Toughest world-level fighter you've seen?

(Joe Grim doesn't count ;) )

Guys like Rocky Marciano, Marvin Hagler, Steve Collins, Wayne McCullough, Jake LaMotta, Tony Zale, Carmen Basilio, Bobby Chacon, Beau Jack, Battling Nelson and Matthew Saad Muhammad spring to mind.

But for me, Chris Eubank may of been the toughest guy. Afterall, the main focus of his training was learning to absorb punches - so he was beaten up pretty much for 15+ years straight! When we think of Eubank we tend to just remember him posturing his way through contests against what were supposedly no-hopers, barely throwing punches, and being a pompous pain in the ass. But I think the man was the ultimate warrior, in terms of technique he did everything wrong but his chin passed the test every single time (and it was tested all the time!), and if you look back at it now he seemed to be quite super-human how he'd keep going back and defending his title almost every six weeks - struggling for his life in the last few days before the weigh-in (with no food or water).

Eubank says he won an amateur tournament in New York while concussed, he couldn't even remember winning it. He looked back at the handheld video's though. He said he only remembers being hit so hard in his semi-final match that he sensed flickering of white lights, and how it must of been just before his nervous system would be about to seperate itself from his muscles. He had a tough final to get though yet, on concussion mode and at a time when he was so limited in terms of skill that his best hope was all heart!

You later had the Logan fight where he took Logan's best punches and kept fighting back with more, the first Benn fight where he took Benn's best punches and was pissing blood for weeks due to internal damage (and also had a two-inch gash on his tongue, swallowing pints of blood during the fight), the second Watson fight where he took Watson's best punches alnight and came back from the brink of death to produce an uppercut from hell, the Calzaghe fight where he stood in front of Calzaghe and took a battering due to his fractured knee not allowing him to move about, and the Thompson fights two weights up where his eye completely closed both times and he never went down.

That guy was tough. And don't forget that he was pretty much forced to spar four or five times a week when he was in New York for all those years (if he wanted to stay a member of the gym), and that the 'sparring' sessions over there were infact all-out wars (and that Eubank became king of the New York gyms before coming back to England, after incorporating intense stretching into his training and martial arts into his boxing.. and told everybody who would listen when he started taking fights in England that he was a future world champion and prepared to die in the ring trying). Sure, his fighting heart went missing after the Benn 1 and Watson 2 fights but came out again in the end in the Calzaghe, Thompson 1 and Thompson 2 fights. Warrior, and he used to almost kill himself to make weight.

Also consider Eubank's upbringing and teenage years, he was NOT from the silver spoon society - far from it! He struggled on the streets of Peckham, having to steal food to survive. Then he struggled on the streets of the South Bronx, again often having to steal food to survive. He could of caved in as a person, but remained strong and determined.

Roberto Duran

Cooclick DD
nice

I haven't seen that many Chris Eubank's fight but from what I have seen his is pretty tough. And his chin is world class.

I would say Evander Holyfield is up there.

WHAT a fantastic post. Chris Eubank is also my favourite fighter but i could have never have summed it up like you did in them two posts. Eubank was a great boxer but is also a great person!

You dont get fighters like chris eubank, they are as rare as diamonds, he definetly the toughest fighter ever. i aint just saying this cos he's my favourite, most guys who arnt proper boxing fans, say the same.

Eubank had a iron cast chin and a unbreakable resolve! Definetly my choice!

Mickey Ward, never been KO'd once

I remember the first time I saw Chris, in gym under a pub in Streatham. Ripped T shirt sparring Lt heavys and having wars. We had a bit of contact in his career, Chris was a one off, He use to pester me about training all the time, hed just turn up out of nowhere. He was a student of boxing, great individual, good hearted, inteligent person who was a pain in the arse,I use to feel for Ronnie. But having said all that YES he was the hardest bastard Ive ever come across,in Boxing, and a bastard in the nicest possible way, a One Off

Carlos Monzon
CARLOS MONZON became middleweight champion in 1970 when he scored a 12th-round knockout of fellow Hall-of-Famer Nino Benvenuti. Monzon went on to make a division-record 14 title defenses. Among his victims were Benvenuti, Emile Griffith (twice), Denny Moyer, Bennie Briscoe, Jose Napoles, and Rodrigo Valdes (twice). Of his 15 title fights, 10 ended by knockout.
Monzon's two wins over Valdes came at the end of his career and were very close decision. In the first fight, Monzon retained the title by two, two and four points. In the second contest, he climbed off the canvas to win another close decision.

Monzon's life was equally as violent when he left the ring. He was convicted of killing his long-time companion, who was the mother of his young son. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison and was elected to the Boxing Hall of Fame during that time.

Monzon died in 1995 when a car he was driving went out of control and tumbled into a ditch. He was returning to prison after a weekend furlough.

Clearly one of the best middleweights ever, Monzon was unbeaten over the last 81 bouts of his career, a span of 13 years.

Foreman was quite a hard man no ?

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Originally Posted by Scrap

I remember the first time I saw Chris, in gym under a pub in Streatham. Ripped T shirt sparring Lt heavys and having wars.

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Mate, when was that?

And do you know who he was sparring, man?

88 I think he was sparing with 2 fighters 1 was Keith Bristol pretty even he was weighing 12 st 5lbs then and no visible body fat Ive often wondered what a good Light heavy he would have made. It killed Him making weight.

88 I think he was sparing with 2 fighters 1 was Keith Bristol pretty even he was weighing 12 st 5lbs then and no visible body fat Ive often wondered what a good Light heavy he would have made. It killed Him making weight.

gatti and holyfield

Mike Tyson

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Originally Posted by killersheep

Roberto Duran

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Damn right. Duran is the toughest, baddest MF of all time! I also think despite his recent ass whipping, El Matador Ricardo Mayorga deserves a mention. But that's just me.

Duran was the cleverest He didnt get hit to often with good shots

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Originally Posted by LawHoops

gatti

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Gatti said he'd be willing to die in the ring - one week later he quits on his stool.

He quite simply quit in his biggest fight.

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Originally Posted by Scrap

Ive often wondered what a good Light heavy he would have made.

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It would of been his ultimate.

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Originally Posted by Scrap

88 I think he was sparing with 2 fighters 1 was Keith Bristol pretty even he was weighing 12 st 5lbs then and no visible body fat Ive often wondered what a good Light heavy he would have made. It killed Him making weight.

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Eubank's main sparring partner in New York was a guy called Keith Providence 8)

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Originally Posted by WWatt

(Joe Grim doesn't count ;) )

Guys like Rocky Marciano, Marvin Hagler, Steve Collins, Wayne McCullough, Jake LaMotta, Tony Zale, Carmen Basilio, Bobby Chacon, Beau Jack, Battling Nelson and Matthew Saad Muhammad spring to mind.

But for me, Chris Eubank may of been the toughest guy. Afterall, the main focus of his training was learning to absorb punches - so he was beaten up pretty much for 15+ years straight! When we think of Eubank we tend to just remember him posturing his way through contests against what were supposedly no-hopers, barely throwing punches, and being a pompous pain in the a**. But I think the man was the ultimate warrior, in terms of technique he did everything wrong but his chin passed the test every single time (and it was tested all the time!), and if you look back at it now he seemed to be quite super-human how he'd keep going back and defending his title almost every six weeks - struggling for his life in the last few days before the weigh-in (with no food or water).

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The toughest fighter I had ever seen live has got to be Marvalous Marvin Hagler imo....that 3rd round with Hearns..all the blood coming out of the cuts.....awesome....

I just watched the Watson fights again just then, both of them, Eubank was one gutsy fucker.

Wasn't Benn tough too? For me :Duran,Hagler,and currently,Erik Morales.All of his fights in the last few years are wars and he just does not back down!!!!

Oh and Julio Caeser Chavez,I mean what was that guy made out of?!?!?!?!

Some of the African fighters, although often limited, are like a coffin nails.

Ben Tackie is a tough git.

Ricky Hatton commented that the toughest person he fought was Tackie, with tribal scars on his face and a noggin like a chunk of Teak.

I recall he broke his hands on that head of his.

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Originally Posted by WWatt

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Originally Posted by LawHoops

gatti

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Gatti said he'd be willing to die in the ring - one week later he quits on his stool.

He quite simply quit in his biggest fight.

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gatti didnt quit his corner stopped it--if you listen to the audio he was pleading with buddy for one more rd--if he wanted to quit he had every reason to after rd 2 or 3 --instead he satyed in their past 6 rds of one sided ass whoop--gatti has nothing to be ashamed about in his boxing career--he never quit--u can be brave but you cant be stupid---gatti could have died in there taking more head shots from floyd so his corner wisely stopped it

zoo quit

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Originally Posted by LawHoops

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Originally Posted by WWatt

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Originally Posted by LawHoops

gatti

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Gatti said he'd be willing to die in the ring - one week later he quits on his stool.

He quite simply quit in his biggest fight.

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gatti didnt quit his corner stopped it--if you listen to the audio he was pleading with buddy for one more rd--if he wanted to quit he had every reason to after rd 2 or 3 --instead he satyed in their past 6 rds of one sided a** whoop--gatti has nothing to be ashamed about in his boxing career--he never quit--u can be brave but you cant be stupid---gatti could have died in there taking more head shots from floyd so his corner wisely stopped it

zoo quit

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Yeah I remember that in that fight with PBF. He is asking for one more round and Buddy was like "no, both of your eyes are closed." No reason to fight like that, he would have just taken more unnessesary punishment.

WE are lucky that there are no shortage of takers for this accolade in this sport !!!

There are some genuine tough nuts in boxing. Whereas in other sports, lots of people have a reputation for toughness that may not be as well earned (I'd find it hard to believe that Roy Keane, for example, was as tough as Harry Greb, Jack Dempsey or John L Sullivan - and I don't mean to pick on Keane specifically, but hopefully you get my point?)

I think that Jax (Rahman) looks pretty tough in the videos he has sent in? He looks as if he could be a world level fighter with ease, and he does say that he hates injustice on his website.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfBgQT9Hq-o

:beat: :beat: :beat:

he's got to be the most stiff and uncoordinated little cocksucker I've ever seen

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Originally Posted by raleights

he's got to the most stiff and uncoordinated little cocksucker I've ever seen

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That's very pretentious black text you are using there !!!
;)

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Originally Posted by X

I think that Jax (Rahman) looks pretty tough in the videos he has sent in? He looks as if he could be a world level fighter with ease, and he does say that he hates injustice on his website.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfBgQT9Hq-o

:beat: :beat: :beat:[/color]

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LOL at that video.

Hagler, Duran, Marciano, LaMotta, Holyfield where all tough bastards.

Iran Barkley was tough.

Emanuel Augustus. He fought with the freakin chicken pox, thats very deadly, he can't even remember the fight ;) oh and he won ;D

Eubank has to be the toughest he was made from some pretty stern stuff .
I met him in Brighton funny thing was we were talking about him 30 seconds beforehand when i look up and he's walking towards me and i stopped offered my hand and said hello Mr Eubank with a big smile on my face he was a complete and utter gentleman .

I always got the immpression Chris was at odds with boxing his bluntness self belief made him an easy target for bullys in the media but on a presonal level as a man i love the guy.

He earnt it the hard way gave some superhuman efforts in the ring and had the bravery of nobody ive ever seen

He's constantly in the local paper for various eccentric behaviour including jumping into a parked lorry and moving it when it was obstructing traffic .

He and Benn were/are completley different personalities Benn didnt have Chris Eubanks durability but he had the fighting heart of a Chris Eubank when the chips were down .

Benn is not everybodys cup of tea but he and Eubank worked to a certain level and i think they expected people and the world around them to be on a par with them .

Benn's an honest guy.

Great quote from Eubank when a driver turned up to escort him to a function driving a Vauxall Caviler Eubank told him ' To go away and come back with something more befitting a world champion'.


Good on him , he earned the right to ask for a little more .

Tommy Morrison

johhny tapia and manuel medina

Matthew Saad Muhammad, a true warrior, if you ever see his 2 fights with Marvin Johnson, you will never forget them. also Bobby Chacon was tuff as nails, as was Rocky Marciano, the epitome of toughness.