New Book Alert! The Hate Game: Benn, Eubank and British Boxing's Bitterest Rivalry

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Looking forward to this IMMENSELY - out later this month. There was a fantastic snippet in this morning's free sheet Sport magazine. Superb insight. Loving it already!

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Tho the author will be disappointed in that author name...

 

[Frutos]

Ooh, I'll be having a read of that.

I'm quite a fan of both boxing and Ben Dirs.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Ooh, I'll be having a read of that.

I'm quite a fan of both boxing and Ben Dirs.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Ooh, I'll be having a read of that.

I'm quite a fan of both boxing and Ben Dirs.

We gathered that ;-) (You set them up...)

I loved that era of boxing. I don't pay much attention now.

 

[topbanana36]

Benn was my hero and I had the privilege of meeting him. Can't wait for the book.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Bit of a shame that it wasn't extended into a three-way thing, because Steve 'Celtic Warrior' Collins was right there in the mix and arguably top of the tree amongst the three. Fantastic times for fight fans for sure!

 

[Stumpy Tim]

Collins would never have beaten Eubank before Eubank almost killed Watson. Was never the same fighter. Watson was immense though - the best of the lot. Eubank hit him with one (un)lucky punch - Watson battered him otherwise

They were truly great days of boxing. I'll definitely be buying the book

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Collins would never have beaten Eubank before Eubank almost killed Watson. Was never the same fighter. Watson was immense though - the best of the lot. Eubank hit him with one (un)lucky punch - Watson battered him otherwise

They were truly great days of boxing. I'll definitely be buying the book

The quotes I was reading in the freesheet 'Sport' handed out today, if representative of the book, promise a superb read. Fantastic time for fight fans!

 

[Bring back Bryan wade!!]

Met Ben Dirs over in Vegas for the Hatton v Pac Man fight a few years back, he interviewed myself and a friend at the weigh in for the BBC to get our view of the fight. He's a really nice bloke and knows his boxing inside out. Thanks for the heads up OP.

 

[Ernest]

Next week the 20th anniversary of Eubank v Benn II, not a patch on the first fight and the draw was a convenient result for both boxers

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Met Ben Dirs over in Vegas for the Hatton v Pac Man fight a few years back, he interviewed myself and a friend at the weigh in for the BBC to get our view of the fight. He's a really nice bloke and knows his boxing inside out. Thanks for the heads up OP.

Hopefully they'll be doing some book publicity. Ideally in the same room at same time . Having said that, not seen Eubank posing outside MyHotel or anywhere else in town in yonks for that matter. Used to randomly see him most weekends. Do hope he's OK.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

I was at boarding school when there fights happened. The tv rooms were packed to the rafters. Brilliant atmospheres from all seven corners of the school (seven tv rooms).

A shame boxing doesn't have the same grab nowadays. Presumably something to do with the tv rights.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

As a matter of interest, has anyone else on NSC squared up to Eubank in a boxing ring apart from THPP? Story is on here somewhere.

 

[Crispy Ambulance]

Collins would never have beaten Eubank before Eubank almost killed Watson. Was never the same fighter. Watson was immense though - the best of the lot. Eubank hit him with one (un)lucky punch - Watson battered him otherwise

They were truly great days of boxing. I'll definitely be buying the book

Was there for that one. Awesome night. As you say, Watson battered Eubank but he found the killer instinct when he needed to and noticeably held back in every fight afterwards. Built up as Gooners (Watson) v Spuds (Eubank) and kicked off outside the ring between fans of both clubs throughout the night. Then both groups saw a mob of Brighton in the north stand and piled over there for a bit more.

Eubank could have been one of the best ever but knew what he was capable of and that psychologically scarred him every time he got in the ring. Collins was great but not sure he'd have beaten Eubank Pre-Watson. Couldn't stand Benn but brave as fook. Probably the best times for British Boxing I've ever seen.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Would I be right in thinking all these magnificent fights were free on pre-Sky terrestrial telly? Don't recall missing any.

 

[Ernest]

Would I be right in thinking all these magnificent fights were free on pre-Sky terrestrial telly? Don't recall missing any.

Were on ITV, the original Benn v Eubank was on a Sunday night. Eubank signed for SKY after the second Benn fight and commenced his bum of the month series whilst Nigel Benn stayed with Frank Warren on ITV until Wazza signed for SKY too in 1995

 

[Bring back Bryan wade!!]

Were on ITV, the original Benn v Eubank was on a Sunday night. Eubank signed for SKY after the second Benn fight and commenced his bum of the month series whilst Nigel Benn stayed with Frank Warren on ITV until Wazza signed for SKY too in 1995

Used to love that ITV theme music for the boxing....

Der, Der, Der, Der, Der......... Der, Der, der!!!

 

[Ernest]

Used to love that ITV theme music for the boxing....

Der, Der, Der, Der, Der......... Der, Der, der!!!

And Reg Gutteridge doing the commentary

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

And Reg Gutteridge doing the commentary