Eubank Sr at middleweight

https://ibb.co/9vcYSwq

This feature from early 1992 rates Eubank highly, mentioning his impressive stoppage of Hugo Corti, saying how Corti had knocked out the great Hugo Corro in Corro's big comeback, that Corro had knocked out Jorge Castro in the gym a week before. They talk his performance against Benn, in which Benn couldn't land one punch in the opening round and Eubank landed many sharp combinations early. Benn looking more impressive against DeWitt and Barkley than any middleweight in the world they'd fought had. Scoring a heavy KD against Ray Leonard's protégé Dan Sherry with one jab in the first round which is a rarity, and Sherry running and fiddling the rest of the fight before faking injury. They also suggest Eubank beat Michael Watson by nine rounds in their scoring at middleweight in one of the most skilful displays they've seen in a British ring. That the come-from-behind win vs Watson in the rematch was akin to Marciano and Leonard-Hearns and the finishing punch akin to Jersey Joe Walcott's title-winning shot. Proving himself truly great having turned only 25 six weeks before and having not started til 16 in South Bronx. And landing a counter left uppercut from the outside against a tall southpaw (Freddie Roach-trained Gary Stretch, who'd been sparring Virgil Hill and Marlon Starling) with all his body to the chin which is a rarity to see (if ever). How was good was Chris at 160lb?

Comments (20)

coghaugen

Yanks tend to rate Eubank's skills a lot higher than Brits do in general. Always found it bizarre.

5y ago

coghaugen

0.00000001% of fighters reach that level. 90% spar one round and stop. Ray Close for instance was an elite amateur, beating Tiozzo and Michalczewski and losing a 3-2 decision in Havana, Cuba to Cuban Romero (who beat Holyfield 4-1) and 4-1 to legendary Maske in Germany (there was also a devastating 30-second loss to a certain Henry Wharton) in highly disputed decs. He outboxed Nardiello in 92 or 93 and made him quit, Nardiello was robbed even more severely than Roy Jones was against Park Si-Hun in the Olympics in a previous round, but not much is said or known of that...

5y ago

coghaugen

Just another fight where Eubank failed to clearly beat a sub par opponent. You chose this one as the only one when the reality is there are several. He also wasn’t robbed against Collins nor Thompson. You are not in touch with reality at all I’m afraid. The objective is to win. Nobody said he was. Playing word games on some internet boxing forum, mature

5y ago

coghaugen

They are literally facts. He drew with Ray Close and arguably lost the rematch. He failed to beat him clearly along with a number of sub par opponents. Those are facts whether you like them or not. 'Arguably'. Right.

5y ago

IronDanHamza

This was by far and away his worst performance - I had Schommer winning eight rounds clearly. The only decision that really was wrong. Karma got him when he was semi-robbed against Collins (first) and Thompson (first) for it Just another fight where Eubank failed to clearly beat a sub par opponent. You chose this one as the only one when the reality is there are several. He also wasn’t robbed against Collins nor Thompson. You are not in touch with reality at all I’m afraid.

5y ago

IronDanHamza

Forget all this 'struggling with Ray Close' crap. Nobody cares. He already proved himself. You don’t care because you’re delusional and deny reality. Anyone objective cares and it means a whole lot. A guy who can’t beat Ray Close in clear fashion speaks for itself especially when their wins are extremely thin.

5y ago

IronDanHamza

They aren't facts though are they. He won these fights - those are the facts. His record was 43-0-2 going into the Collins fight, his 20th world title fight in exactly four years and four months - that's never been done. Ever. They are literally facts. He drew with Ray Close and arguably lost the rematch. He failed to beat him clearly along with a number of sub par opponents. Those are facts whether you like them or not.

5y ago

coghaugen

5y ago

coghaugen

Not to mention all he did for fighters rights, turning boxing upside down and altering the way that fighter and manager/promoter did business. If this 'IBHOF' don't want to recognise how he changed the sport then so be it, it really happened and will be seen as such over the centuries. He wasn't a meme or a celebrity, he was real and did what he did, can't change the facts or the truth, much as it might hurt. Until you've been in the ring and done what he did and been through what he's been through with tragedies etc, you have zero place to talk. I'm guessing you're simply a keyboard warrior, a nobody.

5y ago

coghaugen

If you don't consider what he did in the Watson fight as truly great then there's no helping you. Who cares if he didn't fight these names (or if some US-based 'Hall of fame' popularity contest haven't voted him)? Eubank doesn't. That win could never be eclipsed - he couldn't win, and won. It goes beyond fanboy internet forum talk, no offense. What about the viewing figures on Star in Asia and SABC in South Africa?? Only Foreman-Morrison was near Eubank fights for ratings on Star across Asia. Had the first PPV fight outside the US v. Rocky. I'm offended by your idiocy, not personally offended. There were four sanctioning bodies - the rankings contained the same fighters! IBO is still not a governing body. Who cares about the letters, so long as its one of the four. In fact WBC was and is far more corrupt.

5y ago

RJJ9402GOAT

WBO was one of the four sanctioning bodies. They're all the same. Well exactly, just being one of the best along with Roy Jones etc is not average by any stretch! Just crazy silly talk, obviously trolling with nothing better to do Nah the WBO was like the IBO in the 90’s. It wasn’t even recognised by the other 3 sanctioning bodies. Eubank never proved himself as great. He never mixed it with Jones, Toney, Nunn, Mclellan, McCallum, Barkley etc. Aside from Benn what other great win did he have? We can all talk about how good Watson would have been but in reality he never proved himself beyond domestic level. I’m a big Eubank fan myself, I loved the character, loved what he brought to British boxing but you have to be realistic. You’re completely romanticising over his career. Eubank was a superstar in the UK but in the context of world boxing he was never considered an elite fighter. He hasn’t made it into the HOF for that exact reason. You’ll probably get all offended by this and reply with like 4 or 5 posts but the truth hurts brother...

5y ago

coghaugen

Forget all this 'struggling with Ray Close' crap. Nobody cares. He already proved himself.

5y ago

coghaugen

Calling Eubank good and not great after all he did is disgusting disrespect to the man. Just the Watson rematch alone makes him truly great - it takes a VERY special fighter to do what he did. In fact it's not been seen in another fight.

5y ago

coghaugen

The WBO wasn’t exactly legit back then though bro. I think Eubank gets overrated by us Brits and underrated by the yanks. I’d say he was a good fighter but not a great fighter. By his own admission he never wanted to be the best, he just wanted to be one of the best. I put him in a similar category to Froch in the sense that he was always one of the best at the weight but was never the best at the weight. I think Eubank’s impact outside of the ring largely overshadows what he accomplished inside the ring. Well exactly, just being one of the best along with Roy Jones etc is not average by any stretch! Just crazy silly talk, obviously trolling with nothing better to do

5y ago

coghaugen

The WBO wasn’t exactly legit back then though bro. I think Eubank gets overrated by us Brits and underrated by the yanks. I’d say he was a good fighter but not a great fighter. By his own admission he never wanted to be the best, he just wanted to be one of the best. I put him in a similar category to Froch in the sense that he was always one of the best at the weight but was never the best at the weight. I think Eubank’s impact outside of the ring largely overshadows what he accomplished inside the ring. WBO was one of the four sanctioning bodies. They're all the same.

5y ago

RJJ9402GOAT

They aren't facts though are they. He won these fights - those are the facts. His record was 43-0-2 going into the Collins fight, his 20th world title fight in exactly four years and four months - that's never been done. Ever. The WBO wasn’t exactly legit back then though bro. I think Eubank gets overrated by us Brits and underrated by the yanks. I’d say he was a good fighter but not a great fighter. By his own admission he never wanted to be the best, he just wanted to be one of the best. I put him in a similar category to Froch in the sense that he was always one of the best at the weight but was never the best at the weight. I think Eubank’s impact outside of the ring largely overshadows what he accomplished inside the ring.

5y ago

coghaugen

It seems people are still blinded by envy to this day towards the guy. Get over it.

5y ago

coghaugen

5y ago

IronDanHamza

Grow up dude. You're making a fool of yourself. It’s hilarious because you don’t see the overwhelming irony. I am talking facts. We are talking about a guy who could barely beat Ray Close in two attempts very arguably lost both times. “Once in a lifetime” :lol1: He’s not even Hall Of Fame calibur.

5y ago

coghaugen

:lol1: Draw with Ray Close and arguably lost the rematch. Once in a lifetime stuff!! :dunce: Eubanks fights speak for themselves. Couldn’t convincingly beat sub par opponents. Facts. Grow up dude. You're making a fool of yourself.

5y ago