No Middle Ground

by Sanjeev Shetty

  More than twenty years after that tragic night at White Hart Lane that rendered him immobile and totally reliant on medical assistance, Michael Watson is now self-sufficient enough to eat on his own and go to the toilet by himself, not to mention plan for yet another go at the London Marathon, before he retires from public life when he turns fifty in 2015. He still harbours regrets that his ring career never quite reaped the dividends of his peers, although there is no bitterness about the night that ended his career. He speaks of Benn with warmth. Of Eubank, he says only that his former rival ‘doesn’t know who he is. He’s lost.’ For how he managed to effect such an incredible change in his own life, he has the most simple of reasons:

  ‘I just love life.’

  It is said that Sugar Ray Leonard understood the magnitude of situations in the ring better than virtually anyone and could get himself out of trouble in Houdini-esque fashion. Chris Eubank never inhabited a fistic journey comparable to the American, except that he knew better than most how to escape danger. It was an instinct honed, I suspect, from hours on the street as a youth, dodging police or rival gangs. And it also related to his ego – having told the world he was the best, he surely could not fail them when asked to prove it. But, my how he battled – against Benn on that first fight when he should have been pulled out given the blood he lost, against Watson in the second fight when he had prepared himself for defeat from the midway point and in those epic fights with the bigger, stronger and heavier Carl Thompson.

  Having avoided defeat to fighters from his own country for so long, it was ironic that he would end his career with three consecutive losses to fellow Brits. And the fact that he undoubtedly outstayed his welcome in the ring convinced many of us that, in fact, he was not nearly as smart as he thought he was. The problem, by that stage, was that he had spent so long ignoring advice from everyone that no one was ever going to tell him to get out. Or, conversely, was the gravy train so rich that no one wanted it to stop?

  Like Watson, the ring was his theatre, his place of expression. But it wasn’t that he wanted to show you how skilled he was. More a case of ‘look at where I am’. His magnificently sculpted physique masked his limitations and the fact that his training regimes were not of the spartan. And there was a bit of insecurity that some never wanted to try and expose. The youngest of a brood of brothers, Eubank never stopped trying to prove himself in the eyes of his siblings, two of whom boxed and not nearly as successfully as him. And he admits that, even with all he achieved, he still could not earn their respect. The criticism from newspapers and commentators always hurt him as well and he never stopped trying to prove, through chat show appearances and constant mentions of the charity work that he did, what a good guy he was. Plenty would vouch for that and plenty would also say that they were happy for him to be whoever he wanted to be as long as he did it on his own time.

  If other boxers were jealous of him and the extraordinary publicity he enjoyed, they would eventually realise one thing: when faced with the opportunity for greatness, as in the first Benn bout and the Watson rematch, he seized the moment. There will never be anyone like him again, because sportsmen in this day and age are treated like politicians, their every utterance scrutinised to the point where their advisers tell them to say nothing at all. Like him or loathe him, he was different and he demanded attention, ‘a boxer with an opinion’.

  Eubank may well have achieved similar levels of notoriety and fame without Nigel Benn, but having him there helped. Their rivalry seemed natural enough as long as Benn remained combustible and Eubank aloof. People told and still tell stories of what could have happened when the pair would accidentally collide but the rivalry did not need myths or misdirection to take it to a higher place. From the moment the pair signed a contract on television, with the snarls and impassive stares as genuine as the punches they would exchange, their rivalry captivated the nation. On the surface, their approaches to the sport seemed so different, but, in the ring, it always came down to a battle of wills. On one occasion, Eubank’s was greater and on the other there was nothing to choose between the two.

  The temptation to portray Benn as little more than a one-dimensional brawler was easy for at his peak he conveyed and displayed violence in a way that no British fighter has done since. Because of the success of another destructive brawler in Mike Tyson, the style was very much in vogue. And while Benn was never quite at the level of the American, he could, at his best, be just as exciting. The style spoke for so much of society as well – the anger, the violence, the hate and the success, all of which existed in the Thatcher era and for some time after. But the frequency with which he changed trainers suggested someone who knew his limitations and would do anything to improve. What he couldn’t do was beat either of his domestic rivals.

  Like Eubank, he enjoyed certain theatrical aspects of his ring life. It was sometimes hard to work out whether he was showman or ring assassin. That lack of clarity perhaps explains why one former promoter, who enjoyed his time with Benn, would say ‘he can be anything he wants to be, depending on the situation’.

  The man who held a mirror out to both them was Watson. In beating Benn, he showed the world how one-dimensional ‘the Dark Destroyer’ actually was. And in his two fights with Eubank he demonstrated that he was the superior boxer, while also taking him to another level. It is tempting to label Watson as a throwback, the kind of boxer who learned his trade quietly and shunned the limelight, believing that his skills spoke better than his mouth. But Watson, in fact, humanised both his rivals. The hate and anger that was so much a part of Benn’s psychological make-up disappeared when he was near Watson. He never had much desire for a rematch with his fellow Londoner and, as years passed, they developed a friendship that was quite unique in boxing. Watson’s impact on Eubank was to remind him that very few can control the sport. Up until their second fight, it had always been fun for Eubank. But in first promising to hurt an opponent and then doing so to such a dreadful extent, Eubank found that hardly anyone gets to leave the ring mentally unscathed.

  Boxing rivalries don’t generally come in threes – many world champions of recent vintage only fight once a year, not enough to build that tension and drama. So revisiting Eubank, Benn and Watson and seeing the map of their conflict, which involved upsets, wars, tragedy and controversy, all packed into four and a half years, is a reminder of a time when disputes, conflicts and tantrums were all condensed into one good scrap on a Saturday or Sunday, televised live for your viewing pleasure. And with the trio made up of a prancer, a bully and a straight man, it’s hard to believe it will ever happen again.

  Acknowledgements

  This book would have been impossible to write without the help of a great many people, who gave of their time willingly and were incredibly helpful. Thanks go to, in no particular order, Ambrose Mendy, Kevin Lueshing, Nigel Benn, Mike Costello, Frank Warren, Frank Maloney, Jane Couch, Colin Hart, Barry Hearn, John Wischhusen, Jim McDonnell, Leonard Ballack, Michael Watson, Jimmy Tibbs, David Brenner, Jim Rosenthal, Clive Bernath, Jim Evans, Steve Farhood, Geraldine Davies, Gary Newbon, Nick Owen, Paul Fairweather, Glyn Leach, James Cook, Suzanne Pakarian, Colin McMillan, Trevor East, Herol Graham and Bruce Trampler.

  I am eternally grateful to Alice Everett of Addenbrooke’s Hospital for patiently explaining to me the intricacies of brain injuries and how an individual can bring himself back to the condition Michael Watson is now in.

  I foolishly believed before I began the process of writing this book that I could remember everything as it happened during my late teens and early twenties. That turned out not to be the case and I relied on the following books to help me put into order the events as they happened. Nigel Benn, an autobiography published by Blake; Eubank: The Autobiography, published by CollinsWillows; Michael Watson’s Story: The Biggest Fight, published by Sphere; and Bomber: Behind the Laughter, Herol Graham’s revealing autobiography, written with Stuart Wilkin and published by TH Media. Also invaluable were Fighting Wor
ds, by Harry Mullan; War, Baby: The Glamour of Violence, by Kevin Mitchell; Dark Trade: Lost in Boxing, by Donald McRae; and Twenty & Out: A Life in Boxing, the autobiography of Mickey Duff.

  As always, I am indebted to the people who have tolerated me for so long. My mother and father, who allowed their hyperactive child to stay up late and watch John Conteh in the late seventies. My brother Raj, who listened to my ramblings from as long as I can remember, and Trev, who still listens and offers insights I wish I had. Of course, no one helps more than those around me now. To my handsome and talented sons, Raf and Ruben, thanks for the laughs and smiles and for being so bloody awesome (sorry for swearing, boys). And as for my wife Laura, there are no words left to describe your wonder. And patience.

  And a big thank you to Robin Harvie at Aurum, who came to me a while ago and discussed this project and the best way to approach it. And to Richard Collins, whose editing has made this book a lot more readable.

  Back in 1992, Andrew Forrester suggested to me that it was time for us to go to fights, rather than watch them on TV and stuff our faces with fast food. So began a six-year period when these two public schoolboys travelled the country, watching Benn, Eubank, Lennox, Naz and the rest. And it was a blast. We lost Andy in 1998 and not a day has passed since that I haven’t expected him to come through the door and tell me he has tickets for the next big one.

  Miss you, fella.

  Index

  Abrams, Claude 194, 195

  Ahmed, Graeme 15

  Albert, Marv 64, 66

  Ali, Muhammad 6-7, 11, 32, 58, 67, 74, 98, 126, 144, 208, 250

  v Foreman (‘Rumble in the Jungle’) 45-6, 53

  v Frazier (‘Fight of the Century’) 54, 109-10, 174, 266

  v Frazier (‘the Thrilla in Manila’) 87, 174, 266-7

  Amaral, Mauricio 285

  Amparo, Jorge 75-6, 79, 219

  Andretti, Vic 73, 74, 124, 125, 165, 166

  Andries, Dennis 33, 45

  Arguello, Alexis 266

  Armstrong, Percy 124

  Arsenal football club 41-2, 68, 151, 209

  Arum, Bob 75, 80, 86-7, 88, 108, 118

  Astaire, Jarvis 33

  Ballack, Leonard 46, 77

  Baptiste, Alan 36

  Barker, Russell 33

  Barkley, Iran 85-6, 87-8, 90, 113, 221, 249, 255

  Barnes, John 19

  Barrett, Mike 24, 33

  Batson, Brendan 19

  BBC 24, 34, 36, 44, 54, 57, 228, 282

  Benn, Andy 12, 225

  Benn, Carolyne 294

  Benn, Conor 14

  Benn, Dickson 12-13, 23, 64

  Benn, John 13

  Benn, Mina 22-3

  Benn, Nigel

  amateur career 14

  in America 73-6, 79-89

  army service 13, 14

  Benn–Eubank relationship 100, 104-7, 133, 172-3, 214, 218, 225-6, 247-8, 250-4, 273, 278, 295-6, 299

  Benn–Eubank similarities 110, 251-2

  birth and early life 12-13, 251

  charity work 252, 294

  clubbing 166, 167, 239-40

  Commonwealth title 17-18, 54

  ‘Dark Destroyer’ 30, 165

  depression 167

  dislike of sparring 48, 74, 223, 292

  drug use 89, 167, 294

  at the Eubank–Watson II fight 182, 193, 203

  family background 12, 110

  fans of 49-51, 119

  friendship with Watson 182, 203-4, 207, 225

  gladiatorial contest with Eubank 295

  hairstyle 51

  hatred of Eubank 107, 108-9, 120, 133

  I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! contestant 295

  knockout power 14, 15, 16, 17

  lavish lifestyle 25-6, 27

  managers see Hearn, Barry; McCarthy, Burt; Mendy, Ambrose; Warren, Frank

  marketing of 23, 26-7, 29-30, 47, 50, 68, 72, 86, 148

  marriages see Benn, Carolyne; Benn, Sharron

  mercurial temperament 30, 148, 225, 240, 300

  moves up to super middleweight 218-19

  natural aggression 3, 13, 17, 18, 29-30, 38, 74, 90, 251, 300

  post-boxing life 294-6

  post-fight interviews 88, 225

  prospect of Benn–Eubank III 279, 280, 281, 291

  purses 41, 88, 111, 148, 243, 292

  religious faith 16, 294

  retirement 132-3, 294

  smoking habit 51

  suicide attempt 294, 295

  trainers see Andretti, Vic; Lynch, Brian; Moughton, Graham; Saunders, Kevin; Tibbs, Jimmy

  training 17, 48, 74, 75, 222-3, 239-40, 243

  turns professional 14-15

  v Amparo 75-6, 219

  v Barkley 87-8, 90, 255

  v Collins 294

  v DeWitt 80-2, 255

  v Eubank (I - 1990) 110-32, 244, 283

  v Eubank (II - 1993) 235-6, 242-5, 246-66, 267-80

  v Galvano 223-5, 235, 237, 240, 255

  v Gent 240-2

  v Lescano 220

  v Logan 21-3, 27

  v McClellan 210, 292-3

  v Malinga 220, 222, 294

  v Miller 21

  v Milo 165-6

  v Morgan 219

  v Piper 234, 235, 237, 240

  v Sandu 18

  v Sherry 220

  v Sims 146-7

  v Watson 29, 39-41, 45, 46-56, 59-69, 126, 268-9

  v Wharton 291-2

  WBC super middleweight title 225-6, 242

  WBO middleweight title 82, 102

  womanising 16-17, 51, 74-5, 146, 294

  Benn, Sharron 51, 74, 146, 292

  Bernath, Clive 37

  Best, George 17

  Bingham, Howard 98

  black sportsmen 19, 26

  Black Wednesday (1992) 231

  Blair, Tony 231

  Borg, Björn 2

  Bosman, Jean-Marc 25

  Botham, Ian 282

  Botile, Mbulelo 193-4

  Boucher, Donovan 256

  Bowe, Riddick 154, 187, 230

  boxing

  British boxing style, American view of 37

  crowd behaviour 43-4, 162, 176-7, 193, 224

  drawn fights 259, 275, 277, 278

  ethical concerns 197-8, 200

  fighting DNA 11-12

  gate receipts 226-7

  inherent physical dangers of 193-5, 210

  see also brain trauma; ring deaths last great era of 9-10, 54, 58, 284

  niche sport status 10, 281, 284

  Olympic boxing 33, 154, 229, 282, 283

  racism 30, 151, 152, 176, 224

  rematch hype 174-5, 266-7

  ring deaths 5, 44, 171, 197-8, 202, 210, 216

  savage nature of 44, 57, 171-2

  television coverage see television

  television money 226, 227

  women’s boxing 50

  Brain and Spine Foundation 296

  brain trauma 192-3, 195-201, 205-11, 293

  Brandman, Henri 40, 83

  Brenner, Dave 122, 135, 136, 155, 158, 160, 163, 164, 176, 216, 232-3

  British Boxing Board of Control 24, 50, 84, 88, 140, 200-1, 209-10

  Watson court case 210, 211-13

  Brown, Anthony 142, 143

  Brown, Tim 93

  Bruno, Frank 15-16, 23, 26, 54, 66-7, 71, 97, 120, 144, 239

  v Lewis 245-6

  v Tyson 57-8, 256

  BSkyB see Sky

  Bugner, Joe 71, 97

  v Cooper 276-7

  Bunce, Steve 188

  Burnett, Winston 96

  Calzaghe, Joe 84, 154, 194, 246, 281

  v Eubank 287

  Cappuccino, Frank 157

  Carpenter, Harry 36, 57-8

  Castellano, Carol 263, 265, 271, 274, 276

  Chantler, Ian 36

  Charles, Prince of Wales 47

  Charles, Ezzard 266

  Chávez, Julio César 128, 129, 230, 259, 274

  Chilambe, Mike 27

  Christie, Errol
7, 16, 85, 115, 116, 130, 142

  Christie, Linford 119-20

  Clancy, Gil 5, 161

  Clayton, Bill 56

  Close, Ray 238-9

  Cole, Israel 37

  Collins, Simon 165

  Collins, Steve 77, 79

  v Benn 294

  v Eubank 286-7

  Colón, Carlos 162

  Connors, Jimmy 2

  Conteh, John 159

  Contreras, Eduardo 102

  Cook, James 34-5

  Cooper, Henry 140, 174, 188-9, 248

  v Bugner 276-7

  Córdoba, Victor 221, 229

  Cortez, Joe 224, 225

  Corti, Hugo 100

  Costello, Mike 14, 26, 37, 58

  Couch, Jane 50

  Coyle, John 59, 65, 66, 147

  Crooks, Garth 19

  Cruz, Dennis 93

  Cummings, Jumbo 23

  Cunningham, Laurie 19

  Curry, Don 58, 70

  Da Silva, Jose 100

  D’Amato, Cus 58

  dance music 166

  Davies, Ronnie 96, 111, 116, 158, 174, 181, 244-5, 259, 261, 270, 272, 274, 289, 290

  Davis, Steve 29, 71, 97, 99, 112, 282

  de la Hoya, Oscar 227

  DeFreitas, Peter 243

  DeGale, James 289

  Delaney, Gary 171

  Dempsey, Jack 53, 56, 58

  Dempsey, Paul 138

  DeWitt, Doug 36, 80-2, 87, 249, 255

  dos Santos, Renaldo 104, 106, 111, 119

  Douglas, James ‘Buster’ 81, 88-9

  Douglas, Rod 14, 46-7, 76, 200, 205

  Doyle, Jimmy 171-2

  Duff, Mickey 14, 33, 34, 36, 38, 39, 40-1, 53, 55, 71-2, 78, 83-4, 145, 197, 230

  Dundee, Angelo 98

  Durán, Roberto 32, 33, 57, 80, 86, 89, 174, 229

  v Leonard 174-5

  Earl’s Court 143-4, 236, 241

  East, Trevor 100, 228, 256

  Erskine, Joe 174, 248

  España, Crisanto 256

  Essett, Ron 218, 232

  Eubank, Chris

  amateur boxing 93

  in America 92-5

  anti-Iraq war protest 153

  arrogance 3, 108-9, 137, 148, 152, 252, 253, 255