I'm interested to hear what everyone's favourite fights are....
Personally I'll always remember the Nigel Benn-Gerald Mcclennon fight.
The build up was great, Benn one of the representatives of the very strong european middleweight division facing off against Mcclennon, regarded as one of the top pound for pound fighters in the world.
Mcclennon, who had defeated the great RoyJones Jnr as an amateur, came into the fight on the back of 3 1st round knockouts and with a reputation for incredible punching power. Most punters had the young, hungry, american Mcclennon as the favourite for the fight over an ageing Nigel Benn, despite fighting in the UK and stepping up to super middleweight.
Both fighters were power punching, aggressive hitters who were not going to back down and me and my mates were on the edge of our seats with our stellas and doritos as the bell went to start the fight.
Mcclennon came out like a steam train, battered Benn with a volley of powerful combos, and looked like he had just added a fourth consecutive 1st round stoppage to his record as he pummelled benn so hard, he knocked him out of the ring in a mere 40 seconds. Benn made his way back onto the canvas on a 9 count and continued to be smacked about by Mcclennon for the rest of the round, surviving by the skin of his teeth mainly die to his excellent defensive reflexes.
The rest of the fight was crazy. Benn came back in the 2nd round and started to unload bombs on mcclennon who was probably quite shocked that Benn was still standing after the beating he had administered in round one. The fight proceeded like a rocky film, both fighters throwing constant bombs that were hitting with great accuracy. How the fight went on for ten rounds I'm not sure....
In the 10th round Benn went for one of his classic wild powerful hooks but missed and stumbled forward, his head appearing to make contact with mcclennon's head jsut above the eyebrow. Mcclennon was disturbed by this, though it was unclear how much damage had been done. Benn went on an aggressive burst, hitting mcclennon with some clean punches that forced him to drop to one knee. As Mcclennon took an 8 count he was rubbing his eye with his glove and looked in trouble.
The fight resumed and Benn went on the attack again, hitting mcclennon but then missing with two punches and mcclennon seemed to voluntarily drop to one knee. This time, he didn't get back up as the ref counted him out........Unbelievably Benn had upset the odds and won.....
The aftermath was such a crazy mix of emotion. A jubilant Benn rushed round the ring and was lifted up to shoulder height as he celebrated one of, if not the, best win of his career. Mcclennon lay slumped in his corner and after a minute or two was lain down in the recovery position, clearly in massive trouble.
In the days that followed it became clear how badly Mcclennon had been injured. Permanent brain damage ultimately left him blinded and without 80% of his hearing.
Watching this interview on youtube almost made me cry at how such a powerful warrior had been debilitated.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5v7ZkaLA60&mode=reI really feel this incredible fight showed the very best and very worst of boxing and although I have mixed feelings about nominating it as the best fight I have seen because of the tragic consequences, it is the one that left the biggest impression on me.
Whats your most memorable fight?
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