Chris Eubank Sr has come clean about a boxer he couldn't beat: James Toney. The former world champion made this surprising admission in a recent video on his YouTube channel.
Eubank Sr was part of a legendary group of fighters in the late 80s and 90s. He won the WBO world middleweight title in 1990 and later became the WBO super middleweight champion. His career was filled with notable fights against boxers like Nigel Benn, Steve Collins, Michael Watson, and Carl Thompson.
The British boxer started his career to gain respect from his brothers. He quickly made a name for himself, knocking out Nigel Benn in 1990 to win his first world title. Three years later, their rematch ended in a draw. Eubank Sr also captured the WBO super middleweight title from Michael Watson.
But even champions face setbacks. Eubank Sr lost his super middleweight title to Steve Collins and couldn't win it back in their rematch. His career wound down with losses to Joe Calzaghe and two defeats against Carl Thompson.
Despite his impressive record, Eubank Sr recently admitted there was one fighter he couldn't see himself beating: James Toney. In a video on his YouTube channel, Eubank Sr said:
"I wasn't going to unify against him because I don't see how I could beat him. I'm glad that Nigel Benn was my advisory, that he was the one, I'm glad it wasn't James Toney. I wouldn't have dodged them but I couldn't see a way to beat James Toney, you can't beat guys like that, you just can't beat them."
Eubank Sr explained that Toney was a champion in his own right, never just a contender. He added that if Toney had been the number one contender for his title, he would have had to fight him.
Toney's career was indeed impressive. He held world championships in three weight classes, from middleweight to cruiserweight. He even made two attempts at the heavyweight championship, though they were unsuccessful.
While Eubank Sr reflects on his past opponents, the boxing world looks forward to a new chapter in an old rivalry. Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn, sons of Chris Eubank Sr and Nigel Benn, are set to face off soon, continuing the generational rivalry between their families.
