British Fighter: Nigel Benn! Part 1

The Fighter That Was Mugged By The Ring Side Judges

Born in Ilford, England, on 22nd January 1964. Benn joined the army and  took up boxing. Benn  was quite successful as a boxer in the army ending up with a boxing record of 41 wins and only one loss. After Nigel Benn left the army he became a pro-boxer in 1987. In Benn's professional boxing career at one stage he had a succession of 22 consecutive knockout wins. Nigel  Benn had fought a hotly disputed fight with Chris Eubank that ended in a draw, but almost everyone who had seen that fight on the television believe in their hearts heart that Nigel Benn should have got the verdict. Without taking sides Nigel Benn was literally robbed by the ring side judges. It was soul destroying to see how Nigel Benn put up a real fantastic fight against a very clever boxer in Chris Eubank. But on the night of the equally eccentric Chris  Eubank could not match Nigel Benn's aggressiveness, and speed of punches. Nigel Benn was beating Chris Eubank to the punch more times than Chris Eubank was countering. That is a fight that should go down in boxing history with the headlines of "The Fighter That  Was Mugged By The Ringside Judges On The Night Of The 9th October 1993." Nigel Benn was indeed a  personality with unconventional traits, who was known to have enjoyed the nightlife, burning the midnight oil in night clubs.

Nigel Benn Won British Commonwealth's Middleweight Championship Title

Benn in his first fight as pro on the 28th January 1987 knocked out Graeme Ahmed in two rounds at the Croydon Town Hall, Croydon, England. From this his win onward Nigel Benn went on to score 22 consecutive knockout wins, the The Dark Destroyer was born. Nigel Benn's winning streak extended until 1989. Among the achievements achieved by Nigel Benn during his knockout winning streak, were the beating of Fermin Chirino on the night of the 27 January 1988, with a knockout in round two. Then Nigel went on to fight for the British Commonwealth's Middleweight title and won his battle with Abdul Umaru on the  20th April 1988 gaining another knockout win in round two.  Nigel Benn defend his British Commonwealth's Middleweight title against David Noel this time winning with a knockout punch in the first round. David Noel was the brother of the former world lightweight champion Claude Noel. Nigel Benn's boxing career went from strength to strength.

Big Benn Created Big Upset In The USA Knocking Out Iran Barkley In One

But then, he lost the his British Commonwealth's Middleweight title to an extremely clever boxer in Michael Watson, by a knockout in round six. With that, Nigel Benn had also lost his record as an undefeated fighter. Benn's next fight, against Jorge Amparo, was the first fight from his homeland, and also the first bout he fought that lasted the full distance, when he won the fight with a 10 round decision over Jorge Amparo in Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA. After two more wins, Benn got his first opportunity at a world championship title when he faced the WBO world middleweight boxing champion, Doug DeWitt in Atlantic City. Nigel Benn crowned himself world champion by knocking out DeWitt who had lasted 12 rounds against Thomas Hearns in round eight. His next defense came against former WBC world champion Iran Barkley who beat Tommy "Hitman" Hearns on two occasions. He knocked Barkley out in round one. Then, Benn lost the world title, when he received a knockout in round nine to a boxer that was a way out eccentric persona, fellow Britisher: Chris Eubank from Brighton in Essex, United Kingdom, who spent most of his spare time driving around Brighton in his big black Hammer 4x4 UV and every now and then parked up in front the gates of Brighton Pier.

The Fight That Would Change The Dark Destroyer's Life Forever

In 1991, Nigel Benn beat the half brother of "Marvellous" Marvin Hagler: Robbie Sims, by a knockout in round seven, and then embarked on another winning streak, which would amount to ten wins in a row. Nigel Ben won the WBC's world Super Middleweight title with a knockout in round four of defending world champion Mauro Galvano, on the 3rd October 1992 in Italy after having beaten his future conqueror and world champion Sugar Boy Malinga by a decision in round ten. He retained his title against Nick Piper, Mauro Galvano and Lou Gent before engaging in a rematch with Chris Eubank. While Benn's second longest winning streak came to a halt, he retained the world title with a twelve round draw against Eubank. Next came Henry Wharton and Juan Carlos Gimenez, both of whom lost on points to Nigel Benn for the world title.  Nigel Benn's next fight would change his life forever when he met up with the World Middleweight champion Gerald McClellan hence, the Benn's moniker "The Dark Destroyer." Gerald McClellan was  eager  to move up in weight and become a two time world champion just like Nigel Benn had done previously.

Eagerly Anticipated Match-up With Fight Fans

That fight took place in England on the 25th February 1995 which was shown from Britain to many countries throughout the world, including in the United States of America. The fight was carried was carried by Showtime. It was an eagerly anticipated match-up with many boxing fans tuning in, saw McClellan knock Nigel Benn out of the ring in round one.  In round eight, Nigel Benn was was on the canvas again but on this occasion he remained in the ring. Nigel Benn seemingly on the verge of losing his WBC Super Middleweight Title, but Nigel Benn kept on charging, however, making for what several magazines purportedly labelled the fight as one of the great fights of the year 1995.

British Fighter: Nigel Benn! Part 1.