GEOFFHAYES

After five years as an unknown pro, you face English crowd favorite Nigel Benn in front of more than 10,000 spectators and more than 10,000,000 as a television audience. Despite Benn having the best punching record in boxing, how did you hold your nerve and do you feel that great win is even under-rated, especially on this side of the ocean? I understood early on that I would get nowhere without focus, application and self-belief. If you prepare correctly mentally you cannot fail. My final amateur bout – a Golden Gloves semi-final loss – was fought at the Madison Square Gardens and live on the Wide World of Sports programme. I was only 18 and it was good experience. We didn't get to see as much of you as we'd have liked… As hard as my manager Barry Hearn tried, he couldn't convince American Television that I'd do any better than Benn's earlier victims. I put that down to ignorance and vowed never to sign with American Television on principle. Watson, Benn and Steve Collins all had their world championship chances screened on the Wide World of Sports earlier that year, so I felt extremely hard done by. Many European fight fans feel you lost your killer instinct as a fighter – so to speak – after your tragic fight with Michael Watson in 1991. Would you go along with that? Yes. Who would you say is the best opponent you ever fought? By far, Michael Watson in our second fight. You didn't attempt to unify the titles with American champions, why was this? I was a world champion in my own right, just like James Toney was, (and) just like Roy Jones was. How would you have fared? They'd have been my hardest challengers and I'd have been theirs. Who would you say is the greatest post-Hagler middleweight? Mike McCallum. What about the best fighter of your time? I mastered boxing, but Roy Jones was in a league of his own. What would you say were the best performances of your career? All of the Benn, Watson, Thompson and Rocchigiani bouts. Is it true that you once knocked out Herol Graham in a sparring session? No I hit him too hard to knock him out! I hit him so hard that I couldn't hit him again! I didn't hit him on his bottom, I hit him on his back. That's how hard I hit him. But he bounced up off the canvas and I couldn't hit him again. Do you feel your punch is historically under-rated? It was measured at two tons in force in 1990. It takes years to learn how to punch with devastating consequences. Eric Holland wouldn't ever go down again in 58 fights and that was my hardest punch at the time, still in development. Your level of competition is sometimes criticized by fight fans, do you feel that's under-rated too? I turned professional in 1985, won the world championship in 1990 and retired in 1995 with a 43-2-2 record that included 21 world championship fights and 15,000,000 pounds in finances. The great Mike McCallum wouldn't fight Michael Watson again, Steve Collins wouldn't fight Joe Calzaghe and no other world champion would defend in Germany. Who was your boxing idol? Dennis Cruz, who you would not have heard of. Like Herol Graham, in the gymnasium it was like he was unbeatable. His ring movement was poetry, like nothing. On two occasions Dennis was one fight away from a world title shot, only to blow it through lack of discipline. I learned from that and placed discipline near the top of my agenda. 'Prince' Naseem Hamed claims you stole the acrobatic rope-jumps from him. What's your take on that? I took the vault into the ring from Dennis Cruz. My first five professional fights were in Atlantic City against guys with similar records and similar names, so I felt I should vault into the ring to let the crowd, judges and referee know that I might be abit better than normal and abit better than novice. Finally Chris, we hear that your son, Chris Jr, is a great prospect and Golden Gloves champion in Las Vegas. Will he be following in your footsteps? Like every parent, I want my off-spring to be happy. I'm not happy for him to box, but if he's happy to box then I've no choice but to support him. He is good, but didn't have the hardest of upbringings and we all know that boxing is about being able to take it, not just give it. We know Amir Khan can give it... Eubank Jr takes to the ring 3:20pm Monday 6th October 2008 Comments (13) Have your say » By Simon Barrett » Chris Eubank's eldest son proved a chip off the old block as he made a winning start to his British amateur boxing career. Chris Jnr, 19, leapt over the top rope and shadow boxed just like his famous father used to do during his heyday in the 1990s. He went on to record a unanimous points victory over Luke Batstowe, from Moulsecoomb, Brighton, after four rounds of frantic action at the Hilton Brighton Metropole hotel on Saturday. Eubank senior was at his son’s side in the dressing room after his bout, part of a charity card which pitched Hove Amateur Boxing Club against a Royal Navy squad. After the fight, Hove coach Scott Welch, a former British heavyweight champion, said: “Chris is far from the finished article but that shows me where he is currently at in his development. “He has bags and bags of potential which we can bring out in his next fights. He needs to work on his fitness though, as he was really blowing by the end. It’s important Chris gets as many fights as possible. He’s extremely dedicated.” After two years of training in Las Vegas, Chris Jnr, returned to Sussex in June and joined Hove, based at the King Alfred Leisure Centre. In the US, he had ten amateur bouts and won the Nevada State Golden Glove championships at super-middleweight. The young fighter has ambitions to represent his country at the Olympics in London 2012. Unlike his father, Chris Jnr was not keen to talk to the Press although, ironically, that may have something to do with his outspoken father’s advice. In a recent Sport magazine article, Eubank senior said: “He’s been advised not to speak to the Press until he’s halfway through his pro career.” Sport RSS Feed Eubank is a chip off the old block 7:30am Monday 6th October 2008 Comments (1) Have your say » By Mike Legg » Chris Eubank junior did not disappoint a sell-out home crowd as he kicked off his amateur career on British soil with a points victory on Hove’s charity show. Lloyd Ellett topped the card at the Metropole Hotel as a Hove Select took on the combined might of the Royal Navy and Marines but there was little doubt as to who many people in the crowd had come to see. The cries of “Eubank, Eubank” once reserved for his father Chris senior during his heyday accompanied him to the ring, while there were jeers from his opponent Luke Batstowe’s fans. There was no evidence that Hove amateur Eubank Jnr wants to avoid comparisons with his former world middleweight champion father and the pressure that may entail as he leapt the top rope to enter the ring and then shadow-boxed in the same fashion as his dad used to do. Eubank, 19, has already enjoyed amateur success in the United States and threatened to overwhelm the tall Batstowe in the opening round with thudding hooks to the body and head but was taken the four rounds to claim a unanimous points victory over one of the county’s top novices. Eubank senior was in the dressing room after the bout but declined to be interviewed, as did his son, leaving Hove coach Scott Welch to sound a note of caution on a night when all five of his club’s boxers won. Former British heavyweight champion Welch said: “People have got to remember he is only a novice fighter with ten bouts behind him and still learning the game. “I rate his opponent Luke highly so Chris has just beaten a very good boxer who is also awkward.”

http://www.people.co.uk/news/tm_headline=chris-eubank-gives-kids-away&method=full&objectid=20632991&siteid=93463-name_page.html http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1034481/Revealed-Why-Chris-Eubank-gave-away-sons-virtual-stranger.html

Larry Holmes is a lieing ass mother fucker that would say that shit to make himself look better. No, catskills is lying. Holmes insists Shavers hit him far harder than anybody else, and says the reason he wasn't knocked out from that big right that floored him was because Earnie hit him too hard to knock him out!

I've heard Holmes say that Shavers hit him "much" harder than anybody else he's ever shared a ring with, and that Shavers hit him too hard to knock him out!!

He's certainly not considered near a Tyson.

I've heard that is not the same N'Dou that fought Cotto. I hope he changed up his style if he did much respect. Brendan switched him into what he calls an "attacking counter-puncher".

Brendan switched him into what he calls an "attacking counter-puncher". After the Judah debacle..

I forgot to say "Whitter" why witter? His fight with Zab Judah left my with a bad image of running witter. You said it yourself. He improved a lot after that - learned to sit down on his shots more, 15 KO's in a row then beat N'Dou more impressively than Cotto.

He gradually lost speed, after leaving Rooney. He also started lifting weights in prison, and continued for 10+ years, which didn't help.

Yeah but I'd still score a clean knockdown on you, Scully, with a right hook from a southpaw stance (converted from orthodox).

How would you describe your sartorial style? I would describe it as 19 World Championship wins. I'm not in a race or a competition with anyone else. As long as I'm not offending anyone then my dress sense should be my prerogative. Your wife, Karron, was in the papers recently claiming you spend £2,700 on each suit, and £1,175 on jodhpurs. Can this be true? Well my wife is not a liar, so why is that you are asking me to confirm what she says? . My answer is that my wife does not tell fibs. We never talk about money anyway, it's quite vulgar. Erm, we're not claiming she's a liar, but is it also true that your haircut costs you £250 and involves a barber flying down from Manchester? My wife does not tell fibs. He's been flying down, on average, every 10 days for the last nine or 10 years. That's a lot of money, £91,250 by Small Talk's reckoning. Have you ever tried a £5 cut at Mr Toppers? What do they do? Well, they cut. And they shave, if you want that kind of thing... You see that's just it. All these people cut, but what my barber does is sculpt. He sculpts and it takes him about an hour and a half. Have you ever fancied asking for a different style, perhaps a light perm, for example? No. I've been considering taking it all off. They say God gave very few men perfect heads, the rest he put hair on. And no doubt with one eye on his bank balance, your barber's advised against shaving it all off. He's swayed me from doing such a thing, yes. What's the greatest song ever written? It depends on what mood you're in. And what's the greatest song ever written according to your current mood? I'm... so in love with you... what ever you want me to... is all right with me-eee-eee-eee. Let me be the one you come running back to-ooo-ooo-ooo... Ah, Al Green, very nice. And the greatest film ever made? Once Upon A Time In The West. I'll watch that on average about once a month. The music is the most soothing of all soundtracks I've ever heard, and Charles Bronson is inspirational to the point of bliss. That harmonica and that very cool, laid-back gunslinger is just the best. He's the man! Him and Mandela. Why do you drive that dirty great truck when you could have yourself a flash motor? Because it has character and class. All cars have class, yes, but no car has as much character as my truck. But it can't be economical to run... Well as my father used to say, if you can afford the car you can afford the petrol. Must be a sod to park though... No it's quite easy, you have to park illegally. There's just no place you can park a 32ft truck, so you just leave it where you can. You must pick up parking tickets faster than The Gaffer! Well you know, we as entertainers have a duty to the public to keep them amused, and I am a consummate professional to the last. Small Talk can only thank you for that. What colour underpants are you wearing today? I do believe they are... black. They're a tight boxer short. Not too tight, we hope. How much is a pint of milk? (Answer: about 40p) Erm, a pint of milk is about 89p where I go. Well Cullens have a tendency to overcharge, I think . Nothing in the store costs 40p. If you wanted a single Bon-bon, that too would cost about 89p. Kylie or Britney? I beg your pardon? . They're both good. I wouldn't discriminate in any way, form or shape. Yes, the only music I don't understand is heavy metal. I don't understand it. I can't find the rhythm. I've searched for it many times but I just can't find it. Sounds like you need some WASP, Chris. Anyway, you've got a ringside seat as a lion takes on a tiger. Who's your money on? I have no idea. I suppose it would depend on which of them gained the upper hand. It would be a matter of chance. Tea or coffee? What type of coffee is it? Double espresso with lots of cream and sugar. Lots of sugar. Very strong, very sweet . What's your poison? Erm, I don't drink poison. I don't drink alcohol and if I did I wouldn't tell you. . Because I wouldn't push that sort of thing on impressionable children. Erm, cheese or chocolate can't hurt anyone, can it? No, and that depends on the mood. At this moment in time I'd say cheese, a French Camembert. You once claimed to have been one of the best thieves around as a kid. What was your most daring heist? Well, it wasn't a heist, it was an escape from a shop on Oxford Street when I was about 15. I pinched a couple of suits. Suits? Weren't they a bit cumbersome, a bit obvious? Not for a master criminal. I was chased by security from the shop and dropped both suits. When you are being pursued you must realise that self-preservation is the most important aspect. I ended up hiding for half-an-hour in Lillywhites, by which time they'd given up the pursuit. Do you have a message for any impressionable kids: crime doesn't pay, something like that? No one escapes the long arm of the law, they are a business, they are very good at what they do and eventually they will catch up with you. Luckily I was given the opportunity to escape that life soon afterwards when I went to New York and began boxing. I see now the error of my ways. Tell us a joke... One moment, can you hold the line? . What did the hat say to the tie? You hang around, I'll stay here. Or something like that. Erm, you hang around, I'll sit here. Does that work? Partly, and it's clean. What's in your pockets? A phone, a card for a furniture designer, and some money. And finally, where are you off to now? Nowhere. I'll lie down on this bed in this hotel room for 15 minutes and wait for my next interview.

Erm, I don't drink poison. I don't drink alcohol and if I did I wouldn't tell you. Because I wouldn't push that sort of thing on impressionable children. Right there. Ali was just trying to be like Mr Livingstone Eubank.

All your boys were steroid junkies though Johnny - Jones, Toney, Paz.

Livingstone Eubank was non-alcoholic: http://sport.guardian.co.uk/smalltalk/story/0,,1155768,00.html

Fuck Bill Miller, he couldn't come up with a strategy for Lindell Holmes to beat Eubank.

Eubank is lying about not drinking, watch the Loius Theroux documentary, it seems pretty clear he is lying. That was pretty funny, Eubank claimed he didn't drink alcohol but then they found the bills to his hotel room where he'd ordered bottles of champaigne in the early hours :D

Actually, every couple of months on Boxing Classic it has Lindell Holmes vs Herol Graham and Lindell Holmes vs Chris Eubank in one programme. He could hardly lay a glove on Graham, but in the Eubank fight I was quite impressed with Holmes' skills - he kept parrying Eubank's jabs and then coming over with a big right hand in one motion. I'd like to see some more of this Lindell Holmes guy.

Juyster, How do you get to ramble on about Eubank in Ice's thread and then steal my Avatar? :D LMFAO!