Tag Archives: benn

Posted on 07/19/2017

By: Sean Crose

If you were a boxing fan in or around Springfield, Massachusetts in the late 80s-early 90s, you knew exactly who John Scully was. Hailing from right down the road, across the Connecticut border, Scully was known to train in Springfield and was the shining star of the area scene. Scully wasn’t just a local fighter, he was a local fighter with a bright future. Back then, such things meant something – just as they do now. Sure enough, Scully went on to quite the successful career at light heavyweight. Nowadays, Scully, also known as “Iceman,” is a trainer of high note, yet he’s also known for something that’s perhaps even more important…helping out former fighters in need.

On August 5th, Scully will be hosting a benefit for Gerald McClellan, an amazing middleweight champion from the 90s who suffered permanent brain damage after a brutal fight with Britain’s Nigel Benn in 1995. “Gerald and I were amateurs together back in the 80s,” says Scully. “I’ve been in touch with his sister(s) and they take care of him at home all on their own.” Sure enough, McClellan’s siblings have taken responsibility for their bother’s well being. Needless to say, such an endeavor can be quite costly.

Hall of Fame Broadcaster Steve Farhood puts it succinctly: there’s no financial safety nets in boxing. “In team sports,” Farhood points out, “there are pensions.” Unfortunately, there are no pensions for fighters. Farhood rightly argues that short term memories can make things all the more unacceptable. “There’s an initial outcry,” he states, referring to times when fighters get severely hurt – or even killed. Yet “the person’s problems and issues don’t fade.” Farhood also adds that “there are financial concerns, as well.”

Cue Scully and the fundraiser he’s hosting for McClellan on August 5th at Moniques Lounge 108 in New York City. The event is free to the public and will feature “raffles and signatures of gloves.” To Scully, the whole thing has come about organically. “Basically I’ve always done these amateur boxing reunions,” he says. “I have former amateur boxers get together and hang out.” To Scully, using these events to help out former peers like McClellan only made sense. “It’s come to that – where I can raise money and help these guys out,” he says. “I decided to do a fundraiser for him (McClellan) in conjunction with a reunion.”

Stories like McClellan’s have been of great personal interest to Farhood, who is quick to praise Scully for his charitable work. “John is great,” says the popular Showtime analyst. For Farhood, who; as an expert, has witnessed more than his fair share of ring related tragedies, the case of McClellan has been something of a personal crusade over the years. “I didn’t know him well,” he says of the former champ, admitting that he was inspired by famed fight photographer Teddy Blackburn to help McClellan and his family out. “Blackburn,” says Farhood, “championed the cause early.”

Boxing is the greatest sport on earth, not only for the brilliance that can be seen regularly in the ring, but oftentimes for what transpires outside of it. Thanks to men like Scully, fans will be able to take part in some of the brilliance that takes place outside of it this summer. The Fundraiser on the fifth of August won’t only be fun, it will be for an absolutely terrific cause.

Here’s the info:

Fundraiser for Gerald McClellan

Hosted by John “Iceman” Scully
August 5th, 2017
Monique’s Lounge 108
181 East 108th St.
Spanish Harlem, NYC
Doors open at 1 PM
Free Admission

Private donations may be sent to:
Gerald McClellan Trust

839 E. Wyandotte
Freeport, Illinois
61032

Posted on 06/30/2017

Nigel Benn, What Are You Doing?
By: Greg Houghton

Former two-weight world champion Nigel Benn has recently stated that a contract has been drawn which secures a fight between himself (aged 53) and Steve Collins (aged 52) to take place this year.

Photo Credit: Nigel Benn Twitter Page

Now at the age of 53 Benn has transformed from the animal he used to be, into one of the most gentlemenly and respectful figures associated with the sport. Benn is a British boxing legend and appears to have a wonderful and loving relationship with his son, upcoming prospect Connor Benn. Heart warming scenes have shown the two after Connor Benn’s previous fights kissing and hugging in celebration. Nigel Benn appears to have gotten the balance just right in supporting his son whilst staying away from the limelight of Connor’s career, all the while giving him the room he needs to grow as an athlete and having the complete respect of his son. On camera, Nigel Benn is also an absolute joy to watch in interviews as someone whose wise words and tips for the younger generation of the sport sparkle with joy and pride at the man that his son is becomming.

It has been pressed for a while now that he and old foe Chris Eubank (AKA English) have been planning to fight for a third time. They are both now over the age of 50. Apparent complications in closing the deal (which are very believable based on Jr’s career so far) have meant that Benn has apparently withdrawn from the idea, and instead offered the fight to someone who has beaten them both, Steve Collins.

“For me it’s all about closure, it ain’t about the money. I just want to have a fight, and Steve obliged”

Collins stopped Benn twice when they fought, at a point where Benn was rumoured to be going through serious issues in his home life which hindered his performance. These performances, particularly his last one against Collins, are perhaps the catilyst for Benn wanting to take this fight. In a recent interview with IFL TV, Benn stated “For me it’s all about closure, it ain’t about the money. I just want to have a fight, and Steve obliged”. It’s not surprising Collins, aka The Celtic Warrior, took this fight as he not only beat Eubank and Benn twice, he long after retiring continued to try to book a fight with Roy Jones Jr.

This was one of the greatest eras in British boxing with the top three (Colins, Eubank, Benn) all dying to fight each other and doing so multiple times. The hostility and rivalry between these three, along with top contenders Henry Wharton and Michael Watson, was electric for boxing fans.This period in a way draws parallels to the essence of Ali, Frazier and Foreman in the early 70’s. Some would say that this era in which the three Brits starred is a world away from the state of boxing today, with fighters seemingly being able to vacate belts and back out of fights at will. However, this era happened more than twenty years ago, and these once great fighters, have aged.

History tells us, for the most part, that ageing fighters who were once legendary bring sad moments to the ring, which are difficult for boxing fans to swallow. Watching Bernard Hopkins get dismanteld by Joe Smith Jr, Muhammed Ali get punished by Larry Holmes, these are not fights which any boxing fan really wanted to see. Most recently, watching EnzoMaccarinelli knock Roy Jones Jr out in the fourth round of their fight in December 2015 was like watching your favorite pub burn to the ground in front of you.

If the fight between Benn and Collins were to get licensed, it is not a fight that many boxing fans would want to see at the age these two are at now. Several leaked videos of Nigel Benn in training at the age of 53 show him being lightning fast and looking exceptional for his age. In fact, Benn claims to be capable of “doing things now that he’s never done before”, due to his healthy and stress-free lifestyle of recent times.

Nigel Benn has grown old very gracefully and is a witty, charming and entertaining presence in his interviews. We beg, please Nigel let this fight go for you have nothing to prove. You are one of Britain’s boxing heroes and your work will always be remembered. Stay in shape, stay humble and continue your wonderful work in guiding your talented son to stardom. Let boxing fans continue to marvel in the magnificence that was the era of Middleweight and Super-Middleweight boxing of the 90’s. As Eddie Hutch famously said to Joe Frazier at the Thrilla in Manilla;
“No one will ever forget what you did here”.