Chris Eubank
After a string of impressive
stoppage victories following a dominant 10 round decision over American
gatekeeper/journeyman Randy Smith, Eubank captured the WBC International
title in 1990 against Hugo Corti. Later in the year, he knocked out
Renaldo Do Santos in precisely 20 seconds (including the 10 count).
WBO middleweight champion
Eubank won the WBO middleweight title
against Nigel Benn in a classic encounter that was later released
on DVD: a grueling battle which ended when Benn (ahead on points,
but only narrowly) was stopped on his feet near the end of round 9.
Eubank would defend the title successfully against Dan Sherry (in
a fight cut short by a headbutt, for which Eubank was penalized 2
points but still won on points over the 9 completed rounds), fellow
Briton Gary Stretch and finally in an excellent match with another
fellow Briton, Michael Watson, fighting him to a narrow 12 round majority
decision in Eubank’s favour. This concluded Eubank’s career as a middleweight,
with a 28-0 record.
WBO super-middleweight champion
A rematch
with Watson for the vacant WBO super-middleweight title took place
in September 1991, in which Watson suffered a near fatal injury. Eubank
was behind on all scorecards after 10 rounds, and was knocked down
18 seconds from the end of the round. He rose from the canvas (being
given only a standing four count instead of eight) to unleash a devastating
uppercut to Watson’s jaw right at the end of the round, knocking Watson’s
head and neck backwards into the ring ropes. The bell sounded to end
the round as soon as Watson was up from the count. It was still obvious
to all observers, and to Eubank himself, that he needed a knockout
to win: and early in the 12th, with Watson still visibly shaken, the
fight was stopped with Watson under a flurry of punches from Eubank.
Soon after the fight Watson collapsed in his corner. His condition
may have been worsened by the delay in receiving medical attention:
there was no ambulance or paramedic at the event and after eight minutes
on the ring floor, Watson was attended by doctors wearing dinner jackets,
arriving late. Following the fight, Eubank contemplated quitting the
sport. Commentator Reg Gutteridge said, in the moment, he had, “never
seen a more dramatic end to a world title fight”. Eubank later reflected
on the aftermath: “I lost my finishing instinct in the ring, I couldn’t
finish fights any more. However, I needed to work and so I carried
on and I won most of my fights on decisions. And I blamed myself,
after all, it was me who threw the punch.”
Eubank was particularly
noted for his confidence, concentration, composure, and extravagant
behavior, and antics that included a vault over the top-rope into
the ring before each fight. His trademark theme tune was Tina Turner’s
Simply the Best. He would often engage in posturing (particularly
between rounds of fights). Eubank was by now presented as something
of a “man you love to hate” figure in the British tabloid press because
of his perceived arrogance and for his singularly unconventional sense
of style. In boxing circles he enjoyed even less popularity, having
once referred to the sport as a ‘Mug’s game” on national television
(This was a selective quote – Eubank had actually been discussing
the seedier side of the sport, such as the beatings taken by journeyman
fighters for small sums of money, or boxers that were lied to and
ripped off by promoters).
