Nigel Benn

Nigel Gregory Benn (born 22 January 1964), is a former British professional boxer who competed from 1987 to 1996. A two-weight world champion, he held the WBO middleweight title in 1990 and reigned as the WBC super-middleweight champion from 1992 to 1996. He held the regional Commonwealth middleweight title from 1988 to 1989, and defeated several world champions, including Doug DeWitt, Iran Barkley, Thulani Malinga, Mauro Galvano, and Gerald McClellan.

Benn retired with an 83.3% knockout percentage. Among his high-profile bouts were defending the world middleweight title against Iran Barkley in 1989, two world title contests against Chris Eubank in 1990 and 1993, and a world title fight against McClellan. He defended his world super-middleweight title in 1995. Before his ring walks, the chimes of Big Ben were often played.

Early life and amateur career

Benn was born in Ilford, Essex (now East London), on 22 January 1964. At the age of 18, Benn joined the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and was stationed in West Germany for three years and in Northern Ireland for eighteen months. After leaving the army, Benn joined the West Ham Amateur Boxing Club. Benn became the Amateur Boxing Association Middleweight Champion in 1986.

Professional career

Benn began his professional boxing career in 1987. He achieved 22 consecutive knockout victories before his defeat to Michael Watson in 1989. On 20 April 1988, he won the vacant Commonwealth middleweight title by defeating Abdul Umaru via a second stoppage at Alexandra Pavilion.

In May 1989, Benn (22-0, 22 KOs) lost the Commonwealth middleweight title to Michael Watson in a nationally televised fight at Finsbury Park, London. In the sixth round, Watson knocked Benn down with a jab, and Benn was counted out.

Benn's next fight, against Jorge Amparo in Atlantic City, U.S., marked his first fight outside the UK and the first to go the full distance. He won by a 10-round decision.

WBO middleweight champion

After securing victories agains
Sanderline Williams
and Jose Quinones, Benn faced WBO middleweight champion Doug DeWitt in Atlantic City. After being knocked down in the second round, Benn recovered, flooring DeWitt in the third round and delivering three knockdowns in the eighth to claim the title.

His first defence was in August 1990 against former WBC champion Iran Barkley. Benn won via the three-knockdown rule at the end of the first round. Benn then returned to the UK and met British rival Chris Eubank three months later. They fought in Birmingham on 18 November 1990, and Benn lost his title to Eubank in the ninth round when the referee stepped in and declared Eubank the winner by technical knockout.

WBC super-middleweight champion

Beginning in 1991 with a seventh-round KO victory over Robbie Sims ( Marvin Hagler's half-brother), Benn went on a six-fight winning streak, leading to another world title challenge. Other wins in this period include a decision win against Thulani Malinga and a one-punch KO victory against Dan Sherry.

On 10 October 1992, Benn successfully challenged Mauro Galvano for the WBC super-middleweight title in Palaghiaccio di Marino, Marino, Lazio, Italy. Due to a severe cut, Galvano could not continue in the third round, thus resulting in Benn being declared the winner by default.

Benn's move to the higher weight limit led him to refine his fight strategy and adopt a more considered approach. He successfully defended his title three times, defeating fellow Britons Nicky Piper and Lou Gent and winning a rematch with Galvano, before facing Chris Eubank, 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 in 1994 with unanimous decisions against Henry Wharton and Juan Carlos Giminez Ferreyra.

Benn vs McClellan

In February 1995, Benn successfully defended his 168 lb. title against WBC middleweight champion Gerald McClellan in a highly anticipated bout billed as ''Sudden Impact''. Going into the fight, McClellan had won his last 21 fights, the last 14 by knockout, with 13 of those knockouts in the first three rounds. Due to this record, many British media saw Benn as an underdog.

In Round 1, Benn was knocked through the ropes as McClellan dominated early. Benn struggled in the early rounds, with McClellan in clear control. From Rounds 4 to 6, Benn began to shift the momentum, as McClellan showed signs of distress, repeatedly losing his gumshield, backing off for extended periods, and blinking continuously. McClellan responded in Rounds 7 and 8, knocking Benn down again in the eighth round. However, McClellan, now visibly fatigued, could not capitalise on his advantage. Benn won the fight by stoppage in the 10th round via knockout, as McClellan could not rise from his knees. At the time of the stoppage, two judges had McClellan ahead, while the third scored the fight as even, although these scores did not account for the two knockdowns Benn delivered in the final round.

McClellan sustained serious injuries as a result of the fight. After collapsing in his corner post-fight, McClellan was rushed to the hospital, where doctors found a blood clot in his brain. McClellan fell into a coma for two weeks. The injuries left him with significant impairments: he suffers from short-term memory problems, is almost blind and partially deaf, and uses a wheelchair. However, since 1995, McClellan has regained some of his hearing, having been 80% deaf, and can now walk with a cane. In 2007, McClellan, his sister, and his children attended a benefit dinner organized and hosted by Benn to help McClellan with his ongoing medical expenses.

After his fight with McClellan, Benn had two further successful title defences, with wins against future WBC title-holder Vincenzo Nardiello and American Danny Perez. Benn then lost his title to Malinga in 1996 in a fight that saw Benn knock Malinga down in the fifth round, but he also met the canvas in the twelfth round. Benn lost the contest by 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 taken that particular title from Eubank. Benn failed in both attempts. In the first fight, he lost by TKO in round four after sustaining an ankle injury. In the rematch four months later, Benn was retired by his corner at the end of round six with Benn on his stool. Benn retired from professional boxing altogether shortly after the second fight.

Return from retirement

On 24 September 2019, Benn announced his intention to return to boxing at 55, after a 23-year absence from the ring. Benn explained that he wanted "closure" after the unsatisfactory end to his boxing career in 1996. He revealed plans for a bout against former WBC super-middleweight world champion Sakio Bika (34-7-3), scheduled for 23 November 2019. The British Boxing Board of Control refused to sanction the fight, leading to its controversial sanctioning by the British and Irish Boxing Authority instead. However, the fight was subsequently called off after Benn suffered a shoulder injury in sparring. Benn confirmed that he was abandoning his planned comeback.

Life after boxing

In 1999, Benn attempted suicide, citing struggles with sex addiction and its impact on his family. He survived partly due to the hosepipe he used to recycle exhaust fumes back into his car, which disconnected repeatedly. Benn regards this incident as a turning point, after which he embraced Christianity and committed to remaining faithful to his wife.

Benn works with at-risk youth in Blacktown, New South Wales, Australia, and is dedicated to his charity work. He is an ambassador to the New South Wales Police Citizens Youth Club ( PCYC) and 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 was inducted into the World Boxing Council (WBC) Boxing Hall of Fame in 2013 and was honoured alongside fellow Brit Joe Calzaghe, both WBC middleweight champions. His image is now on the sixth-generation WBC super middleweight belt.

Benn ran the 2013 City to Surf to raise funds for the most underfunded PCYC gym in Redfern, Sydney and has undertaken many fundraisers for the charity since improving the boxing facilities in the most impoverished areas of Sydney. Benn regularly assists Christian groups, counselling individuals with addiction, and along with his 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.

In 2024, Benn joined fellow London boxers Frank Bruno, Lennox Lewis and Chris Eubank for a mini-documentary, ''Four Kings''. In the final episode, he revealed he had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. He also stated that he was aware of unresolved PTSD due to the circumstances surrounding his older brother's death.

Professional boxing record

References

External links

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Recent interview with Nigel Benn (audio)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Benn, Nigel
1964 births
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Boxers from the London Borough of Redbridge
Black British sportsmen
World Boxing Council champions
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