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54-693: Nigel Gregory Benn (born 22 January 1964) is a British former professional boxer who competed from 1987 to 1996. He held world titles in two weight classes , including the WBO middleweight title in 1990 and the WBC super-middleweight title from 1992 to 1996. At the regional level, he held the Commonwealth middleweight title from 1988 to 1989. He scored wins over Champions Doug DeWitt , Iran Barkley , Thulani Malinga , Mauro Galvano and Gerald McClellan . Nicknamed " The Dark Destroyer ", Benn retired with

108-423: A 83.3% knockout ratio. His most well-known fights include the successful world middleweight title defence against Iran Barkley in 1989; the two all-British world title contests against Chris Eubank in 1990 and 1993 ( Nigel Benn vs. Chris Eubank ), and the successful defence of his world super-middleweight title against Gerald McClellan in 1995 ( Nigel Benn vs. Gerald McClellan ). In the build to his ring walks,

162-427: A cane. In 2007, McClellan, his sister and his children attended a benefit dinner organised and hosted by Benn to help McClellan with his ongoing medical expenses. After his fight with McClellan, Benn had two further successful title defences, with wins against future WBC title-holder Vincenzo Nardiello and American Danny Perez . Benn then lost his title to Malinga in 1996 in a fight that saw Benn knock Malinga down in

216-507: A clear advantage over the other, regardless of how minute the advantage. Modern boxing rules were initially derived from the Marquess of Queensberry rules which mainly outlined core aspects of the sport, such as the establishment of rounds and their duration, as well as the determination of proper attire in the ring such as gloves and wraps . These rules did not, however, provide unified guidelines for scoring fights and instead left this in

270-476: A fight against Ray Mancini . Studies following the fight have concluded that his brain had become more susceptible to damage after the 12th round. Exactly three months after the fatal fight, the WBC reduced the number of their championship fights to 12 three-minute rounds with 1 minute in between, making the total bout 47 minutes long. If the bout "goes the distance", meaning that the scheduled time has fully elapsed,

324-519: A forthcoming bout with former WBC super-middleweight world champion Sakio Bika (34-7-3) that was planned to take place on 23 November 2019. The British Boxing Board of Control refused to sanction the fight, which instead was to be somewhat controversially sanctioned by the British and Irish Boxing Authority . However, the fight was subsequently called off when Benn suffered a shoulder injury in sparring. A disappointed Benn reluctantly confirmed that he

378-546: A highly anticipated bout billed as Sudden Impact . Going into the fight McClellan had won his last 21 fights—the last 14 of those by knockout; with 13 of those knockouts in the first three Rounds. McClellan had twice defeated the renowned power-puncher Julian Jackson , with knockouts in Round 5 and Round 1 respectively. McClellan had never been beyond Round 8 in any of his previous fights, insisting that he rarely needed more than three rounds to defeat his opponents. In Round 1, Benn

432-432: A mini documentary, Four Kings . On the final episode, he admitted he had bipolar disorder, but unlike Bruno, he found out without being taken into mental testing by police. He was aware of his unresolved PTSD due to circumstances surrounding his older brother's death. He even tried to commit suicide by way of sleeping pill overdose with a mix of alcohol and recycling exhaust fumes back into the car to asphyxiate himself, but

486-596: A much higher profile than amateur boxing throughout the 20th century and beyond. In 1891, the National Sporting Club (N.S.C), a private club in London, began to promote professional glove fights at its own premises, and created nine of its own rules to augment the Queensberry Rules . These rules specified more accurately, the role of the officials, and produced a system of scoring that enabled

540-537: A rematch victory over Mauro Galvano, before again Chris Eubank —who was now WBO super-middleweight champion—in a unification bout on 9 October 1993. The bout ended in a draw, with both fighters retaining their respective titles. Benn defended his title twice more in 1994 with unanimous decisions against Henry Wharton and Juan Carlos Giminez Ferreyra . In February 1995, Benn successfully defended his 168lb title against WBC middleweight champion Gerald McClellan in

594-788: A rival body, the World Boxing Council (WBC) was formed. In 1983, the International Boxing Federation (IBF) was formed. In 1988, another world sanctioning body, the World Boxing Organization (WBO) was formed. In the 2010s a boxer had to be recognised by these four bodies to be the undisputed world champion; minor bodies like the International Boxing Organization (IBO) and World Boxing Union (WBU) are disregarded. Regional sanctioning bodies such as

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648-736: Is an ambassador to the New South Wales Police Citizens Youth Club's ( PCYC ) and is an advocate for healthy living. Benn is also a Patron of the Shannon Bradshaw Trust, a UK children's charity based in the North West of England, helping children with life-threatening conditions and their families. Benn ran the 2013 City to Surf to raise funds for the most underfunded PCYC gym in Redfern , Sydney and has undertaken many fund raisers for

702-421: Is declared if at least two judges score the bout in favour of the same boxer. The result is either a (win by) “unanimous decision”, by “majority decision” (if the third judge scores a draw), or by “split decision” (if the third judge scores the bout in favour of the other boxer). Otherwise, the result is a draw: a “unanimous draw” (if all three judges scored the bout a draw), a “majority draw” (if two judges scored

756-801: The North American Boxing Federation (NABF), the North American Boxing Council (NABC) and the United States Boxing Association (USBA) also awarded championships. The Ring magazine also continued listing the world champion of each weight division, and its rankings continue to be appreciated by fans. Mauro Galvano Mauro Galvano (born 30 March 1964 in Fiumicino , Roma ) was a professional boxer and former WBC Super Middleweight Champion . As an amateur, Galvano

810-535: The San Francisco Athletic Club being a prominent example. On December 26, 1908, heavyweight Jack Johnson became the first black heavyweight champion and a highly controversial figure in that racially charged era. Prizefights often had unlimited rounds, and could easily become endurance tests, favouring patient tacticians like Johnson. At lighter weights, ten round fights were common, and lightweight Benny Leonard dominated his division from

864-550: The Lewis Law, banned prizefights except for those held in private athletic clubs between members. Thus, when introducing the fighters, the announcer frequently added the phrase "Both members of this club", as George Wesley Bellows titled one of his paintings. The western region of the United States tended to be more tolerant of prizefights in this era, although the private club arrangement was standard practice here as well,

918-761: The US in Atlantic City. Benn was knocked down in round two, but came back to knock DeWitt down in round three. Benn scored three knockdowns in round eight to win the title. His first defence came in August 1990 against former WBC champion Iran Barkley . Benn won via the three-knockdown rule at the end of the first round. Benn returned to the UK and met British rival Chris Eubank three months later. They fought in Birmingham on 18 November 1990. Benn lost his title to Eubank in

972-479: The US. In the sixth round, Watson knocked Benn down with a jab and Benn was counted out as he rose to his feet. His next fight against Jorge Amparo in Atlantic City, U.S. was his first fight abroad and the first to last the full distance, with Benn winning a 10-round decision. After two more wins, against Sanderline Williams and Jose Quinones , Benn fought WBO middleweight title holder Doug DeWitt of

1026-538: The United Kingdom, Jack Solomons ' success as a fight promoter helped re-establish professional boxing after the Second World War and made the UK a popular place for title fights in the 1950s and 1960s. In the early twentieth century, most professional bouts took place in the United States and Britain, and champions were recognised by popular consensus as expressed in the newspapers of the day. Among

1080-663: The United States became the centre for professional boxing. It was generally accepted that the "world champions" were those listed by the Police Gazette . After 1920, the National Boxing Association (NBA) began to sanction "title fights". Also during that time, The Ring was founded, and it listed champions and awarded championship belts. The NBA was renamed in 1962 and became the World Boxing Association (WBA). The following year,

1134-527: The WBC super-middleweight title in Palaghiaccio de Marino , Marino , Lazio , Italy . Galvano was unable to continue in the third due to a severe cut, and—after a controversial dispute at ringside over the official result—Benn was declared the winner by technical decision. Benn's move to the higher weight limit saw him refine his fight strategy and adopt a more considered approach. He defended his title against fellow Britons Nicky Piper and Lou Gent, and

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1188-522: The army, Benn joined West Ham Amateur Boxing Club. Benn turned professional in 1987 and began a streak of 22 consecutive knockout wins. During this time, Benn won the vacant Commonwealth middleweight title with a second-round win over Abdul Umaru, at Alexandra Pavilion on 20 April 1988. In May 1989 Benn (22-0, 22 KOs) lost his Commonwealth title against Michael Watson in a heavily anticipated bout at Finsbury Park , London ( Nigel Benn vs. Michael Watson ). The fight appeared on national television in

1242-494: The bout a draw, regardless of the result reached by the third judge), or a “split draw” (if each boxer was the winner on one scorecard, and the third judge scored a draw). The 10-point system was first introduced in 1968 by the World Boxing Council (WBC) as a rational way of scoring fights. It was viewed as such because it allowed judges to reward knockdowns and distinguish between close rounds, as well as rounds where one fighter clearly dominated their opponent. Furthermore,

1296-509: The charity since improving the boxing facilities in the most impoverished areas of Sydney. Benn regularly assists Christian groups, counselling individuals with addiction and along with wife Carolyne counsels couples who are facing marriage issues. One of Benn's sons, Conor Benn , turned professional in 2016 and is currently fighting at welterweight . Another son, Harley, turned professional in 2017. In 2024, Benn joined fellow London boxers – Frank Bruno , Lennox Lewis and Chris Eubank – for

1350-797: The chimes from Big Ben would often be played before he made his entrance. Benn was born in Ilford , East London , on 22 January 1964. When Nigel was 8 years old, he lost his older brother, Andy, after he fell from the glass roof of a conservatory. Benn, aged 18, joined the Royal Fusiliers which was amalgamated into the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers on 23 April 1968. He was stationed in West Germany for three years, and then in Northern Ireland for eighteen months. On leaving

1404-405: The eighth round. However, McClellan, now visibly fatigued, was unable to capitalize on his advantage. Benn mounted a comeback and ultimately stopped McClellan by knockout in Round 10, with McClellan unable to rise from his knee. At the time of the stoppage, two judges had McClellan ahead, while the third had the fight even, although these scores did not account for the two knockdowns Benn delivered in

1458-436: The end of each round, judges must hand in their scores to the referee who then hands them to the clerk who records and totals the final scores. Judges are to award 10 points (less any point deductions) to the victor of the round and a lesser score (less any point deductions) to the loser. The losing contestant's score can vary depending on different factors. The "10-point must" system is the most widely used scoring system since

1512-407: The event the winner of a bout cannot be determined by a knockout , technical knockout , or disqualification , the final decision rests in the hands of three ringside judges approved by the commission. The three judges are usually seated along the edge of the boxing ring , separated from each other. The judges are forbidden from sharing their scores with each other or consulting with one another. At

1566-412: The feeder tube never connected properly. Professional boxer In contrast with amateur boxing , professional bouts are typically much longer and can last up to twelve rounds, though less significant fights can be as short as four rounds. Protective headgear is not permitted, and boxers are generally allowed to take substantial punishment before a fight is halted. Professional boxing has enjoyed

1620-474: The fifth round, but in which he also met the canvass in the twelfth. Benn lost the contest by a split decision (118-109, 115–111, 112–114). In 1996, Benn attempted to take the WBO super-middleweight title twice from Steve Collins —who had taken that particular title from Eubank and beat him in a rematch. Benn failed in both attempts. In the first fight, he lost by TKO in Round 4 after sustaining an ankle injury. In

1674-401: The fighter knocked down, resulting in a 10–8 score if there is one knockdown or a 10–7 score if there are two knockdowns. If the referee instructs the judges to deduct a point for a foul, this deduction is applied after the preliminary computation. So, if a fighter wins a round, but is penalised for a foul, the score changes from 10–9 to 9–9. If that same fighter scored a knockdown in the round,

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1728-443: The final round. McClellan was severely injured as a result of the contest. After collapsing in his corner post-fight, McClellan was rushed to hospital where a blood clot was discovered on his brain. To this day McClellan has short-term memory problems, is almost completely blind, partially deaf, and uses a wheelchair. Although he has regained some movement and some of his hearing since 1995, having been 80% deaf and he can now walk with

1782-451: The first ever black athlete to win a World Championship in any sport; he was also the first Canadian-born boxing champion. On May 12, 1902, lightweight Joe Gans became the first black American to be boxing champion. Despite the public's enthusiasm, this was an era of far-reaching regulation of the sport, often with the stated goal of outright prohibition. In 1900, the State of New York enacted

1836-491: The great champions of the era were the peerless heavyweight Jim Jeffries and Bob Fitzsimmons , who weighed more than 190 pounds (86 kilograms), but won world titles at middleweight (1892), light heavyweight (1903), and heavyweight (1897). Other famous champions included light heavyweight Philadelphia Jack O'Brien and middleweight Tommy Ryan . After winning the Bantamweight title in 1892, Canada's George Dixon became

1890-403: The hands of individual sanctioning organizations. This meant that fights would be scored differently depending on the rules established by the governing body overseeing the fight. It is from this environment that the 10-point system evolved. The adoption of this system, both nationally and internationally, established the foundation for greater judging consistency in professional boxing. In

1944-439: The late teens into the early twenties. Championship level prizefighters in this period were the premier sports celebrities, TO IF WE, and a title bout generated intense public interest. Long before bars became popular venues in which to watch sporting events on television, enterprising saloon keepers were known to set up ticker machines and announce the progress of an important bout, blow by blow. Local kids often hung about outside

1998-430: The mid-20th century. It is so named because a judge "must" award 10 points to at least one fighter each round (before deductions for fouls). A scoring of 10–9 is commonly seen, with 10 points for the fighter who won the round, and 9 points for the fighter the judge believes lost the round. If a round is judged to be even, it is scored 10–10. For each knockdown in a round, the judge typically deducts an additional point from

2052-546: The ninth round after the referee stepped in and declared a win for Eubank via Technical knockout . Beginning in 1991 with a seventh-round KO victory over Robbie Sims ( Marvin Hagler 's half-brother), Benn went on a winning streak of six fights leading to another world title challenge. Other wins in this period include a disputed decision win against Thulani Malinga and a one-punch KO victory against Dan Sherry. On 10 October 1992, Benn successfully challenged Mauro Galvano for

2106-419: The other participant is awarded a technical knockout win. For this reason, fighters often employ cutmen , whose job is to treat cuts between rounds so that the boxer is able to continue despite the cut. Other scoring systems have also been used in various locations, including the five-point must system (in which the winning fighter is awarded five points, the loser four or fewer), the one-point system (in which

2160-451: The outcome is determined by decision. In the early days of boxing, the referee decided the outcome by raising the winner's arm at the end of the bout, a practice that is still used for some professional bouts in the United Kingdom. In the early twentieth century, it became the practice for the referee or judge to score bouts by the number of rounds won by each boxer. To improve the reliability of scoring, two ringside judges were added besides

2214-506: The referee to decide the result of a fight. The British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) was first formed in 1919 with close links to the N.S.C., and was re-formed in 1929 after the N.S.C. closed. In 1909, the first of twenty-two belts were presented by the fifth Earl of Lonsdale to the winner of a British title fight held at the N.S.C. In 1929, the BBBofC continued to award Lonsdale Belts to any British boxer who won three title fights in

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2268-409: The referee, and the winner was decided by majority decision. Since the late twentieth century, it has become common practice for the judges to be three ringside observers who award a score to each boxer for each round, with the referee having the authority to deduct points for certain violations. At the conclusion of the bout, each of the three judges tallies the points awarded to each boxer. A winner

2322-412: The rematch four months later, Benn was retired by his corner at the end of Round 6 with Benn on his stool. Benn retired from professional boxing altogether shortly after the fight. On 24 September 2019, Benn announced his return to boxing at the age of 55 after 23 years of being out of the ring. Benn reasoned that he wanted "closure" after the unsatisfactory end to his boxing career in 1996 as he announced

2376-404: The result of an unintentional foul, the fight goes to the scorecards only if a specified number of rounds (usually three, sometimes four) have been completed. Whoever is ahead on the scorecards wins by a technical decision. If the required number of rounds has not been completed, the fight is declared a technical draw or a no contest. If a fight is stopped due to a cut resulting from a legal punch,

2430-420: The saloon doors, hoping for news of the fight. Harpo Marx , then fifteen, recounted vicariously experiencing the 1904 Jeffries-Munroe championship fight in this way. Professional bouts are limited to a maximum of twelve rounds, where each round last 3 minutes for men, 2 minutes for women. Most are fought over four to ten rounds depending upon the experience of the boxers. Through the early twentieth century, it

2484-500: The same weight division. The "title fight" has always been the focal point in professional boxing. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, however, there were title fights at each weight. Promoters who could stage profitable title fights became influential in the sport, as did boxers' managers. The best promoters and managers have been instrumental in bringing boxing to new audiences and provoking media and public interest. The most famous of all three-way partnership (fighter-manager-promoter)

2538-425: The score would change from 10–8 in his favour to 9–8. While uncommon, if a fighter completely dominates a round but does not score a knockdown, a judge can still score that round 10–8. Judges do not have the ability to disregard an official knockdown; if the referee declares a fighter going down to be a knockdown, the judges must score it as such. If a fight is stopped due to an injury that the referee has ruled to be

2592-408: The subsequent adoption of this system, both nationally and internationally, allowed for greater judging consistency, which was something that was sorely needed at the time. There are many factors that inform the judge's decision but the most important of these are: clean punching, effective aggressiveness, ring generalship and defense. Judges use these metrics as a means of discerning which fighter has

2646-407: The winning fighter is awarded one or more points, and the losing fighter is awarded zero), and the rounds system which simply awards the round to the winning fighter. In the rounds system, the bout is won by the fighter determined to have won more rounds. This system often used a supplemental points system (generally the 10-point must) in the case of even rounds. In the first part of the 20th century,

2700-531: Was abandoning his planned boxing comeback. Benn was entered into the World Boxing Council (WBC) Boxing Hall of Fame in 2013 and was honored alongside fellow Brit Joe Calzaghe as WBC middleweight champions in. His image is now on the sixth generation WBC super middleweight belt. Benn works with youth at risk in Blacktown , New South Wales , Australia and is dedicated to his charity work. He

2754-399: Was common for fights to have unlimited rounds, ending only when one fighter quit or the fight was stopped by police. In the 1910s and 1920s, a fifteen-round limit gradually became the norm, benefiting high-energy fighters like Jack Dempsey . For decades, boxing matches went on for 15 rounds, but that was all changed on November 13, 1982, following the death of Korean boxer Kim Duk-koo in

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2808-513: Was knocked through the ropes as McClellan dominated early, appearing to make good on his pre-fight promises. Benn was forced to endure the early rounds, battling to survive in what became a brutal contest. From Rounds 4 to 6, Benn began to shift the momentum, as McClellan showed signs of distress, repeatedly losing his gumshield, backing off for extended periods, and blinking continuously. McClellan responded in Rounds 7 and 8, knocking Benn down again in

2862-407: Was that of Jack Dempsey (heavyweight champion 1919–1926), his manager Jack Kearns , and the promoter Tex Rickard . Together they grossed US$ 8.4 million in only five fights between 1921 and 1927 and ushered in a "golden age" of popularity for professional boxing in the 1920s. They were also responsible for the first live radio broadcast of a title fight (Dempsey v. Georges Carpentier , in 1921). In

2916-485: Was the 1984 Italian Middleweight Champion and the 1985 Italian Light-Heavyweight Champion. Galvano turned pro in 1986 and won the Vacant WBC super-middleweight title with a decision win over Dario Walter Matteoni in 1990. He defended the belt twice before losing it to Nigel Benn via TKO in 1992. In the rematch with Benn in 1993, Galvano again came up short in a decision loss. He retired in 1997. In 2012, Galvano

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