The Boxing History Blog

To make a donation to The Gerald McClellan Trust please see the link at the end of this post.  Nigel Benn 25th February 1995, London Arena WBC Super-Middleweight Title Nigel Benn Vs Gerald McClellan "They're going to set mini Mike Tyson on you," Benn was informed by his manager Peter DeFreitas. Mini Mike Tyson was Don King's nickname for Gerald McClellan. King's plan was simple; McClellan would knock out Benn and unify the WBC title with pound-for-pound number one and IBF super-middleweight champion Roy Jones Jnr, who McClellan outpointed in 1988 at the semi-final stage of the National Golden Gloves Tournament. Born in Freeport, Illinois on 23rd October 1967, McClellan turned professional in August 1988, fighting out of his home city of Detroit, representing Emanuel Steward's Kronk gym. He blitzed through his first ten opponents before getting outpointed over eight rounds by Dennis Milton in June 1989. Three months later he was ...

Nigel Benn With a lucrative rematch against Chris Eubank looking highly unlikely, Nigel Benn switched his attention to WBC champion Mauro Galvano from Italy. Galvano started his professional career in February 1986 and in November 1988 he drew with Mwehu Beya in a challenge for the Italian light-heavyweight title. In June 1989 he suffered his first defeat, at the hands of Beya, in a rematch for the national championship. The Italian, born in Fiumicino, Lazio on 30th March 1964, won his next three bouts. He outpointed Mark Kaylor for the European super-middleweight title in March 1990. Nine months later he was in Monte Carlo, outpointing Argentina's Dario Walter Matteoni for the WBC super-middleweight championship, vacated by 'Sugar' Ray Leonard. Galvano also outscored Ron Essett in July 1991 and Juan Carlos Gimenez in February 1992, before putting his belt on the line for the third time against Benn on 03rd October 1992. The Londoner, who hired new trainer Jimmy...

Nigel Benn After losing his world title to Chris Eubank, Nigel Benn returned to the ring at the beginning of April 1991. His opponent was Marvin Hagler's half-brother, Robbie Sims. Like his sibling, Sims was a southpaw who could box competently as an orthodox fighter. Sims was a decent amateur, outpointing Marlon Starling in the finals of the New England Golden Gloves in 1975 and 1979. He turned professional as a middleweight in May 1980 and suffered his first points loss to future light-heavyweight and cruiserweight champion Bobby Czyz in January 1982. His career looked like it would stall at the end of the year and beginning of 1983 as he suffered another loss to Clint Jackson and a draw with future IBF super-middleweight champion Murray Sutherland. Sims' third defeat came in the August as Mike Tinley outscored him, and it looked he wouldn't be anywhere near as good as his brother and reigning undisputed middleweight champion, Marvin Hagler. Sims finished the yea...

Nigel Benn With three wins under his belt after surrendering his Commonwealth middleweight title to Michael Watson, Nigel Benn stayed in America and challenged Doug 'Cobra' DeWitt, the inaugural WBO middleweight champion. DeWitt proved his durability by taking Thomas Hearns the full twelve rounds in an unsuccessful bid for the North American Boxing Federation middleweight crown in October 1986. DeWitt was born in Youngstown, Ohio on 14th September 1961 and later moved to Yonkers, New York. He started boxing at fifteen and three years later turned professional, outscoring Peter Pennello in March 1980. The Hearns defeat was the seventh blemish on his record of 27-4-3 (17 KO's), with Ben Serrano, Robbie Sims and Milton McCrory all outscoring him. He also lost his next contest, a third-round TKO to Jose Quinones in February 1987 (Benn took care of Quinones in the first round in December 1989). Three wins and a draw later got him a shot at Sumbu Kalambay for the W...

Nigel Benn Nigel Benn, a Lance Corporal for the First Battalion of Royal Fusiliers was an undefeated welterweight between 1982 and 1984. Only Rod Douglas beat him as an amateur, a loss he later avenged. In 1986 he captured the ABA middleweight title, defeating Gloucester's Johnny Melfah in the final. Benn finished his unpaid career with a record of  41-1. He turned professional in disgust as Douglas was preferred by the Great Britain team to compete in the Commonwealth Games ahead of him. On 28th January 1987, Benn stopped Graeme Ahmed, from South Shields, in the second round on his debut in the paid ranks. The knockouts and stoppages came thick and fast and by April 1988 he was lined up to fight Ghana's Abdul Umaru Sanda for the Commonwealth middleweight crown. In typical explosive fashion, the champion succumbed to Benn's power in round two as he improved to 17-0, all by kayo. Six months later he made the first defence of his domestic title against the J...