Five Most Memorable Wins for Chris Eubank Sr

British boxing was blessed with a plethora of great fighters during the 80s and 90s, with Lennox Lewis and Prince Naseem Hamed just two of those fighters. Chris Eubank Sr record stands up against the best of those fighters during those periods, and Big Fight Weekend brings you five of his most memorable.

Chris Eubank Sr Record: Looking at Five Memorable Wins

Chris Eubank Sr vs Gary Stretch

On April 18, 1991, WBO middleweight world champion, Chris Eubank defended his title against Gary Stretch. Eubank came into the fight undefeated, having won the WBO title against Nigel Benn, four months earlier.

Eubank was in control of the fight, proving to be slick for his opponent, picking his shots impressively. He controlled the tempo well, throughout before increasing the pressure, landing a huge right hand, knocking Stretch through the ropes.

Graciano Rocchigiani

On February 5, 1994, Eubank defended his WBO strap against the 30-year-old undefeated German boxer Graciano Rocchigiani in Deutschlandhalle. Eubank came into the fight having drawn with Ray Close and Nigel Benn.

Eubank was ultimately too fast and too accurate for his German opponent. He mixed his shots impressively. Rocchigiani never stopped trying to come forward, but the German fighter was too slick. The judge’s scorecards ultimately read 114-113, 115-113 and 118-019. The fight itself was more like the 118-109 scorecard. This was a dominating performance when looking at Chris Eubank Sr record.

Michael Watson II

On September 21, 1991, Eubank faced Michael Watson at White Hart Lane in a rematch of their controversial first bout. The initial fight ended in a majority decision win for Eubank, though many believed Watson had done enough to earn the victory.

The second fight is forever etched in boxing folklore. Eubank, trailing on all scorecards and knocked down in the eleventh round, miraculously rallied with a huge uppercut that floored Watson. At the end of the round, Watson’s corner had to help him back to his stool.

Sensing the stoppage he badly needed, Eubank came out aggressively in the final round. He unleashed a vicious unanswered barrage of punches – and just 29 seconds in, referee Roy Francis stepped in to wave off the fight. Tragically, moments after the stoppage, Watson collapsed in his corner. He would go on to undergo several brain surgeries, leaving him with permanent partial paralysis.

Nigel Benn I

Chris Eubank Sr vs Nigel Benn I took place on November 18, 1990, at NEC, Birmingham. Benn was relentless early on, walking Eubank down, throwing heavy shots. Eubank showcased his impressive accuracy, with Benn’s eye closed by the midway point.

Benn fired in some brutal body shots before Eubank fired back in the seventh, getting the better of the exchanges. “The Dark Destroyer” was clearly exhausted and was tagged with a straight right from Eubank, with referee Richard Steele stepping in to wave the fight off with four seconds left in the ninth round.

Thulani Malinga

Following his win over Watson in their rematch, Eubank Sr returned to action against Thulani Malinga at the NEC in Birmingham. Malinga controlled the tempo well early on with his jab and used his footwork effectively to evade attacks from Eubank.

Eubank Sr looked good when he doubled up on his jab, working off that to slow Malinga down. Apart from being knocked down in the fifth, Malinga rarely looked in trouble and was disciplined throughout. Both fighters had their moments in the final few rounds without hurting one another.

It ultimately went to the judge’s scorecards, with one judge scoring it 115-112 to the South African fighter. The other two scorecards favoured the work of Eubank, with scores of 116-112 and 115-113, awarding him the split decision win. It was a mostly flat performance from the British fighter, with many feeling “Sugar Boy” Malinga deserved the victory.

Chris Eubank Sr record stands as a testament to his skill, charisma and toughness. He retired with a record of 45 wins, 5 defeats, and 2 draws and these five wins remain vital victories for Eubank Sr in what was a truly unforgettable career.