FREEPORT, IL (Feb. 25, 2015) —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.
 
Several boxing luminaries are expected to be in attendance. There will also be dinner, dancing, a live band and a silent auction of boxing memorabilia. The Masonic Temple is located at 305-315 Stephenson Street in Freeport, Illinois.
 
A GoFundMe page has been set up for the event and to aid Gerald at: http://www.gofundme.com/n4hjic
 
Tickets, priced at $100, may also be purchased through this page. Please note that you are purchasing an event ticket when you make your donation.
 
For more information, contact Lisa McClellan at lmcclellan33@aol.com
 
Tax-deductible contributions to the Gerald McClellan Trust Fund and ticket purchases can also be made by sending a check or money order (made out to the Gerald McClellan Trust) to:
 
Gerald McClellan Trust

839 East Wyandotte Street

Freeport, IL 61032