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How would you rate his skills? Resume? Overall, where does he rate history?
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Some awesome skills - Benn I fight was a counter-punching 101 with ring generalship on show that very few, if none, mastered better.
The flashiest of flurries.
He could throw perfect uppercuts and perfect rights that were untelegraphed. An awkward left hand that was stiff, doubled over on jab like a flicker of lightning. But he could also throw ridiculous loopy long punches, throwing himself off-balance and even KD'ing himself on occasion. So highly inconsistent, lacked workrate too - big time.
Far more comfortable on the back foot than the front foot.
He beat Benn and Watson beautifully at MW, not taking a punch in the opening rounds, measuring them up and attacking from angles. Only Eubank got through Watson's crab-like defense with two or three on the spin at regular intervals - McCallum had to counter to the body.
Graciano Rocchigiani and Tony Thornton were hardly slouches, going on to give Michalczewski and Toney fits. Both had really good peak-a-boo defenses that Eubank got through more than anyone (including Nunn and Jones Jr).
What...a...chin. Some of the shots Nigel Benn landed in both fights, for Eubank to soak up within a couple of seconds and fire back. And Carl Thomspon four weights up from his original weight, he just absorbed them (even when he couldn't see them coming with closed eye)!
Incredible run, he had the longest unbeaten streak in boxing before he lost, and was the richest non-heavyweight with the most viewers by far. Credit where credit is due for those facts.
His 2nd win over Watson was unbelievable. Watson fighting beyond himself, taking punches without blinking and not giving Chris enough time to think, and basically battering Eubank for most of the contest, dropping him through accumulation/exhaustion for the first time in his life; only for Eubank to rise right up from one knee, walk in and execute the most perfect yet brutal of uppercuts at the end of the 11th, practically bagging him the fight, almost.. though he left something in the ring that night (and he'd only just turned 25). Amazing what he could do when pushed.
Most people think of Eubank as the poser/showman though, the one-off which he was. And he was.Last edited by coghaugen; 05-23-2010, 02:22 PM. -
Without doubt one of the best Super middleweights ever.
I cant think of anyone having an easy time with prime Eubank! Even Jones/Toney.
One of my favorite fighters of all time.Comment
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I remember Chris Eubank very, very well. He kicked a multitude of ass. Gave us some great, great fights with people like Benn & Watson, even though I wish that second Watson fight had never, ever taken place. One of my favorite British fighters of all time.Comment
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he was good but i dont think he was great
solid skills, a good fighter overrall but really what made him special was his heart and courage.
Exceptional chinComment
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He basically made Joe Calzaghe a household name. I honestly dont know much about him other than that, as I wasnt interested in boxing back then.Comment
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As Coghaugen rightly pointed out his workrate was often too low, but with his rock-solid chin, unpredictable style and great conditioning (his body always looked awesome) he was a match for anyone.
The first Benn fight and both Watson fights were total wars. It always seemed to me, though, that after what happened to Watson in their second fight Eubank stopped trying to KO his opponents - he just tried to outpoint people. Because of his showmanship a lot of people disliked him, but Eubank was a genuinely nice man who genuinely did not want to cause lasting harm to anyone else as he did Watson.
It's hard to place him in a context of historical greatness because he didn't get to face off against the best American fighters of his era. My guess is that he would've given any of them plenty to think about.Comment
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