Right now, their two sons are ramping up the interest levels and the controversy, this as they get ready to fight their “Next Generation ” showdown: Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Junior.
It is arguable that the super middleweight division ranks as the most exciting and talent-rich weight division the British boxing scene saw in the 1990s and the 2000s.
Born in Ilford on this day back in 1964, Nigel Benn came up the hard way. Serving in the army as a teenager, with Benn seeing plenty of real life hell in Northern Ireland during the Troubles; Benn later saying how this period of his life was one of his scariest experiences, the future “Dark Destroyer” toughed up in a major way.
If ever a boxing rivalry absolutely cried out for another instalment, an instalment that would hopefully result in closure as far as who the better fighter was, once and for all – it is the quite bitter, it-gripped-the-nation, Nigel Benn Vs.
For a fight that lasted just three minutes, the middleweight slugfest that took place on this day 33 years ago between Nigel Benn and Iran Barkley, sure was crammed full of action.
It has been said that you do not find boxing, boxing finds you. Whether it comes calling to such an extent that you become a fighter yourself – think of the greats who were saved by this awesome sport; men and women who freely admit they would very likely have ended up dead or in jail were it not for boxing – or it reaches out to you and makes you a fight fan for life, boxing is unlike any other sport in that it quite literally hits you and it knocks you out.
The above title borrows from the British documentary from 2011; a film that probes, perhaps as deeply as anyone or anything has ever been willing, into the story of the ill-fated fight between Nigel Benn and Gerald McClellan.
Conor Benn is rightfully getting the plaudits for the handiwork he showed last night in knocking out former champ Chris Algieri in highlight-reel fashion.
Billy Joe Saunders believes that welterweight contender Conor Benn is a better fighter than his famous father, Nigel Benn. He sees Conor (18-0 12 KOs) as being destined to become a world champion at 147 and becoming a big name.
British warrior Nigel Benn added a huge amount of raw excitement and entertainment back when he was doing his thing in the 1980s and 1990s.