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Nice one mate You get some green for this. Eubank is my all time favourite and there's very good reason for that. However, after he put Watson in a Coma for 40 days that really messed with him. He actually vowed to never knock anybody out again after that. Up to that point, his KO percentage was still around 60%, I believe. He looked for KOs often, and wasn't very comfortable going distances (despite having a few great late round KOs). When one ends up with that much of his arsenal taken away, his killer instinct, and the fact that Eubank was quite disillusioned by this point - he was bound to lose sooner or later. So, in answer to the question, was he physically past his prime? No. Mentally? Hell yes.
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Additionally, I'd have to say that my all time pet peeve is when knobheads refer to Eubank as EubankSComment
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eubank might have been past his prime but not by too much, he wasn't shot neither. not shot in the same way that RJJ and tarver are now, buit something was missing and judging by his performance post watson it was a big something. that mental edge that he once had was no longer there and he was too apprehensive and cautious post the watson fight.
i dont think he was spent though, watch him in the CW fights vs thompson and he put on a good fight.Comment
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There just didn't seem to be any intensity there at times with Eubank. He was always in terrific condition, so it wasn't about that, as someone else mentioned. He just wasn't in the right frame of mind, or the correct mental gear.Comment
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Yes, I'd say he was, but take nothing away from Collins.. He has to be one of the most underrated fighters of all time.. People seem to forget, that Collins started young in the US and was under the Petronelli brothers (Haglers management) before Eubank had even turned pro.. By the time he came back to the UK, he'd gained a wealth of experience & had been in with some good fighters including DC loses to Mike McCallum & Reggie Johnson.. It wasn't long before he smoked Chris Pyatt for the WBO MW title & immediately moved up to challenge Eubank.. Collins didn't do anything special, apart from an incredible desire, a huge heart, a manic work rate, and an anvil chin.. Eubank was simply too shop worn to deal with it & the return was very similar.. Ironically, he did the same to Benn also, & stopped him both times.. But I think it's common knowledge, Nigel hadn't been the same after the McClellan tragedy..
Nevertheless, Steve Collins was a very underrated fighter, who went in with the best, & beat some of them, becoming a 2 weight WC in the process..Comment
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I'd agree with most folks here. He was amazing against Wharton.....clearly peak form, but he was really 'spooked' by the hypnosis trick Collins played on him.
I've heard claims that Watson was hypnotised before their second fight and I gather thats what worried Eubank, in Eubank's own words he felt that hypnosis can block 'ones basic instinct to survive'.
In the first Collins fight Eubank didn't fight that badly, it was a close fight and I actually favoured him to win the rematch. Eubank's poor performance in the rematch was put down to him outgrowing the weight, he had a spindly, weak look that night, no combinations, no grace. Eubank may have done much better if the rematch was at light heavy.
He was a bit better against Calzaghe, but didn't seem to have the strength from his earlier super middle days, I honestly believe he should have been a true light heavy at this point.
Lo and behold his grace, movement and combinations all returned for both Thompson fights at cruiserweight, shame Thompson was a shade too big for Eubank, it was the best form he showed for four years, no doubt because he wasn't tight at the weight.Comment
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