Chris Eubank Q&A's (from his forum!)

Q: This was a man that like yourself applied philosophy to his fighting.
Do you have any thoughts on the man, the legend?

Eubank: Yes, that perhaps unconsciously in watching "Enter The Dragon", in about 1974 having bunked into a movie theatre in Kingsland High Street, Stoke Newington. The little bit I saw that time maybe unconsciously he taught me to be an original and to go with my own artistic licence.

Q: Bruce Lee of course was the guy that promoted the one inch KO punch.

I always remember Chris that whilst 99% of the time in the ring you were a great boxer there was this silly LONG looping right hand that you occasionally used to throw that rarely connected with its intended target.

The first fighter that I noticed countering it well was Ray Close who had obviously seen tapes of you and was tactically waiting for it. He usually countered with about 3-4 good short punches rat-a-tat-tat.

Was it just the case that the LONG looping punch, whilst not a good offensive punch was good entertainment for the fans to watch.

Eubank: The punch may have looked silly and indeed made me look ungamely most of the times. But for every 100 times I threw it, it connected once and the fight was always over.

Q: Analysing Bruce Lee's style. Do you think you could have beaten Bruce Lee when you were at your peak?

Eubank: Well if he had boxing gloves on, then it would be a different fight. It depends on what arena we are in. If it is a boxing arena and with gloves then the dynamics of boxing is always the same. So a little good one finds it very difficult to beat a good big one.


Q: Hi Chris
firstly may i say that you were and still are a legend,you were the first Fighter i ever payed to see in the flesh Vs Wharton (Manchester Gmex 93)
I caught most of your career on TV and loved watching you.Thank you for the Memories(u also encouraged me to start in the amateur game i retired after 6 fights W5 D1)
Anyways down to the questions:-
Who would you have liked to have fought but didnt due to poilitics or other circumstances??
Also who was your boxing idol?Who influenced your style and the way you fought?I know thats gonna be a tough question as you were unique in your style
Thanks man U r still Simply The Best

Eubank:
My style came from my personality. I didn't really look up to any other men, i had the viewpoint if a man can do it, I am a man so why can't I do it? I followed words of inspiration. Bob Marley was more influencial to me he inspired me to be the best I can.

Q: Do I not remember you once saying Chris that the best way to become a good boxer was to look at all your favourite fighters and then mould their best qualities into YOU. Thus you are not treating one fighter as your role model. You are extracting the best bits of others.

Eubank: Correct.

Q: So what great fighters make up all your best qualities then Chris?

Eubank: As a philosophy, I have actually pointed out to people over the years you take the best parts of and the techniques of other fighters and try to make them your own. Of course I had to copy people in order to learn, but those people I admired. Those people were Dennis Cruz, who you would not have heard of. He was a gym fighter, he had perfect balance.
I admired greatly the jab of Thomas Hearns, but I wouldn't say my jab was like his. I admired it but I didn't have the same body structure he had, so mine was different. My style more or less was my own.


Q: Hiya Chris,

You will no doubt cringe just seeing the subject title. What is your opinion on the way that Caroline Aherne aka Mrs Merton handled the interview?

I confess I have watched her show before with other guests and been amused but you two didnt really hit it off. She was taking the piss quite a lot but I guess thats just the style of show that she does.

Did you not know what kind of interview it would be before you went on or do you think that she was just plain insulting?

My personal opinion is that the show just wasnt suited to your personality.

Mind you you just about coped on "They Think its all over". Whats your opinion on shows like that where 'Taking the Mickey' is order of the day? Can you laugh at yourself generally?

Eubank: I prefer to have people not laugh at me. People laughing with me is fine.
The Mrs Merton show, the only thing I could do was to be dignified and not to say anything. I was asked a question which was rude and had a sexual innuendo, that some people didn't actually get. If you had any kind of decency or dignity about you, you would not ask such a question. I did a little too well the years I was fighting to be asked such a question "how does it feel to be licked around the ring?". The sexual innuendo meant I could not answer the unreasonable question anyway, so to actually say nothing, which is what I did, was the only dignified way in which I could deal with such foolishness really. So the way I conducted myself during that interview was the right way. I was not sure of how or what tact they would use to get the laugh, because as far as I was concerned at the time what could they possibly use, you know I'm a stand-up proper person. So perhaps actually to go and say those things that she said or use the tact that she used. Ok it was a tact, yes it was for a show where people rib each other, so I expected something but I didn't expect that. I think I handled it, the only way it could be handled without embarrassing myself or getting up and walking out, so I think I handled it perfectly well.


(more to come..)

Q: Are there any injuries that you suffer from Chris as a result of your boxing career?

I remember seeing Nigel Benn in an interview last year where he was asked why you 2 didnt have a 3rd fight. He answered:-

You've got to be realistic with yourself and say I dont know, I've been bashed from pillar to post. Been hurt. Suffered a lot of internal damage. A LOT of internal damage!

I also remember you saying that you urinated blood 2-3 days following the first Benn fight. Was that the norm for almost every big fight you were in or was it the exception? In addition to that what were the full extent of your sufferings both a few days after a big fight and injury that you may still suffer. The kind of thing that the normal armchair fight fan wont be aware off.

Eubank: No not the norm, Benn just hit especially hard. All that has healed.
In my second to last fight with Carl Thompson (51st fight), I had a very bad eye injury, so there is slight damage in my left eye however, I still have 20:20 vision

Q: Given the amount of wars that you had Chris do you count yourself lucky to have escaped from the ring WITHOUT serious any injury or long lasting damage

Eubank: Yes I count myself lucky but my luck I estimate came from my forefathers who were bred as slaves which gives me the constitution, fortitude, bone density and the capability to absorb vast amounts of physical punishment. A long with a slightly maniacal artistic licence that made me train continuously and emotionally without resting my mind. I estmate this is how my luck came to be.

Q: Do you strongly believe in ancestor genes then Chris?

If I a competitor comes from a family of lazy slobs is he immediately at a disadvantage in comparison to ancestors such as you had?

Eubank: Philosophically yes it is a disadvantage.

Still, I still had to do the work, you see it is no good having good genes, but then going out and not training.

Q: How do you mean "Philosophically it is a disadvantage"?

I am struggling with your meaning of the word "Philosophically"

Eubank: Philosophically from a thinking point of view;
If you have a line of animals that are continuously matched together and bred of strong blood lines, an individual brought from this pedigree and then another line of person of no pedigree, so they don't have body muscle mass, they don't have dense bone structures, just normal human animals. Then obviously from a philosophical point of view this one which was bred is going to be stronger, if that individual from that blood line trains, doesn't smoke, doesn't drink, does all the work it is more likely to beat a person from a weaker blood line, or blood line that hasn't been bred.


Q: Chris, before your 2nd fight with Michael Watson your record stood at:-

28 FIGHTS 28-0-0 with 15 KOs (54% ratio)

Following that fight your record is:-

24 FIGHTS 17-5-2 with 5 KOs (21% ratio)

Many people have said that they felt you lost your killer instinct after the fight with Michael (which would be completely understandable). I never recall you having confirmed this and just wondered how you felt about the theory.

Would you say you ever held back on an opponent following that tragic fight?

Eubank: I held back clearly on Collins in the 10th round, in our first fight. I held back clearly against Thompson in the first fight in the 5th round and then again in the 7th. So I lost the finishing instinct, if I couldn't take them out cleanly with one shot then I went for the decision, because I couldn't bludgeon anyone into submission. Yes I held back more than just those two fights because it was in every fight after Michael that I held back, due to what happened you can't shield that from your mind when you find yourself in the middle of an arena again doing the same things. But those two fights most significantly I held back, I think, because I didn't win when I showed better boxing ability but just not as busy as they were, and could of won easily. Or sorry maybe it's better to say I could of easily won or could easily of won, rather than I could of won easily. Sorry about that lapse in concentration there :lickish:


Q: As a good friend of Carl Thompson,i always in the back of my mind wondered if you prepared fully for those two fights,i watched and witnessed him take his mind and body to its limit in preparation for his fights with you,and even on winning the first fight on the saturday night,he was back out on roadwork 6am on the monday morning.
Could you in your heart of hearts been better prepared for the step up to cruiserweight and for the fight after a long absence,did the heat of the arena effect your endurance and power on the night of the first fight,sorry for the long post,just interested to know.

Eubank: Your answer first of all, he and I both know that I won the first fight, that is just between me and him. The second fight he and I know that if the ref let the fight go on he would not have won the fight, but my eye was closed. I was not given the courtesy that I had earned to give me one more round.
I do not complain though as decisions that have been given to me were dodgy for my opponents.

Q: Would you agree that whilst you may have won the Carl Thompson fights had things went your way, the decisions against Michael Watson (fight I) and Nigel Benn (fight II) were debatable?

Eubank: Yes it was debatable. But on close inspection of Watson (fight I) you'll find that Michael didn't do enough. In close inspection of Benn (fight II), maybe Nigel did do enough. But in losing a point for hitting low, which is all in the game, maybe that slurred against him if to you it was more Nigel than me. I was better than Michael and Nigel, watch all four fights and you will see more talent coming from my end.

Q: Against Ray Close you got a draw and a points win. Did you agree with the judges verdicts there?

Eubank: Lets say the fight was close and lets say he was peppering me with fair shots and with these shots he may well have been ahead. But when I hit him with that short uppercut obviously the two points that would have got me, put me back in front. Then my particular showman on top of that obviously gives the perception that this is the better person to be Champion. Because its not only about your boxing abilities, its also about your personality. Close was a guy I had never seen fight before, whilst he studied me relentlessly. He never beat me.

Q: Chris, you were conscious then that your arrogant, obnoxious body language/style would work in your favour when it came to the judges deciding who deserved to win a round?

Eubank: Something like that. It is all about winning the eye, or being the light of the show. Now obnoxious is a harsh word to use because you see the body language was probably unfair, in terms of how I projected myself. But you see so too was unfair the animosity that came my way because of my style. So the crowd who disliked me in them showing how much or venting or sounding how much they were against this attitude only made me more over confident, in which you are saying is obnoxious. I understand, but still very harsh. I am only riding the crowd here, it is a show.

Q: I looked it up. Obnoxious means "Very annoying or objectionable, offensive or odious".

OK perhaps a little harsh there Chris. But the phrase 'you either love him or you hate him' was meant for guys like you! And I mean during the peak of your career of course because nowadays you are looked on quite favourably within the British public because in your latter career you lost more than you won and the British public tend to warm more to good losers than arrogant winners. Would you agree?

But during your winning championship days you did cause annoyance to many people with your arrogance. And lets be completely honest here.

YOU LOVED IT! :)

Eubank: No. I would say they warmed to me because I showed what I had shown in the Benn (1) fight and the Watson (2) fight which was grit and shown that grit with the Thompson fights and the Calzaghe fight I suppose gave me the credit that I didn't get when I fought Watson (2) and Benn (1) because I was very raw and I was very new. So it took some years to go by before actually showing the same type of heart again in fights for people to see that I couldn't only give it but I could also take it. Ofcourse, if I had longer to prepare for Calzaghe then I'd give myself a 9 in 10 chance of winning.

http://img279.echo.cx/img279/322/eubs0aw.jpg

Q: I know you had your own unique approach to dealing with your opponents Chris, but what would you say the BEST approach is outside the ring during the build up, weigh in etc?

a) Being in their face saying they dont stand a chance etc
b) Behave in a threatening/menacing manner
b) Being very nice and respectful
c) Saying nothing and just staring at them

I personally think that:-

a) would just serve to make them more focussed on beating you.
b) Could work either way. They might be beaten before they get to the ring or the scenario in a) above might happen.
c) Could take their eye of the ball.
d) Will make them wonder what you are thinking and screw their minds a little.

I personally favour c or d. What are your thoughts Chris?

Eubank: To be dignified and aloof.

Q: And what effect do you think that that generally had on your opponents Chris?

Mind games are a big part of the pre-fight arent they.

I recall you saying in your autobiography that you really mentally struggled to get up for fighting a guy that had a job as a postman day to day!

What kind of mindset do you feel you have to have towards an opponent? Do you have to hate them in a way? You do not seem like a hateful kinda guy Chris but I know that you didnt like/respect Collins and Dan Sherry who attempted to cheat his way to your title. Do you still dislike them today and are there any other guys you fought who you didnt like?

Eubank: I never disliked anyone outside of boxing. So lets say I disliked Dan Sherry for the tactics he used in boxing, as a man outside of the ring nothing to do with boxing I don't mind him. I don't like him I don't dislike him, I am indifferent. At the time I disliked Collins, but this was in the field of boxing, that's what he created or that's what he wanted. This is how he beat me, mentally if you can make someone dislike you then really you have taken their mind off the subject matter. The subject matter is to box, to box well, I took my mind off of what I was suppose to be doing and put it on to something else which was himself. He made me make it personal and I shouldn't have made it personal, I should have made it objective, which I had done with all the other fights I had won previously.

These fighters that I have fought I don't mind them because I am no longer a boxer so I am indifferent to them, I don't know them. I don't like them or dislike them because I don't know them, I respect them but I am indifferent to them as personalities because I don't know there personalities.


Q: Chris,

I have just watched a programme called Rocky and in it there was an impressive fighter called Rocky Balboa. I am interested to hear your opinion on whether you have seen the programme and if so whether you feel you could have beaten Balboa in your prime and further more, what tactics would you have used to accomplish this?

I have been analysing Balboa's style and whilst his defence is not very good he can take a good punch and is certainly gifted in dishing it out as well. He just misses out in my top 10 heavyweights of all time list.

The Cruiserweight limit is 190lbs and Balboa was always hovering about the 200lb mark so he shouldnt be completely out of your reach.

Whats your walkaround weight these days Chris?

Eubank: If you are talking about Sylvester Stallone in the "Rocky" movies. Keep in mind that this is the movie world so its make believe world, (1).
(2) Make believe is not boxing, boxing is real. In boxing terms if any professional boxer, although he has to use a particular type of style to beat that type of style. The style he would use is purely boxing because the boxer doesn't lose to the brawler which is what "Rocky Balboa" was in the movie "Rocky".

About 14 and a half stone

Q: You stated that the Brawler loses to the Boxer.

Would you agree though that if it is a top quality brawler like a 20 year old Mike Tyson then there can be exceptions?

I suppose you are saying that the AVERAGE boxer beats the AVERAGE brawler 9 TIMES IN 10?

Eubank: Yes, and it works the same as you move up in class. So, if you have a good brawler and a good boxer, the boxer is likely to win. If you have a brilliant brawler and a brilliant boxer again the boxer is likely to win. If you have a bad, as in not so technically skilled brawler and a not so technically skilled boxer, the not so technically skilled boxer should win.


Q: How would you say most boxers cover up Chris?

Eubank: Through clenched fists and putting their fists in front of their forehead. This is good, but better is opening hands and cupping both sides of forehead.


Q: Hi Chris,

Do you think Jack Johnson was one of the world's greatest heavyweights, and why?

Do you have any similar techniques to him?

Do you think a film of his life story would entertain the public?

Eubank: Yes Jack Johnson was one of the World's Greatest Heavyweights. He was first heavyweight champion with all the rascism at the time. To do what he did was unique. The hardship of the times made him one of the greatest.

Similar techniques - being stylist.

Film - Most definately so, and I would like to play the part.

Q: Chris, a couple of fighter's that you never did face were James Toney and Roy Jones. You and Toney were the top two super middles for a while and in 1994 were both undefeated in 40+ fights. It seemed that you were on a collision course, what with the Jonathon Ross appearance where Toney insulted you the year previous. But then Roy Jones beat Toney before you got to him and you didn't fight Roy Jones either. When we look at it, Toney and Jones were undefeated IBF middle and super middle champs at the same time that you were undefeated WBO middle and super middle champ. How would of you of done against these guys?

Eubank: When you look back and pick out only the best bits from yourself over all your career and then mould them into a fighting machine, you will tend to be rather fanciful. So rather than say what I could say, I will say what I should say, and that is that those fights didn't happen so I don't know. But what I will say is that those men would of brought the best out of me, if only they could of worked themselves into the mandatory spot for my World Championship. They would of been great fights.

Q: Out of all the opponents that you have met in the ring, do you have a real soul mate or like minded professional

You seem from the outside somewhat unique , part of your brand I guess!

Eubank: Gary Stretch

Q: What do you regard to be your best performances or most important wins?

Eubank: I put on breathtaking displays against Reginaldo Dos Santos and John Jarvis, nobody else would of been able to do what I did as I did it because I was quite Simply The Best.

Most important wins is a better question. I fought a German, he was 6'3" and he was a southpaw, he had 35 wins in 35 fights, he was a former and future World title holder, I defended my World Championship against him in his hometown of Berlin and beat him soundly on points. I was coming off the back of back-to-back draws so had to do something or risk being lynched back home where I was despised. The racist chanting just spurred me on, it was one of my best wins. That, and the Benn first fight. Benn was a national hero, he crossed the Atlantic with nothing and came back with a World title. While he was away, I built up a 24-0-0 record. But I was only 24-years-old and very untested, the reason I was untested was because nobody could test me because I was too good. I was that good. But the Benn first fight proved that I was for real, although it was harder than I expected. All I had to do was show up I thought, the win was a full gone conclusion before the fight had even started, but I was proved very wrong indeed. What the Benn first fight did was bring me back down to earth and make me humble, it was a learning curve. Even though I won, it made me realise just how tough the sport was. A win more important that those two though, far more important infact, was Anthony Logan. You see, he was world-class and I was just a novice at the time. I beat him on points without even breaking a sweat though. It was important because it was later that night that I decided to make a career out of boxing and really go for it from then.

Q: alrite chris mate.if you had to sell yourself as a boxer what would u say?

Eubank: Good question, I would say that I was unique and that I was a self-styled pugilist. Apart from that. What other british fighter won a World Championship before fighting for any british, commonwealth or european title? What other british fighter made 21 World Championship defences? Who was the first british figher to become a two-weight World Champion? Who set the highest ringside attendance for a british boxing match? Who set the highest television audience for a british boxing match? What other long-reigning World Champion fought all of their mandatory contenders? What other World Champion fought overseas 14 times? What other World Champion fought in south africa with Nelson Mandela supporting them? Who else promoted their own fights in the middle east? Who else went undefeated in 43 fights having fought the highest ranked fighters available throughout their entire career? The first time that I ever went out to hurt my opponet was the first time that I lost. What other boxer displayed the charismatic controversy that I did? What other boxer displayed the enigmatic eccentricity that I did? What other boxer could torment fight fans the way I did? What other boxer has made as many celebrity appearances as me? Who else has transformed themselves from homeless, penniless and unable to read or write into graduated, educated, World Champion and multi-millionaire? There can be only one, and I've never been knocked out in my life. I was quite Simply The Best.

Chris Eubank

Q: What tips would you give Chris for developing a KO punch?

Eubank: Technique and being relaxed.


Q: For todays youngster to defend himself what would you recommend the combat sport/art to get started?

Eg would starting off with a martial art like Karate be a good thing?
Go as far as you can go in that and then start boxing.

Or would that be a bad thing. Are there bad habits you can pick up while doing martial arts that you would struggle to get rid off if you then took up boxing.

Eubank: The most effective fighting style for self-defence is wrestling. Check it out

Q: What you mean watch the WWE?

Does that mean you dont recommend kids to take up boxing (The sport which you excelled at).

I know you said it was "barbaric" but its benefits are discipline and the training at least encourages physical health and confidence.

Eubank: It does do that. I do not discourage people from boxing what I say is, in terms of my own children for instance I'd prefer them not to box. Choose another sport because boxing is too tough, but the fact that it is tough is why it's good.
Now wrestling or grappling outside for self-defence or winning a fight in the street (which you should not be doing anyway), wrestling is the most effective fighting style and the type of wrestling is called grappling.

Q: Less competitors suffer death wrestling than they would do boxing. I think that most street fights end up like Ultimate Fighting rather than out and out wrestling.

Have you ever watched Ultimate Fighting Chris and do you find it entertaining or a worthy sport to take up? I personally think it looks far tougher than boxing.

I know that Ultimate Fighting is almost any style but would you say that Ultimate Fighting is almost a combination of kick boxing and wrestling most of the time?

Eubank: I think it is a combination of both fighting stance.
Watch it and find it entertaining most of the time, yes. Worthy, yes it maybe.

Q: Muhammad Ali started at 12,
Naseem Hamed started at 7
Audley Harrison started at 19

When is the best age to get kids into boxing?

Do you think that because Hamed started too early thats what made him sick of boxing before he turned 30.

Eubank: I started at 16, before 16 is good. 19 is late because if you look at Audley Harrison he's 31/32 years old and he's still not even in the middle of his quest. He should be coming to the end of his career now and he is not even in the middle stages of his career.

Naseem hasn't left boxing because he is sick of it, I suppose now he has just run in to the fact that it is very hard being on the wrong end of the punches, because he never really was. So sick of it, it's not that you are sick of it, it's whether you have the integrity to see your course through and your course isn't just what they say at the beginning or what they say during it is what they say at the end. You have got to finish like you started, strong whether you are winning or losing.

Q: Hi Chris, can you please share your running routine from when you were fighting? how many days a week did you run? did you do just long distance or sprinting or both?...thank you so much!

Eubank: I did both sprinting and long distance. 7.6 miles every morning, 7 days a week.

Q: Hi Chris,

I just wondered if you could post your typical training routine when you were champ.

Thanks.

Eubank: First I started my stretching, then
3 rounds of shadow boxing,
6 rounds of heavy bag work,
3 rounds of speed ball,
Skipping between 20 to 30 minutes non-stop, no break straight through.
50 sit-ups, not crunches proper sit-ups.
Stretching.
Finish with 20 hits in the stomach with a medicine ball.

That was generally the routine.
If I was sparring it was the same routine but without the bag work.

Q: what do you do these days Chris for a workout?

Eubank: Not enough, and that is soon to change as you will no doubt see. Watch this space

Q: Please dont comeback to Boxing Chris.

Not that you werent entertaining, but you've done your bit.

Dont end up another Ali!

Q: How did you put on the xtra weight for super-middle-weight and stay so lean??

Eubank: Lot's of stretching, push-ups and pull-ups, also force-feeding bowls of pasta (I was never hungry in my fighting days).

http://www.boxpics.com/Tp5n3.jpg

Q: Who was the best you fought ? Was it Benn ?

Eubank: Michael Watson in our second fight. He suprised me with his added power at 12 stone, he punched much harder that night than in our first fight. Not only that, but he abandoned his usual smart boxing style to attack me with endless sharp clusters. What he did was force me into the trenches that tragic night.

Great post, now all we need is summin similar from nigel benn

Quote:

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Originally Posted by razorblade

Great post, now all we need is summin similar from nigel benn

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Some interesting stuff said from Benn...

He offered Herol Graham loads of money to fight him in 1989, but Graham refused because he was scared (Benn was 22-0 with 22 KO's at the time). He knew that he had to beat Graham to prove that he was the best Middleweight in Britain.

He was due to fight Michael Nunn after he became the first man to ever KO Robbie Sims, but then Toney beat Nunn in that huge upset and Bob Arum didn't want to match Toney and Benn at the time because he knew Toney would get battered (he was being battered by Nunn until the late lucky KO).

He was due to fight Michael Nunn in Las Vegas in a WBC/WBA unification clash in May 1994, but Nunn lost his 'warm-up' fight against Steve Little on a Nigel Benn undercard and that wrecked it.

He was due to fight his mandatory Michael Nunn in London in February 1995, but then Don King offered £100,000 more for Benn to fight McClellan. Benn knew that if he didn't fight McClellan, King would call him a coward in the press etc.

He was due to fight Chris Eubank for a third time in 1995 and the winner was likely to face Roy Jones Jr in America (but Roy would of probably ducked them no doubt), the Benn/Eubank-Jones Jr fight would of been either Eubank's eighth fight of his eight-fight Sky deal or the final fight on ITV boxing (Benn-Jones). But Eubank lost to Collins and so that messed it up.

True.

Q: hi chris,

its clearly evident that you are in great shape..what diet do you follow these days and what would you eat if you needed to lose weight for a function..

p.s. how is it possible to get you as a guest speaker?

Eubank: When I wake up I don't feel hungry for anything but my wife. I love cuddling, especially in the morning, and I do it for as long as I can get it.

I find breakfast makes you hungry for lunch, lunch for dinner... and it all makes you overweight. So I start to eat after 12 o'clock. For lunch I like corned beef, white rice and fried onions, which I've eaten for as long as I can remember. My father used to make it; now, no one does it like me. My evening meal will be something like lamb roasted by my wife with probably the best lager in the world - Heineken. I also drink lots of water. Most of the planet is covered with water, so there must be a clue to its worth in that fact. Usually it's tap water because it isn't as old as bottled water. I buy biltong for a snack, from Harrods, since it is healthier than crisps. I also like salt beef and I have lots of vegetables. Cucumbers, organic carrot juice, and broccoli are favourites. Broccoli is not as bad as people make out. It might give you wind, but I'd prefer to have wind and have good health. Health is the number one thing on the planet. However, I am quite partial to rum and raisin ice cream.

I'm finding that the issue of gaining weight is becoming more important as I get older. I used to have a 12-pack and now it's gone down to a nine-and-a-half-pack. Mind you, I watched myself being pulled into a meat wagon after I protested about the Iraq war and I didn't look too bad. My back and my neck looked good. I've been thinking of late that since I stopped boxing I like food much more. It might be because I have more time to eat. Actually I'm quite hungry now... I never used to get hungry. I never used to be a food person. I've became a coffee drinker since I gave up boxing. I also love to eat anything cooked by a Jamaican. Carbs like rice, yellow yam, Renta yam, sweet yam. Also salt fish fried with onions... Oh yes, I am hungry :)

To lose weight I'd follow a vegetable diet.

If you e-mail the website address *********************** it will be forwarded on to the relevant person, thank you.

I herd Eubank and Benn did an Army type TV show,

Ask him for details

Quote:

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Originally Posted by razorblade

I herd Eubank and Benn did an Army type TV show,

Ask him for details

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http://www.celebritiesworldwide.com/155

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DD

Quote:

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Originally Posted by razorblade

Great post, now all we need is summin similar from nigel benn

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Some interesting stuff said from Benn...

He offered Herol Graham loads of money to fight him in 1989, but Graham refused because he was scared (Benn was 22-0 with 22 KO's at the time). He knew that he had to beat Graham to prove that he was the best Middleweight in Britain.

He was due to fight Michael Nunn after he became the first man to ever KO Robbie Sims, but then Toney beat Nunn in that huge upset and Bob Arum didn't want to match Toney and Benn at the time because he knew Toney would get battered (he was being battered by Nunn until the late lucky KO).

He was due to fight Michael Nunn in Las Vegas in a WBC/WBA unification clash in May 1994, but Nunn lost his 'warm-up' fight against Steve Little on a Nigel Benn undercard and that wrecked it.

He was due to fight his mandatory Michael Nunn in London in February 1995, but then Don King offered £100,000 more for Benn to fight McClellan. Benn knew that if he didn't fight McClellan, King would call him a coward in the press etc.

He was due to fight Chris Eubank for a third time in 1995 and the winner was likely to face Roy Jones Jr in America (but Roy would of probably ducked them no doubt), the Benn/Eubank-Jones Jr fight would of been either Eubank's eighth fight of his eight-fight Sky deal or the final fight on ITV boxing (Benn-Jones). But Eubank lost to Collins and so that messed it up.

True.

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Also, Benn says that Roy Jones dodged him in 1993. Jones was the mandatory for Benn's WBC title, but Jones decided to drop a weight division and fight for a lesser title instead. If that's not dodging an opponent then I don't know what is!

Q: just read your autobiography Chris - "marvellous" .
Have your taste buds moved on to any sweet delicacies other than Strawberry Bonbons and Black Jacks?

Steve

Eubank: Never :P


Q: dear chris,
do you think amatuer boxing helps alot wive a boxing career or wouldn`t it have that much of an affect because alot of things change

ash. thanks chris

Eubank: Amateur boxing is helpful to your career, you can learn from your mistakes. It is better to learn from your mistakes in amateur than in pro.

Q: True that Chris. Like Amir Khan's lastest bouts were he got knocked down would of been worse for him if he was a Professional suffering that. How did you get on as an Amateur Chris?

Eubank: I'd never even done any sparring before my first two amateur bouts, which I lost, I'd only been boxing for a few weeks. But I learned. I didn't fight again until the following year, I only lost twice after that and they were dodgy decisions. I avenged three of my four amateur defeats whilst still an amateur, I avenged my other amateur defeat as a pro.

Q: Do you believe that Nigel Benn would of beaten Watson in a rematch.

Eubank: Nigel was supposed to fight the winner of the first fight between myself and Michael. But because the fight was so close, and because people thought that I hadn't proved myself enough or that Michael should of won, there was too much demand for a re-match between myself and Michael and so Benn went elsewhere then. I will say this, the Benn I fought in the first fight was better than the Michael I fought in my first fight with Michael, so Benn would of beat him there. But the Michael I fought in my second fight with Michael would of battered the Benn I fought in the second Benn fight.

Q: firstly mr eubank i got to say that u were my hero. i cannot thank u enough for the memories that u gave. u were a very special addition to brit boxing. i would just like to ask who u consider to be the best p4p fighter in the world today? thanks jamie

Eubank: Floyd Mayweather, and I've been saying this for years, I was saying it before Roy Jones got knocked out. Floyd has the skills to pay the bills.

hey who won that nigel benn chris eubank gladiator fight thing?

i read a nigel benn interview and thought it was pretty recent, but on that site it says the gladiator thing nigel benn n eubank did was in 2003 (i missed it)

do u kno who won n where i can dl it?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by razorblade

hey who won that nigel benn chris eubank gladiator fight thing?

i read a nigel benn interview and thought it was pretty recent, but on that site it says the gladiator thing nigel benn n eubank did was in 2003 (i missed it)

do u kno who won n where i can dl it?

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Benn won because he was he'd been training for it, whereas Eubank was totally unprepared.

It was funny as heck, Eubank managed to wind up Benn so much that Benn just flipped and loads of guys had to break them apart :) Benn roared "Caaam on then!" and shoved Eubank... Eubank looked worried.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by razorblade

do u kno who won n where i can dl it?

---

Do a google search, you can buy it from the net.

Q: Hi Chris. I have to ask- Have you ever seriously considered coming out of retirement since 1998? And ever been close to coming back?

Eubank: I was having dinner with Thomas Hearns, Emanuel Steward, Dennis Andries, Naseem Hamed and George Foreman in April 1999. Emanuel Steward wanted me to fight Thomas Hearns and I seriously considered it, at the time. I backed out because I didn't want to hurt Thomas Hearns, a living legend. That's not being arrogant or anything, because around that time I feel that I would of still been very competitive.

But after travelling to Las Vegas - the fighting capital of the world - in 2001 for Naseem's fight with Barrera, I actually got a buzz. I have to say that the whole trip was amazing. It seemed almost everybody on the plane on the way over there was an English boxing fan. I spent six hours of a nine hour flight speaking to fans about boxing – and all but one were Naseem fans and were coming over to support him. Everywhere I went in Las Vegas I met boxing people. Everybody from boxing was there - Lennox Lewis, Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather. I knew I hadn't had the chance to fight in Las Vegas because Roy Jones wouldn't give me a title shot out of the blue, and that's fair enough. The Nunn and Toney fights didn't come off when I was Champion. But then it suddenly dawned on me - in 2001 - that I could come back and give Roy Jones something to fight for if I managed to defeat Dariusz Michalczewski or Joe Calzaghe. I'd already fought in Wales and Germany in my career, I responded to a hostile crowd in my career. Another option was to try to defeat Johnny Nelson in Sheffield and then maybe get a fight with Toney in Las Vegas. But on the eve of Naseem's fight with Barrera, I was having dinner with Lennox Lewis and George Foreman and the guys advised me to not come back. I saw sense.

Q: Who do you rate as being the best of the 1990's?? (PS you cant choice yourself lol)

Eubank: Pernell Whitaker. Pernell was poetic.

Its good you can ask questions on his board http://www.chriseubank.tv/forum .

It would be great if Benn could start one up.

razorblade have you managed to get hold of the Gladiator Benn V Eubank.... have you tried ebay?

Also go to web archive sites and you'll see Eubank's old board that has been wiped out, loads of questions on there (all these ones I'm finding).

Cheers I'll have a look

Q: CHRIS DID YOU DO A SPEECH WITH GEORGE FORMAN IN 1991? THNX

Eubank: I did a speech with George Foreman and Evander Holyfield in 1991 at the Trinity College in Dublin. But ofcourse I converted to Islam in 1997

Q: WHAT WER UR FIRST IMPRESIONS OF BIG GEORGE AND HOLYFIELD?

Eubank: What were my first impressions of George Foreman and Evander Holyfield? George I met in 1982 when he came to the Jerome boxing club I trained at in the South Bronx and let it be known that he believed in the power of Christ - a big, jolly fellow who seemed to have a heart of gold, he convinced me to go to Church at the time and still he remembered me from then. My impression of George was that this was a happy chappy, a sharp contrast to when he was a cold, calculated unhappy chappy from what I saw when he was previously a boxer, and if that is how Church can change you then I am all for it is what I thought at the time. Evander I had met at the Golden Gloves in 1984, I warmed up with Evander, Kevin Rooney and Mike Tyson. I distinguished Evander by his disciplined and dignified behavior, which was a refreshing contrast to the bravado and the questionable conduct associated with most of the other personalities at that tournament. Mike too was rather dignified and aloof believe it or not, that is why I associated myself with those men at that time.

Q: Champ how do you reckon you would of done against Bernard THE EXECUTIONER Hopkins if you two had fought? Am i right in saying your actually younger than him?? What you think of Bernard?

Eubank: Hopkins called me up over the telephone (I dont know how he got my number) in 2002 and thanked me for doing a good job as narrator in the programme "Greatest of the Greatest" where I looked at the impact Islam has had on Muhammad Ali's colourful life and career. To be honest with you, I have to say that I didn't know who Hopkins was until he beat Trinidad a few years ago. I estimate that he would of been competitive against yours truly, but just another W in the bracket for me.

"Look at my perfectly sculptured body, I am quite Simply The Best"

http://i23.ebayimg.com/02/i/03/4b/0a/94_1_b.JPG


- Chris Eubank

The January 1992 edition of KO mag had Eubank in their top 25 Middleweight's of the previous 25 years.



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Thomas Hearns was Marvin Hagler's toughest fight by a country mile. Iran Barkley stopped Hearns, Nigel Benn stopped Barkley, Chris Eubank stopped Benn - all in a short two-year period with all in their respective physical peaks. Eubank was never troubled at 160-lbs and we believe that he has the tools to live with anybody in the division, he has been offered the chance to fight Reggie Johnson for the vacant WBA title and has also been offered a match-up with WBC champion Julian Jackson - they both look to be winnable fights for him. He is unbeaten and posesses unique talent with his self-styled robotic movements and charisma on top of that, so we feel that this guy deserves a mention right here and now seeing as he may have a bright future if he drops back down to 160-lbs. - Knockout magazine

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