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On February 25, 1995, Gerald McClellan and Nigel Benn waged one of boxing’s most memorable fights at the New London Arena in London, England.
It was also one of the most tragic.
Stopped in the 10th round by Benn, McClellan was rushed into surgery for a blood clot in the brain, and was left permanently damaged by the fight.
Twenty years later, the former world middleweight champion, now 47, remains under the 24-hour a day care of his sister Lisa. He is blind, cannot walk without assistance, and he has suffered with a colon ailment related to his nervous system being altered permanently by his last boxing match.
“It’s at a plateau,” Lisa McClellan said of her brother’s health during a recent interview. “It’s not got any better but it’s not got any worse. He’s maintaining good health. He feeds himself and bathes himself. He talks on the phone when people call. He loves visitors and company.”
McClellan also remembers his boxing career with the exception of the Benn fight, though a reunion with Benn in England in 2007 did provide some closure for the two warriors.
And while it’s an anniversary that is both bitter and sweet, on Saturday, March 28, Lisa McClellan will present “An Evening Honoring the G-Man” at the Masonic Temple Ballroom in Freeport, Illinois, with proceeds going to aid with Gerald’s medical bills, medication, and the costs of the event. [Click Here To Read More]
It was also one of the most tragic.
Stopped in the 10th round by Benn, McClellan was rushed into surgery for a blood clot in the brain, and was left permanently damaged by the fight.
Twenty years later, the former world middleweight champion, now 47, remains under the 24-hour a day care of his sister Lisa. He is blind, cannot walk without assistance, and he has suffered with a colon ailment related to his nervous system being altered permanently by his last boxing match.
“It’s at a plateau,” Lisa McClellan said of her brother’s health during a recent interview. “It’s not got any better but it’s not got any worse. He’s maintaining good health. He feeds himself and bathes himself. He talks on the phone when people call. He loves visitors and company.”
McClellan also remembers his boxing career with the exception of the Benn fight, though a reunion with Benn in England in 2007 did provide some closure for the two warriors.
And while it’s an anniversary that is both bitter and sweet, on Saturday, March 28, Lisa McClellan will present “An Evening Honoring the G-Man” at the Masonic Temple Ballroom in Freeport, Illinois, with proceeds going to aid with Gerald’s medical bills, medication, and the costs of the event. [Click Here To Read More]
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