Nigel Benn

Nigel Gregory Benn (born 22 January 1964) is a British former professional boxer who competed from 1987 to 1996. He held world championships in two weight classes, including the WBO middleweight title in 1990 and the WBC super-middleweight title from 1992 to 1996. At regional level he held the Commonwealth middleweight title from 1988 to 1989.

Nicknamed "The Dark Destroyer" for his formidable punching power and aggressive fighting style, Benn retired with an 83.3% knockout-to-win ratio. His best known fights include the successful world middleweight title defence against Iran Barkley in 1989, the two all-British world title contests against Chris Eubank, and the successful defence of his world super-middleweight title against Gerald McClellan in 1995. Prior to his fights, Big Ben would often chime before he came out to his ringwalk music.

Early years and amateur career

Benn was born in Ilford, East London, on 22 January 1964. Benn joined the Army at the age of 18 and was stationed in West Germany for three years, then Northern Ireland for eighteen months for the Royal Fusiliers. After leaving the army, Benn joined West Ham Amateur Boxing Club.

Amateur accomplishments

*1986 Amateur Boxing Association Middleweight Champion.

Professional career

Benn turned professional in 1987 and began a streak of 22 consecutive knockout wins. During this time, Benn won the vacant Commonwealth middleweight title with a second round win over Abdul Umaru, at Alexandra Pavilion on 20 April 1988.

At 22-0 (22 KOs), Benn defended his Commonwealth title against Michael Watson in a heavily anticipated bout in May 1989 at Finsbury Park, London. The fight appeared on national television in the US.

In the sixth round, Watson knocked Benn down with a jab and Benn was counted out as he rose to his feet.

His next fight, against Jorge Amparo in Atlantic City, U.S., was his first fight abroad and also the first to last the full distance, with Benn winning a 10-round decision.

WBO middleweight champion

After two more wins, against Sanderline Williams and Jose Quinones, Benn fought WBO middleweight title holder Doug DeWitt of the US in Atlantic City. Benn was knocked down in round two, but came back to knock DeWitt down in round three, then score three knockdowns in round eight to win the title.

His first defence came in August 1990 against former WBC champion Iran Barkley, whom he knocked down three times and stopped on the three-knockdown rule at the end of the first round. Benn returned to the UK and met British rival Chris Eubank. They fought in Birmingham on 18 November 1990. Benn lost his title to Eubank when the referee stopped the fight in the ninth round after a Technical knockout finish.

WBC super-middleweight champion

Benn then went on a winning streak of six fights leading up to another world title challenge. In 1991, he beat Marvin Hagler's half brother, Robbie Sims, by a knockout in round seven, followed by a close, disputed decision win against Thulani Malinga, and a one-punch KO victory against Dan Sherry.

On 10 October 1992, Benn challenged Mauro Galvano for the WBC super-middleweight title in Palaghiaccio de Marino, Marino, Lazio, Italy. After a controversial dispute at ringside over the official result after Galvano was unable to continue due to a severe cut, Benn was declared the winner and won the title by technical decision RTD in the third round.

While still a dangerous, and damaging puncher, Benn's move to the higher weight limit saw him refine his fight strategy and adopt a more considered approach. The aggression remained but he relied less on one punch knockout power and became a more effective, and adaptable fighter. He defended his title against fellow Britons Nicky Piper and Lou Gent, and a rematch victory over Mauro Galvano, before again Chris Eubank, who was now WBO super-middleweight champion, in a unification bout on 9 October 1993. The bout ended in a draw, with both fighters retaining their respective titles. Benn defended his title twice more in 1994 with unanimous decisions against Henry Wharton and Juan Carlos Giminez Ferreyra.

Benn vs McClellan

In February 1995, Benn defended his 168 lb title against WBC middleweight champion Gerald McClellan in a highly anticipated bout billed as "Sudden Impact". Going into the fight with Benn, McClellan had won his last 21 fights, the last 14 of those by knockout, and 13 of those 14 knockouts had come in Rounds 1, 2 or 3. McClellan had twice defeated Julian Jackson, with knockouts in Round 5 and Round 1 respectively. McClellan had also never gone beyond Round 8 in any previous fight in his career, insisting that he rarely needed more than three rounds to defeat his opponents.

Benn was knocked through the ropes as McClellan dominated Round 1, but Benn hung on to survive the first round and fought his way back into the contest which developed into a brutal war. Benn was in control of the momentum of the fight around Rounds 4–6 as McClellan struggled to keep his gumshield in his mouth. McClellan struck back in Rounds 7 and 8, and Benn was knocked down again in the eighth, but an exhausted and drained McClellan was unable to follow up and Benn rallied to stop McClellan in Round 10, as McClellan took a knee and was counted out by the referee. At the time of the stoppage, two judges had McClellan ahead and one had the fight even, although those scorecards are from the end of Round 9, and therefore not counting the two knockdowns Benn scored on McClellan in the tenth.

McClellan was severely injured as a result of the fight. After collapsing in his corner after the fight had finished, McClellan was rushed to hospital where it was discovered he had developed a blood clot on the brain. To this day McClellan suffers from bad short-term memory problems, is almost completely blind, partially deaf, and uses a wheelchair, although he has regained some movement and some of his hearing since 1995, having been 80% deaf and he can now walk with a cane. In 2007, McClellan, his sister and children attended a benefit dinner organised and hosted by Benn to help McClellan with his ongoing medical expenses.

After his fight with McClellan, Benn had two more successful title defenses, with wins against future WBC title-holder Vincenzo Nardiello and against American Danny Perez, before Benn then lost his title to Malinga in 1996: Benn in fact knocked Malinga down in the fifth round of the fight, but hit the canvas himself in the twelfth, and lost a split decision (118-109, 115-111, 112-114).

Benn vs Collins I and II

In 1996, Benn attempted to take the WBO super-middleweight title twice from Steve Collins - who had finally taken that particular title off Eubank, then beat him in a rematch - but failed in both attempts: in the first fight, he lost by TKO in Round 4 after sustaining an ankle injury. Four months later, in a rematch, he retired from boxing following his second loss to Collins in November, with his corner having retired Benn on his stool at the end of Round 6.

Return from retirement

On 24 September 2019, Benn announced that he would be returning to boxing at the age of 55, 23 years after his last fight, saying that he wanted "closure" after the unsatisfactory end to his boxing career in 1996. Benn was set to fight former WBC super-middleweight world champion Sakio Bika (34-7-3) on 23 November 2019. The British Boxing Board of Control refused to sanction the fight, which instead was to be sanctioned by the British and Irish Boxing Authority. The fight was subsequently called off after Benn suffered a shoulder injury in sparring. A disappointed Benn confirmed that he was abandoning his planned boxing comeback.

Life after boxing

Benn was entered into the World Boxing Council (WBC) Boxing Hall of Fame in 2013 and was honoured alongside fellow Brit Joe Calzaghe as the WBC's greatest super middleweight champion in history. His image is now enshrined upon the sixth generation WBC super middleweight belt.

Benn works with youth at risk in Blacktown, NSW and is dedicated to his charity work. He is an ambassador to the New South Wales Police Citizens Youth Club's (PCYC) and is an advocate for healthy living. Benn is also a Patron of the Shannon Bradshaw Trust, a UK children's charity based in the North West of England, helping children with life-threatening conditions and their families.

Benn ran the 2013 City to Surf to raise funds for the most underfunded PCYC gym in Redfern, Sydney and has undertaken many fund raisers for the charity since improving the boxing facilities in the most impoverished areas of Sydney. Benn regularly assists Christian groups, counselling individuals suffering from addiction and along with wife Carolyne counsels couples who are facing marriage issues.

One of Benn's sons, Conor Benn, turned professional in 2016 and is currently fighting at welterweight. Another son, Harley, turned professional in 2017.

Professional boxing record

References

External links

*
Recent interview with Nigel Benn (audio)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Benn, Nigel
1964 births
Club DJs
English evangelicals
English Christians
English male boxers
English sportspeople of Barbadian descent
Living people
People from Ilford
Black British sportspeople
World Boxing Council champions
World Boxing Organization champions
Royal Regiment of Fusiliers soldiers
English expatriates in Spain
England Boxing champions
Commonwealth Boxing Council champions
World middleweight boxing champions
World super-middleweight boxing champions
Boxers from Greater London
I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! (British TV series) participants
Converts to Christianity