A quarter of a century ago today a boxing match took place in London. It was a fight that will always cause any fight fan who witnessed it to have an uneasy, disturbing feeling. Michael Watson and Chris Eubank, two men who seemed to have a very real dislike for one another, met in a much anticipated, publicly demanded rematch. At the conclusion of just over 11-rounds of warfare neither man would ever be the same again.
Three months earlier, down at middleweight, Watson and Eubank had contested the WBO title, with the already controversial and unbeaten Eubank walking away with a debatable 12-round majority decision victory. The boos that met the announced decision ensured the two would have to fight again. When they did, as super, super-middleweights, an entire nation was watching. The incredibly determined Watson, a no-nonsense fighter who had worked his way up the hard way throughout his career, was utterly relentless, winning round after round after round.
Boxing is an inherently psychological undertaking. It is an activity that exposes the contestants to far more than the simple prospect of defeat: the potential combination of public humiliation and genuine physical harm percolate in a fighter’s mind to a degree that few who have not lived the experience can reasonably quantify. Far from being a mere test of physical skills then, boxing is perhaps one of the purest tests of human will power. Some of the biggest contests in boxing history have therefore been won or lost through cunning, bravery and fortitude as much as they have speed, strength and stamina.