As the media gears up for tomorrow’s hyped boxing match between the sons of Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn, I’ve decided I won’t be watching. Not out of protest but out of principle.
The event, dubbed “Fatal Fury,” is being sold as a continuation of a legacy. A nostalgic reboot of an iconic rivalry. But there’s something glaringly absent from the spectacle, a father’s blessing.
Let’s rewind briefly:
• Benn vs Eubank I (1990) – Eubank wins by 9th round TKO
• Eubank vs Watson (1991) – Eubank wins; Watson suffers a life-altering brain injury
• Benn vs Eubank II (1993) – A brutal draw after 12 rounds
The aftermath of Eubank vs Watson changed boxing and changed Chris Eubank Sr. He’s been outspoken ever since, not just about the fight, but about the duty of care that boxing must uphold.
And then, years later, Chris Eubank lost a son, Sebastian suddenly, to an undiagnosed heart condition.
So when Eubank Sr. says he cannot support his son entering this bout at 35 years old, cutting an enormous amount of weight just to make the fight happen, we should listen.
But we haven’t. The media machine rolls on. The money is too good. The voices urging caution are treated like outdated noise, rather than lived wisdom.
And that, right there, is why I won’t be watching.
Because when the man who has been there, who has fought, who has lost, who has buried a child says “no,” we should pause.
In sport, especially in boxing, rules, safety and nobility aren’t luxuries. They’re non-negotiables. And yet somehow, those values have been sidelined in the name of profit and showmanship.
Chris Sr. is standing on principle. He’s said it loud and clear:
• Health, safety, and weight-cutting concerns matter. ⚕️
• Promoters and boards have a duty of care. ❗️
• Boxing is a noble art, not a circus. 🤡
I admire Eubank Sr.’s poise. His intellect. How he interchanges between Jamaican patois 🇯🇲🇬🇧to English dialect. But most of all, I admire his conviction.
So I’ll ask you this:
• At what point should a parent say, enough? ✋🏾
• Are Chris Sr.’s concerns being taken seriously or buried beneath the hype? 📰
• Has money diluted the nobility of combat sports? 💰
Drop your thoughts below. And whether you’re watching tomorrow or not let’s remember, some fights are bigger than what happens in the ring. 🥊💨
1 comment
Oh my goodness, this article brings back some memories, as a child for a period of time I quite liked watching boxing matches, they appeared exciting.
Nigel Ben, whom I sure they nicknamed him as the ‘Dark Destroyer,’ was most certainly my No.1 Favourite Boxer of all time, he looked liked he meant business and most certainly delivered blow, by blow a match in the ring you became transfixed by.
However I distinctly remember watching a boxing match, where you saw the lost look in the eyes of a boxer when he was falling to the ground, as a child my heart sank deeply, I realised that these strong men, actually ‘hurt’ thus get hurt. So after a couple more matches witnessing the look of fear or ultimately vulnerability, I began to loose my enthusiasm for the sport.
I do recall the rise of Chris Eubanks, for the most part I admired his ruthless, no nonsense technique in the ring, undoubtedly he was or rather is an ultimate power-house. I didn’t like his personality very much, in fact I found him perplexing with an annoying streak. Thus you can imagine after he beat Nigel Ben, I couldn’t stand him even more.
Strangely my mother liked him very much, she liked his fearless attitude toward the media his self-control, his educational background and brilliance with his execution when communicating with others.
Anyway, I also quite liked Micheal Watson, I thought he was brilliant, there was something about him in which was quite different to other boxes, his personality to me was quite humble as I remember being quite young at the time.
Well that fateful day came, again I saw a boxing match that pulled on my heart strings, it was awful, terrible, so soul destroying Micheal Watson was fatally hurt and Chris Eubanks had an expression that no words can describe.
My heart went out to both of them, sorrow for the damage with a strong degree of empathy for Chris. It was after all of this I saw Chris Eubanks in a totally different light, he is in fact a very kind caring intelligent Gentleman.
With this in mind I can only imagine the pain of any father on either side of a situation such as this, no father wants his son in danger, no father wants to stop his man boy becoming a man, yet as a man himself, he will know that some decisions can only be made by the man at the centre of it.
There comes a time in a father’s life that he knows saying no will not be heard, yet giving a blessing is neither appropriate, the only call to action here I believe is a silent prayer of protection.
My son was spotted doing a boxing demonstration with his dad, they were approached, the trainer asked that his dad bring him to the gym. My son was only 9 or 10 and it was identified that he a a good reach, with a natural flare.
Well as a mother I discouraged it, I explained to his dad my concerns and thankfully he respected my views, however this is when a Father can say, ‘no.’