Ireland’s Steve Collins knows about these big fights and occasions more than most and offered an insightful analysis of Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn.
Speaking to Talk Sport ringside after the bout, of whom he was commentating for on the night, Ireland’s Steve Collins said at Tottenham Hotspurs stadium:
“One man does get his hand raised, but the other guy who didn’t get his hand raised absolutely comes out with an incredible amount of credibility. We said that we hate to use the word “lost”—nobody lost tonight. If anything, Chris Eubank got the decision most people expected him to get, but not in the way he got it. He had to dig down deep. He showed determination, resilience, and guts because Conor Benn hurt him. Conor Benn hurt Eubank more than Eubank hurt Conor Benn, and I think public perception has changed massively. Obviously, there was a lot against Conor Benn with what he had been through and all the rest of it. When you think about him going into this ring, there was a lot of pressure on that kid’s shoulders. He had to deliver in so many ways, but how he did that and how he’s won the people back—I think it’s by showing the character he displayed in there.”
Interesting there that he thought Conor Benn did the more hurtful work in the right, he is probably right there.
Although both looked like that had been a bloody fight afterwards.
Moreover, Sky Sports in Europe mentioned before the fight that Collins simply had shared the ring with the two fighters’ boxing legend fathers Eubank senior and Nigel Benn.
This was not entirely accurate, he did much more.
He beat them both as well and twice each.
Steve Collins is and will always be the main man from that era.
Collins like many does not look for praise, but that is an important point to make.