The Three Greatest British Boxing Rivalries

Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn will headline the first-ever Ring Magazine UK card on April 26 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. There is no love lost in this fierce all-British rivalry, and both will look to settle the score. As we build up to fight night, Big Fight Weekend looks back at the three greatest British boxing rivalries.

Greatest British Boxing Rivalries Unpacked

Greatest British Boxing Rivalries: Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn

Chris Eubank vs Nigel Benn captivated the British public when they first met on November 18, 1990. Benn attracted the support of the working-class British public. That support wasn’t enough, as Eubank, despite being behind on the scorecards rallied to stop Benn in round nine.

Judgement Day at Old Trafford on October 9, 1993 was the setting of their much-anticipated rematch., which saw both give everything in a memorable 12th round, and the two could not be split with one judge giving it 114-113 to Benn, with one giving it 115-113 and the final scorecard reading 114-114, resulting in a split draw. The rematch was colossal with over 15 million people tuning in to ITV.

The obvious dislike between the two appears to have subsided over the years. But with Conor-Chris Jr on April 26, Big Fight Weekend are feeling nostalgic about this memorable rivalry.

Mark Kaylor vs Errol Christie

Toxicity reigned supreme in the build-up to the November 5, 1985 British middleweight title eliminator between Mark Kaylor and Errol Christie. Christie claimed Kaylor used a racial slur, leading to a brawl at a pre-fight press conference. This scrap resulted in fines for both and an increased police presence on fight night.

The fight did not disappoint, with both hitting the canvas in a frenetic opening round and Kaylor floored again in the third. Ultimately, Kaylor overwhelmed Christie, forcing a stoppage in round eight. This clash remains a defining moment in British boxing history. Despite these two only fighting once, it will forever be remembered as one of the most memorable all-British fights.

Carl Froch vs George Groves

The build-up to Groves-Froch 1 on November 23, 2013, was spicy with plenty of back and forth between both and their respective camps. Round one was explosive, with Groves scoring a knockdown. Groves was in front on all three scorecards when he was hurt in round nine, but inexplicably, Howard Foster deemed him unable to continue and waved the fight off. It was a terrible stoppage that perfectly set up the rematch.

Their second fight took place at Wembley Stadium in front of 80,000 people on May 31, 2014, with the build-up still full of spite a second time. It was a closer, more cagey affair before Froch landed a monster right hand, leading the referee to wave the fight off, with Groves in no position to continue. Carl Froch will seemingly ensure we always remember he defeated George Groves in front of 80,000 at Wembley Stadium in one of the greatest British boxing rivalries.