Их Британийн боксын түүхэн дэх хамгийн дуулиантай өрсөлдөөнүүдийн нэг болох Найджел Бенн болон Крис Юбенк нарын хоёр удаагийн тулаан нь боксын ертөнцөд эргэлзээтэй асуултуудыг үлдээжээ.
Тэдний анхны тулаан 1990 оны арваннэгдүгээр сард болж, Крис Юбенк есдүгээр раундад техникийн нокаутаар ялалт байгуулан WBO холбооны 160 фунтын жингийн аваргын бүсийг эзэмшсэн юм. Энэхүү тулаанд Найджел Бенн хүчтэй цохилтуудаар өрсөлдөгчөө сорьсон ч Юбенк хүнд бэртэл авсан хэдий ч ялалтыг авч чадсан байна.
Хоёр боксын хоорондох хариу тулаан 1993 оны аравдугаар сард Манчестер хотын “Олд Траффорд” цэнгэлдэх хүрээлэнд 43 мянган үзэгчийн өмнө “Шүүхийн өдөр” нэр дор зохион байгуулагдсан юм. WBC холбооны аварга Найджел Бенн болон WBO холбооны аварга Крис Юбенк нарын энэхүү тулаан шүүгчдийн шийдвэрээр тэнцээгээр өндөрлөсөн нь олон нийтийн дунд маргаан дагуулсан билээ.
Энэхүү тэнцээний дараа хоёр боксчин аваргын бүсээ хадгалж үлдсэн ч хэн нь илүү болохыг эцэслэн тогтоогоогүй юм. Тэдний хооронд гурав дахь тулаан зохион байгуулагдаагүй бөгөөд 30 жилийн өмнө рингнээс гарсан тэдний өрсөлдөөн ийнхүү шийдэгдээгүй хэвээр үлджээ.
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British stars, indeed genuine household names, Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank engaged in a bad blood rivalry three decades ago, and with the two middleweights/super-middleweights going to war twice, in November of 1990 and in October of 1993, it could be argued that their rivalry was never really settled.
These two, as all British fans who watched the fights when they took place will recall, ended up at 1 win for Eubank, with the return being scored a draw, with most people feeling Benn deserved the win.
It was Eubank who scored first blood, with the seemingly eccentric, monocle-wearing challenger stopping Benn in the ninth round of a great fight. Eubank battled through Benn’s venomous power, his tongue later requiring a number of stitches, so badly had a Benn punch come close to severing it, and he was the new WBO champ at 160 pounds.
Benn, who insisted he had not underestimated his irritating rival, but had instead “overestimated him,” wanted a rematch. So did the entire British nation. It had to happen. Finally, after a whole lot of stuff – Eubank’s tragic return fight with Michael Watson and the post-fight ramifications that really shook up the boxing world, being the biggest story by far – the two men who appeared to genuinely hate each other met again.
The Eubank-Benn rematch, dubbed “Judgment Day,” took place before 43,000 fans at Old Trafford in Manchester. Benn, the reigning and defending WBC super-middleweight champion, went to war with Eubank, who held the WBO belt. It was a far different fight from the first battle the two had, with both men boxing, using patience, and being smart this time around. In fact, aside from a thrilling final round, this rematch could have been described as a pretty dull affair.
The hype was of course massive, as was the controversy surrounding the decision – it was a draw, with both men keeping hold of their respective titles but ultimately proving nothing as far as who was the better man, the better fighter.
And so it would remain. For three decades.
Benn and Eubank exited the ring as equals 30 years ago, and there was, for whatever crazy, never fully explained reason, no third fight. How we would have loved to have seen a trilogy unfold here, though. Who would have won the third fight had it happened in, say, 1994 or 1995?
