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By: Sean Crose
It had appeared at one point that the fight never would become a reality. On Saturday, however, Chris Eubank and Conor Benn, whose own fathers had once thrown down in a classic, now threw down in what will likely be seen as a classic of their own. This was a high profile fight that actually exceeded the hype. Credit to both men for putting on a true fireworks display in London Saturday night. This was the kind of battle that showed just how great a sport boxing can actually be.
The first round was a high octane affair. Benn was more aggressive, but the much bigger Eubank landed more effectively. The second was another fast paced chapter, one that saw Eubank’s jab do notable work. By the third one had to admire Benn’s aggressivenes, as well as his power, for he was able to rock Eubank in the round. Eubank, however, remained calm in the fourth. Benn had been looking extremely good, but Eubank kept to his business.
And, sure enough, Eubank’s jab reasserted itself and told the story of the fifth. Benn worked hard in the sixth, no doubt, but Eubank appeared to edge it. Benn got tagged early in the seventh, but managed to survive the shot. Jabs and straight rights clearly gave Eubank the advantage. The eighth gave viewers a world class shootout as each man battled at a blistering pace.
By the ninth it was worth wondering how in the world each man was able to keep up the pace before the roaring crowd. Benn needed an award for courage while Eubank took to thudding away at his man. The tenth, frankly, was a war. Benn got tagged earlier on, but that only seemed to motivate the man. The sound of each punch landing with a thud was something to behold. It looked for a moment in the eleventh that Benn might have been starting to break down…but Ben wasn’t having it. As the round wound down, Eubank himself looked bruised and drained.
The fighters fired away in the twelfth and final round with almost frightening ferocity. Been got rattled by a Eubank shot, but survived it. He looked exhausted, but he and Eubank went above and beyond expectations until the sound of the final bell. Eubank walked out with the decision win, but – corny though it may sound – there were no losers in this match.
