Last night's boxing; Nick Blackwell v. Chris Eubank Jr.

[Dec66]

Eubank was a class above Blackwell, that much was evident almost from the start; however, Blackwell's nothing if not game, and an entertaining fight was in the offing for the first few rounds.

You could see, though, Blackwell taking an awful lot of punishment from Eubank's close range uppercuts; his head was repeatedly snapping back as Eubank tagged him, and as the fight went on Blackwell found himself in a lot of trouble at the start of each round.

Between, I think, the 6th and 7th rounds came the revealing thing, for me; Eubank Snr was heard in the corner, saying to his son, "I don't know why he hasn't stopped the fight... You're going to have to take him out, but you take him out by the body, not his head". It was almost as if Eubank Snr was seeing the Michael Watson fight again, and was anxious that it didn't happen to his son. Prior to that, Eubank Snr had been banging the ring apron, telling the referee to stop it.

And then, Blackwell's eye closed up, and the fight was stopped by the doctor... And we know what happened next.

Thing is, I'm not sure whether the referee was right to stop the fight as late as he did. I think there were a couple of previous opportunities to end it, when Blackwell was taking punishment, but he was still in there, still seemingly lucid, and you don't take a boy's title away from him lightly.

A tough call really, and a sad end to what was a good fight.

 

[mark st1]

Saw the fight today recorded it last night and wasn't aware of the result or what happened after. Certainly a tough one to call you could see the swelling building in Blackwells eye but then in round 10 the swelling became hideous personally and I'm no expert by any means i didn't see a lot of signs apart from the obvious eye that he was suffering he had the bloody nose since the very early rounds was continuously returning punches (how I don't know). I did also notice Eubank snr's concern but at the time and this maybe the cynic in me I couldn't tell if he was trying to influence the ref to stop the fight through genuine concern or weather he knew Eubank Jr. Couldn't ko Blackwell ? however the score cards were way apart so that's probably a bad call on my part. I was shocked to hear later on the extent of Blackwells condition and hope he improves quickly. As you say an incredibly good fight from 2 very talented fighters.

 

[Dec66]

Saw the fight today recorded it last night and wasn't aware of the result or what happened after. Certainly a tough one to call you could see the swelling building in Blackwells eye but then in round 10 the swelling became hideous personally and I'm no expert by any means i didn't see a lot of signs apart from the obvious eye that he was suffering he had the bloody nose since the very early rounds was continuously returning punches (how I don't know). I did also notice Eubank snr's concern but at the time and this maybe the cynic in me I couldn't tell if he was trying to influence the ref to stop the fight through genuine concern or weather he knew Eubank Jr. Couldn't ko Blackwell ? however the score cards were way apart so that's probably a bad call on my part. I was shocked to hear later on the extent of Blackwells condition and hope he improves quickly. As you say an incredibly good fight from 2 very talented fighters.

You wouldn't have to be a cynic to think that's why Eubank Snr was imploring the ref to stop the fight, young Eubank was tiring from his efforts and you could be forgiven for thinking that he'd only trained with the expectation of going eight rounds. However, with the benefit of hindsight, we see his concern was genuine.

I remember that Eubank v. Watson fight like it was yesterday; I was on a night shift, watching a black and white portable telly on my desk while the rest of the shift were down the pub, and it was absolutely enthralling. It would have been feted as one of the greatest title fights ever, and repeated constantly down the years... Until what happened, happened.

Eubank Snr. was never the same after that.

 

[raleighnut]

^^^^^+1 never been interested in boxing. As for Chris Eubank, what a tosser, is he still driving around in a truck, dickhead.

 

[steve50]

What a foul, shameful, disgusting spectacle masquerading as 'sport'. Just reading the OP has made me feel physically sick.

I have to agree with you, boxing, they say is the sport of gentlemen, I beg to differ. Boxing imo is the "sport" of blood thirsty spectators who enjoy watching two athletes beating the hell out of each other until one is unconscious or so seriously injured the fight has to be stopped.
How many boxers have to be killed or seriously injured before this blood sport is stopped.
On the other hand if the powers that be stopped organised boxing it would only go underground, we already have cage fighting which is not far off illegal boxing, I don't know what the answer is.
http://www.inquisitr.com/959533/11-horrific-boxing-injuries-and-deaths-from-the-last-100-years/

 

[Dec66]

What a foul, shameful, disgusting spectacle masquerading as 'sport'. Just reading the OP has made me feel physically sick.

Oh, dear. Well, I can only offer you this; like it or not, some men will always fight each other for money. And there's an awful lot about professional boxing I don't like, but I'd much rather see it professionally regulated, with top-drawer medical help on standby if required, than forced to take place illegally in country lanes with no regulation or medical help available.

 

[Dec66]

^^^^^+1 never been interested in boxing. As for Chris Eubank, what a tosser, is he still driving around in a truck, dickhead.

Whatever you think of him, he was more concerned about his son's opponent than anyone else was, it appears.

 

[raleighnut]

Whatever you think of him, he was more concerned about his son's opponent than anyone else was, it appears.

Yep, fine good point, I've known a couple of serious amateur boxers and Maz's daughter is married to a guy who was the British Army Welterweight Champion one year. All of them now say that the risk of serious injuries are too high (even with headguards)

 

[mark st1]

^^^^^+1 never been interested in boxing. As for Chris Eubank, what a tosser, is he still driving around in a truck, dickhead.

The world is full of eccentric people. Live and let live I say.

 

[Dec66]

Yep, fine good point, I've known a couple of serious amateur boxers and Maz's daughter is married to a guy who was the British Army Welterweight Champion one year. All of them now say that the risk of serious injuries are too high (even with headguards)

It's a dangerous sport, and nobody pretends otherwise.

But surely it's better to be candid about the dangers, and address them, than ruin the lives and future health prospects of young men through more insidious means, as has happened in professional cycling since the days of Choppy Warburton?

 

[mark st1]

It's a dangerous sport, and nobody pretends otherwise.

But surely it's better to be candid about the dangers, and address them, than ruin the lives and future health prospects of young men through more insidious means, as has happened in professional cycling since the days of Choppy Warburton?

Exactly times move on I know it's still people fighting but as mentioned earlier now regulated by officials and doctors which was not always the case. Personally find it quite interesting that the head guards have been withdrawn from this upcoming olympics in the men's boxing for the first time since 84 as they have been related to increased concussions and can restrict the boxers vision.

 

[MarkF]

I like boxing. I watched this fight with my lad and said to him in round 4 "This fight needs to be stopped". By then it was an obvious mis-match and Blackwell was fighting on bravery and adrenalin with his defence gone, I don't think it was a "tough call" for the ref, it was a friggin scandal!

I left the room at the end of round 4, there was no "point" or "fight" remaining and I didn't like what I was seeing. I was amazed when my lad told me it had finished in the 10th.

 

[Dec66]

I like boxing. I watched this fight with my lad and said to him in round 4 "This fight needs to be stopped". By then it was an obvious mis-match and Blackwell was fighting on bravery and adrenalin with his defence gone, I don't think it was a "tough call" for the ref, it was a friggin scandal!

I left the room at the end of round 4, there was no "point" or "fight" remaining and I didn't like what I was seeing. I was amazed when my lad told me it had finished in the 10th.

I don't think you could say it was over by round four, as Blackwell tagged Eubank with a good shot in round five. Although, having said that, Eubank had distracted himself by baiting someone in Blackwell's corner.

 

[Joffey]

From what I've read today Snr wasn't aware that he was in trouble and was just talking tactics but who knows.

Nothing wrong with boxing. It's between 2 consenting adults who know the risks. You could argue after this weekends cycling that the pro-peloton is more dangerous than a boxing ring but don't think cycling is disgusting.

Far better to have legal boxing than underground boxing, far more dangerous.

 

[Inertia]

From what I've read today Snr wasn't aware that he was in trouble and was just talking tactics but who knows.

Nothing wrong with boxing. It's between 2 consenting adults who know the risks. You could argue after this weekends cycling that the pro-peloton is more dangerous than a boxing ring but don't think cycling is disgusting.

Far better to have legal boxing than underground boxing, far more dangerous.

I don't think it's comparable with cycling as the aim in cycling is not to knock your opponent off their bike. At least not by the rules. in boxing the aim is to damage your opponent enough that they either withdraw through injury or you win on points.

The long term health effects of both sports don't seem comparable either

I don't like it myself but agree that it's better to have it held in a safer environment than to go underground.