excellent rounds. The fight displayed the champion's excellent counter punching and ring-craft and more crucially proved his ability to take a shot. For Wharton it was a familiar story. As good and brave a practitioner as Henry was, he was always that one step behind in the really big fights. Wharton fought twice more, both wins, before retiring as a former British, Commonwealth and European champion. His career total was 27-3-1 (19).

Reid had impressed everyone with an excellent victory and at 26 the sky seemed like the limit for the handsome and extremely likeable Reid. The Wharton fight had proved he was not just a pretty boy or fancy-Dan type, the Runcorn boxer seemed the total package. Next up was Hacine Cherifi, a brave and resilient Frenchman who had battled to WBC number 1 contender status, only at one division down in the 11 stone 6 pounds category of Middleweight. What should have an easy enough outing, against a man who had been twice floored in a winning European title fight by Middleweight Neville Brown, turned into a twelve round nightmare for Reid. Seldom has a fighter's form dipped as dramatically as did Reid's that September night in Widnes. Blowing from the early stages, he was often outworked by an inspired underdog before coming on late to take a desperately close and disputed verdict. Reid had looked out of condition and out of sorts but partly blamed his lacklustre display on the recent death of Princess Diana, saying that the tragedy had affected his training. He was offered the chance to prove the critics wrong in December of 1997 when taking on a familiar face in old champion Sugar Boy Malinga who was his mandatory. Sadly it was the doubter's perspective that held sway when Robin slumped to a dismal loss over 12 repetitive rounds. Reid fought listlessly and like Benn, he was never really able to get to grips with the cagey South African.

Calzaghe's first defence came in January of 1998, and proved to be little more than a showcase against an overmatched Croatian named Branco Sobot. Joe was expected to win easily and duly did courtesy of a terrific uppercut in round three. The manner of the win was nevertheless impressive, lending credence to the belief that his next foe would prove to be similarly easy pickings. Old warhorse Juan Carlos Giminez who had extended Eubank and Benn was bizarrelyinstalled as the WBO's number 1 contender. A veteran famous for a granite jaw, the only question he really posed was could the young titlist become the first man to stop him? Calzaghe excelled, winning as he pleased, the champion forced a corner intervention after the ninth with Giminez having taking a steady pounding with body shots doing the bulk of the damage. Cleary a better challenger was required, though it was not the champion's fault that his mandatory had been so woeful, the more knowledgeable boxing pundits wanted to see his excellent skills tested against more worthy opposition. Ex-Champion Reid fitted the bill perfectly.

Reid had rebounded from the Malinga loss by winning a marking time bout against Graham Townsend, an area level domestic fighter, and as he was also under the Frank Warren promotional umbrella the match was uncomplicated to make. Giving Reid's lack of form in his three previous matches, and Calzaghe's excellent performances in his title bouts, a painful evening looked in store. Reid had never been floored amateur or pro and was upset at the Champion' prediction of a third round stoppage feeling he had the artillery to provide more than Calzaghe could handle. The build up saw something of a grudge match develop as the cocksure champion took several verbal broadsides on his challenger, including suggesting he was the better looking of the two! Reid carefully reminded Calzaghe that this was the boxing business not, a fashion show and vowed to fight the tormenting Welshman with his fists, not his mouth.

The bout took place in Newcastle on February of 1999, and was saw an inspired Reid giving the champion all sorts of problems before dropping a hotly disputed split decision. Reid felt he had won, and suggested after the fight that a Eubank-Benn style rivalry could emerge between the two. The disappointed champion labelled his performance as his worst and blamed injuries on his inability to go all out. Reid's excellent right cross had given Calzaghe problems all night long and the performance suggested that Reid would provide a testing encounter even on the Champions best ever night.

Strangely, it was almost 14 months before Reid fought again, and unhappily it was the lethargic version that turned up to drop a points verdict to another Italian, Silvio Branco, on the famous Mike Tyson card in Glasgow. Robin has since picked up something of a run of form with four stoppage victories over modest opposition, and excellent points win over a still useful former world champion in Julio Caesar Vasquez . He fought well enough to suggest he can still be a force at 12 stone, and his current record stands at 31-3-1 (23).

***

Reid's defeat to Malinga had left the door open for yet another British challenger for world honours. Like Reid, Richie Woodhall had been an Olympic Bronze medallist, losing to future superstar Roy Jones in Seoul in 92. He had been an excellent British, European and Commonwealth Champion at Middleweight and had previous World Title fight experience when losing in the twelfth round to American Keith Holmes. Woodhall had extended the talented WBC champion despite being riddled by injuries and the outcome had been in doubt right up until the finish. At six feet two inches tall, the Telford man was a consummate stylist with a technique that was really an advanced variation of the amateur system with lots of fast, straight punches thrown on the move.

Richie went on to floor and out-score Malinga to follow in the footsteps of Benn and Reid as a WBC
champion from these shores. The fight was a rousing and emotional twelve rounder in front of his home crowd at Telford. He was to make two successful defences, controversially out-scoring the then British Middleweight champion Glenn Catley in a lacklustre display and stopping a familiar face in Vincenzo Nardiello in seven. Woodhall had looked sharp in the latter affair, but was briefly floored before the TKO win in his favour. A Southpaw jinx that had seen him floored by Nardiello, struggle with Derek Wormald and lose to Keith Holmes, struck again when Woodhall was relieved of his title in his very next fight. A German mandatory named Marcus Beyer did the damage, flooring him three times with Southpaw left-handers early in their fight. He showed immense courage to fight back and nearly stop the German in the last round. It would prove too little too late as Beyer took a point's verdict and the WBC belt leaving Woodhall an ex-champ after three defences. After one final title tilt, against Joe Calzaghe the intelligent and immensely likeable Midlander retired recently, officially due to back problems. His career saw Olympic, British, Commonwealth, European and World title glory. He bowed out with overall record of 26-3-0 (16) and he can look back with immense pride at a near perfectly executed career.

***

The WBC merry-go-round continued when the German was relieved of the title in June of 2000 by previous Woodhall challenger, Glenn Catley. The Bristol man won in round twelve of a tepid affair, with one big right hand leaving the German reeling all over the ring. The points had been in the balance when the stoppage came. With a heavy punch in both hands and a solid boxer-puncher style his win against a German on away territory was a fine achievement making him the fourth British Boxer to lift the WBC belt since 1992.

The big knock against the 'Bristol Boy' from the West Country based Chris Sanigar camp was his chin. As skilful and dangerous as he was, the new Champion had been shockingly stopped in the past by an area level fighter called Carlo Colaruso and a Hungarian visitor Andreas Galfi, the later put him in horrible shape with a single punch. The loss had been avenged with a points win but those defeats raised doubts about the longevity of his reign. Sure enough Glenn was laid-out in his first defence by an ageing, shop-worn South African named Dingaan Thobela. It had been a similarly cagey affair to the Beyer chess match, only this time it was Catley that crumpled in the final round after hurting Thobela with a right hand moments earlier. The fight was not without its controversy; indeed the Bristol camp lodged a furious protest to the WBC when a post-fight photo revealed a rectangular shape underneath Thobela's wrapping on his right hand.

The fight stayed in the record books as a TKO victory for the new Champion but Catley would be granted another shot due to the storm that the photo had created, an accusation Thobela vehemently denied. To put the Thobela defeat into perspective, the aging champion had previously ruled the World at lightweight, a full six divisions downwards and he entered the ring looking soft in the body and out of shape. In other words this was a major setback for Catley. Thobela was also beaten in his first defence, by a Montreal veteran called Dave Hilton, via a close and controversial decision.

Hilton was jailed for sexual assault shortly afterwards and the Canadian's sorry plight put Catley
into poll position against a man who he had stopped previously, Eric Lucas. Glenn had beaten him in style in a WBC title eliminator two years previously, but Lucas, a French-Canadian, made a mockery of the first fight when blasting his one time conqueror with a brutal seventh round knockout to take revenge and WBC belt. That fight happened in June of 2001 and the long road back for Catley began with a European tile attempt in early 2002, a fight that saw him emerge with great credit when losing a hotly disputed verdict in Germany. This exciting hit or be hit warrior is currently 26-6-0 (20).

***

Our current and one remaining Champion at twelve stone is Calzaghe. After an injury-ridden and unexciting patch following the Reid fight, Calzaghe impressed with four straight stoppages including an impressive dismantling of Woodhall in a thrilling see-saw battle and a win over Omar Sheika, an American based Palestinian who came to London with a big reputation. Joe's slashing combinations reduced the visitor to a tangled wreck in five rounds. Mandatory contender Mario Viet was stopped in one furious round, and more recently the overmatched Will McIntyre was brushed aside in four heats. He is fresh of a blistering points win over a dangerous and Hammer fisted former IBF champion from Philadelphia, Charles 'The Hatchet' Brewer a bout that had Secondsouts own Anthony Evans almost breathless with excitement!

With his power, experience, chin, attitude and no little skill, Calzaghe continues with the mostly high standards set by the Eubank and Benn in the previous decade. His current total is 32-0 (28) and the Welshman is currently clamouring for a match with WBA, IBF and WBC Middleweight champion, Bernard 'The executioner' Hopkins in what looks like a potentially thrilling match.

That about wraps it up for now; great memories, great fights and some wonderful fighters have graced the British Super Middleweight division over the last decade or so. With Calzaghe a dominant world Champion at the top of his game, up and comers like Tony Dodson, excellent young fighters such as Brian Magee, experienced and wonderfully skilled British Champion David Starie, dangerous old pros like Dean Francis and the old guard of Reid and Catley all still in the mix, that trend seems likely to continue for the immediate future.

***

Footnote: Eubank and Watson were not the first Brits to challenge for World Super Middleweight honours. Roy Gumbs from England and Murray Sutherland, a fighter of Scottish descent both challenged, without success, for the WBA title held by a Korean called Chong Pal Park in the eighties. Luckily things progressed mostly uphill thereafter!

 

 


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