Is Chris Eubank a phony?

[coghaugen]

The last thing that Mr Livingstone Eubank was is a phoney.

Secretly, he was Naz's idol.

[Capaedia]

Eubank, one of the tougher fighters in recent memory, was not a phoney by any stretch of the imagination.

[BennyST]

The last thing that Mr Livingstone Eubank was is a phoney.

Secretly, he was Naz's idol.

Not secretly. He was openly Naz's idol at one stage from memory. Naz got his stuff from Graham and Eubanks largely. Sad that they would both go on him like this (NAz and Ingle).

[BennyST]

Hardly. As great as Hamed was, if there was a 'phony' between the two, it would be him not Eubanks. I've always said that one of the truest marks of a great champion, among a few things, is the ability to come back from a loss, or how they take a loss. Does it make them better? Can they come back from it? Does their mental determination crumble? Does it make them want to do even greater things to make up for it or do they simply give up? The greatest champs have been able to come back from losses, good, bad, humiliating, knock out, decision....and it often makes them even greater.

Whatever else Eubanks was, showman, businessman, whatever, he was a great champion and showed it over a great career.

Seriously, how often has someone gone from fighting a young, undefeated, super hyped prospect and losing a hard fight to jumping 22 pounds up and two divisions to fight the reigning champ? Not very!

The last time someone did that with any success was Marquez beating Pac, before that? Who knows....But, how do you think Naz would have done moving up to 140 after his loss to Barrera and fighting Tszyu, Judah, Mitchell or even Gatti, Corley etc?

[GJC]

Used to think he was talented but his character might be found wanting but the first Benn fight proved me wrong. Benn hit him with monster shots and I wouldn't have thought badly of any fighter taking a knee but Eubank proved he had enormous heart. Think he was a fighter who tried to do just enough to win but if it took heart to win he had that in abundance.

[mickey malone]

Hardly. As great as Hamed was, if there was a 'phony' between the two, it would be him not Eubanks. I've always said that one of the truest marks of a great champion, among a few things, is the ability to come back from a loss, or how they take a loss. Does it make them better? Can they come back from it? Does their mental determination crumble? Does it make them want to do even greater things to make up for it or do they simply give up? The greatest champs have been able to come back from losses, good, bad, humiliating, knock out, decision....and it often makes them even greater.

Whatever else Eubanks was, showman, businessman, whatever, he was a great champion and showed it over a great career.

Seriously, how often has someone gone from fighting a young, undefeated, super hyped prospect and losing a hard fight to jumping 22 pounds up and two divisions to fight the reigning champ? Not very!

The last time someone did that with any success was Marquez beating Pac, before that? Who knows....But, how do you think Naz would have done moving up to 140 after his loss to Barrera and fighting Tszyu, Judah, Mitchell or even Gatti, Corley etc?

Exactly!... Thompson Eubank were tremendous wars and did the game proud.. Hardly compares to Hamed Calvo does it. And judging by how abysmal Hamed looked in that last fight, he'd have been like a clumbsy long armed Pygmee at 140

[Sugarj]

Not secretly. He was openly Naz's idol at one stage from memory. Naz got his stuff from Graham and Eubanks largely. Sad that they would both go on him like this (NAz and Ingle).

To be fair to Ingle, he did praise Eubank's effort after the fight with Calzaghe and completely took back his own comments.

As for Naz, he seemed to get on with Eubank pretty well in the Naz vs Barrera documentary.....so maybe all the mess from 1997 was cleared up.

Ingle always claimed that Eubank had copied a skinny adolescent Naz in the late 80s regarding the ring jumps. Naz of course was only 14 or 15 at the time and years from turning pro, so some have claimed that Naz was the copier; when it might have actually been Eubank.

Only Eubank knows for sure!

As for Eubank being a phoney? No chance! He was easily one of the true warriors of the history of the ring. Not an ounce of quit in him, always turned up in superb shape and fought quite a few superb fighters.

[Sugarj]

Exactly!... Thompson Eubank were tremendous wars and did the game proud.. Hardly compares to Hamed Calvo does it. And judging by how abysmal Hamed looked in that last fight, he'd have been like a clumbsy long armed Pygmee at 140

Great to see you back online Mickey.

The Calvo fight is a strange one. I actually thought that Naz boxed well for a few rounds and showed a fair bit of dazzle at times, he certainly didn't seem shot.

However, I do think that he went flat when the predicted KO didn't come and the crowd started booing him.

No surprise that he didn't come back!

But his weight today is pretty inexcusable for a once professsional athlete. How someone who was in excellent shape and was appearance conscious could go to such extremes is quite sad.

Herol Graham made a pretty good comeback at 37. I'm very surprised Naz hasn't.

[mickey malone]

Great to see you back online Mickey.

The Calvo fight is a strange one. I actually thought that Naz boxed well for a few rounds and showed a fair bit of dazzle at times, he certainly didn't seem shot.

However, I do think that he went flat when the predicted KO didn't come and the crowd started booing him.

No surprise that he didn't come back!

But his weight today is pretty inexcusable for a once professsional athlete. How someone who was in excellent shape and was appearance conscious could go to such extremes is quite sad.

Herol Graham made a pretty good comeback at 37. I'm very surprised Naz hasn't.

Cheers Sugarj... Hamed may not have been shot, but had totally lost his way by then.. Calvo would've been an easy blowout victim pre Barerra but Hamed made very hard work of him.. In truth, he never possessed the resolve of character needed to overcome a defeat and has embraced a life of slobbery during retirement..

Herol Graham was a class act who will be sadly missed.. Shame i can't say the same about Hamed who will always be remembered as a quitter..

[Sugarj]

Cheers Sugarj... Hamed may not have been shot, but had totally lost his way by then.. Calvo would've been an easy blowout victim pre Barerra but Hamed made very hard work of him.. In truth, he never possessed the resolve of character needed to overcome a defeat and has embraced a life of slobbery during retirement..

Herol Graham was a class act who will be sadly missed.. Shame i can't say the same about Hamed who will always be remembered as a quitter..

Its very sad, the Barrera loss and the subsequent retirement will haunt how people see him from now on. It does tarnish his legend, when really he deserves to be remembered as a true British boxing great based on his ring accomplishments. A unified title holder with only one points loss to his name compares favorably with just about all our great fighters.

Hamed always showed alot of heart in the ring, when actually in battle. Whenever knocked down, he managed to get up to win. Its so at odds with the way he disappeared. He had a rematch clause with Barrera and could have taken it......its not like it wasn't a winnable fight for a well prepared and motivated Hamed.

Oh well.................