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Chris Eubank
Chriseubank.jpg
Eubank in 2005
Statistics
Nickname(s)
  • Simply the Best
  • English
Rated at
Height 5 ft 10 in
Reach 73 in
Born (1966-08-08) 8 August 1966 (age 58)
Dulwich, London, England
Stance Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights 52
Wins 45
Wins by KO 23
Losses 5
Draws 2

Christopher Livingstone Eubank (born 8 August 1966) is a famous British former professional boxer. He competed from 1985 to 1998. Chris Eubank held important boxing titles, like the World Boxing Organization (WBO) middleweight and super-middleweight championships, from 1990 to 1995. Many people consider him one of the best British super-middleweight boxers ever.

He was a world champion for over five years and didn't lose any fights in his first 10 years as a professional. He was also never defeated in the middleweight division. His exciting fights against other British boxers, like Nigel Benn and Michael Watson, made boxing very popular in Britain during the 1990s. Chris Eubank was known for his unique personality, which made him a well-known celebrity.

In his last two years of boxing, he fought against Joe Calzaghe to try and win back his WBO super-middleweight title. Calzaghe, who won that fight, later said it was the toughest of his career. Eubank's very last fights were against Carl Thompson for the WBO junior-heavyweight title. These were very tough matches. In their second fight, Eubank was stopped for the only time in his career.

Chris Eubank was known for being very brave in the boxing ring. He could take many strong punches from his opponents and still keep fighting to win. People often said he had a "granite chin" because he was so tough. He was also famous for his confident and sometimes showy style. He would speak and dress in a fancy way and even vault over the ring ropes when he entered. His son, Chris Eubank Jr., is also a professional boxer.

Early Life and Boxing Start

Chris Eubank was born on August 8, 1966, in Dulwich, South London. He lived in Jamaica from when he was two months old until he was six. After returning to England, he lived in different parts of London, including Stoke Newington and Peckham. These areas were often quite poor.

He went to several schools and was suspended many times. When he was 16, his father sent him to New York in the U.S. to live with his mother. He lived in the tough South Bronx area.

Starting Boxing in New York

In New York, Chris Eubank found a new path. He started training at the Jerome Boxing Club. He became very dedicated to boxing, going to the gym every day and working there to pay his way. In 1984, he won the Spanish Golden Gloves Tournament. He also reached the semi-finals of the main Golden Gloves tournament at Madison Square Garden when he was 18.

Eubank has said that he was driven to succeed in boxing because he wanted to be accepted. He made his first professional boxing appearance shortly after his 19th birthday. After several fights, he started to gain attention in 1989 when he beat Anthony Logan. Eubank then made Brighton in England his home and aimed to fight Nigel Benn, believing he could win.

After a series of wins, Eubank won the WBC International title in 1990 against Hugo Corti. Later that year, he knocked out Renaldo Dos Santos in just 20 seconds.

Becoming a World Champion

WBO Middleweight Champion

Chris Eubank won the WBO middleweight title against Nigel Benn in a very memorable fight in 1990. It was a tough battle that ended when Benn was stopped in the ninth round. Eubank successfully defended his title against Dan Sherry, Gary Stretch, and Michael Watson. He won against Watson by a close decision. After this, Eubank had a perfect record of 28 wins and no losses as a middleweight.

WBO Super-Middleweight Champion

A second fight with Michael Watson happened in September 1991 for the vacant WBO super-middleweight title. This fight was very dramatic. Eubank was behind on points, but he knocked Watson down in the 11th round. Watson got up, but Eubank continued to punch, and the fight was stopped in the 12th round. Sadly, Watson suffered a serious injury after the fight. This event deeply affected Eubank, and he thought about quitting boxing.

After the Watson fight, Eubank's style changed. He didn't try to knock out opponents as much, preferring to win his fights by points. He successfully defended his super-middleweight title many times against boxers like "Sugarboy" Malinga, John Jarvis, Ron Essett, Tony Thornton, and former World Champion Lindell Holmes. He also fought Juan Carlos Giminez Ferreyra and had a draw with Ray Close.

Eubank vs Benn II

Nigel Benn also moved up to super-middleweight and became the WBC champion. Eubank and Benn agreed to fight again in 1993 to unify their titles. This second fight, called 'Judgement Day', was exciting but less brutal than their first. It ended in a draw.

After the Benn fight, Eubank defeated Graciano Rocchigiani from Germany. He then signed a big deal with Sky Sports for more fights. Eubank made five more successful title defenses, beating British contenders Henry Wharton and Sam Storey, as well as unbeaten boxers Dan Schommer and Mauricio Amaral Costa.

Losing the Title to Steve Collins

In March 1995, Chris Eubank lost his WBO super-middleweight title to Irish boxer Steve Collins. Collins won by a unanimous decision. The film One Night in Millstreet is about this famous fight.

Eubank won a fight against Jose Ignacio Barruetabena to get another chance at his old title. He also won against Bruno Ruben Godoy. A rematch with Steve Collins took place in Cork, Ireland, where Eubank lost again by a very close decision. He announced his retirement in October 1995 but quickly returned in 1996, winning against Luis Dionisio Barrera and Camilo Alarcon.

Calzaghe vs Eubank

In October 1997, Joe Calzaghe was set to fight for the vacant WBO super-middleweight title. Chris Eubank stepped in with only 11 days' notice to fight Calzaghe. Eubank was knocked down twice and lost on points. However, he gained more popularity for finishing the tough fight against a strong opponent.

Moving to Cruiserweight

After this, Eubank gained more weight and challenged Britain's Carl Thompson for the WBO cruiserweight title. Eubank knocked Thompson down in the fourth round but couldn't finish the fight. Thompson won by a close decision after 12 rounds.

A rematch was quickly set up three months later. This was Eubank's last fight. Eubank started well, but an injury to his left eye from the first fight caused it to swell shut. The fight was stopped at the end of the ninth round because Eubank couldn't see. He was ahead on points at the time. This was the only time Eubank was stopped in his entire 13-year professional career.

Chris Eubank ended his boxing career with 45 wins (23 by knockout), 5 losses, and 2 draws.

Life After Boxing

Chris Eubank became known for his unique personality outside the ring. He often spoke in a fancy way and dressed in unusual, upper-class clothing, sometimes including a bowler hat and a cane. In the early 1990s, he was even made into a puppet on the TV show Spitting Image. He appeared in commercials for brands like Nescafé and McDonald's.

He also owned some very interesting vehicles, including a huge American truck. At one point, he owned the only Hummer in Britain.

In 1994, Eubank bought a large building in Brighton and used his own money to turn it into 69 flats for people who didn't have homes. The building was later sold for new development.

Eubank appeared on several TV shows. In 2001, he was on the first series of Celebrity Big Brother. In 2002, he was the subject of a documentary called When Louis Met...Chris Eubank. He also had his own radio show called Eubank's People.

Chris Eubank and Michael Watson became friends after their second fight. In 2003, Eubank joined Watson for the final mile of the London Marathon, which Watson completed to raise money for charity, despite his injuries.

In 2015, Eubank took part in I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, a reality TV show. He also appeared with his son, Chris Eubank Jr., on Celebrity Gogglebox in 2019 and 2021. In 2023, he was a contestant on the Channel 4 show Scared of the Dark.

Public Actions

Chris Eubank has sometimes used his truck to display messages about important issues. In 2003 and 2007, he was arrested for protesting near Parliament Square in London. He displayed messages about the war in Iraq.

In 2005, Eubank became the first ambassador for GamCare, a charity that helps people with gambling problems. He also started designing tailored suits for a company called Cad and the Dandy in 2010.

Family Life

Chris Eubank and his first wife, Karron, had four children: Christopher Jr., Sebastian, Emily, and Joseph. He also has an elder son, Nathanael Wilson. His son Sebastian, who was also a professional boxer, sadly passed away in 2021. Chris Eubank is also the cousin of English media personality Mica Paris.

In 1992, Eubank was involved in a car accident where he lost control of his car, which resulted in the death of a building site worker. He was found guilty of driving without due care and attention. In 2014, Eubank married his manager Claire Geary, but they divorced in 2017.

In 2015, Eubank started using his father's nickname, "English," to honor his father and to help people tell the difference between him and his son, Chris Jr., who was starting his own boxing career.

Professional Boxing Record

Professional record summary
52 fights 45 wins 5 losses
By knockout 23 1
By decision 22 4
Draws 2
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round, time Date Location Notes
52 Loss 45–5–2 Carl Thompson RTD 9 (12), 3:00 18 Jul 1998 Ponds Forge, Sheffield, England For WBO junior-heavyweight title
51 Loss 45–4–2 Carl Thompson UD 12 18 Apr 1998 NYNEX Arena, Manchester, England For WBO junior-heavyweight title
50 Loss 45–3–2 Joe Calzaghe UD 12 11 Oct 1997 Sheffield Arena, Sheffield, England For vacant WBO super-middleweight title
49 Win 45–2–2 Camilo Alarcon KO 4 (10) 27 Mar 1997 Aviation Club Tennis Centre, Dubai, UAE
48 Win 44–2–2 Luis Dionisio Barrera KO 5 (10), 0:42 19 Oct 1996 Stadium Indoor Halls Complex, Cairo, Egypt
47 Loss 43–2–2 Steve Collins SD 12 9 Sep 1995 Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork, Ireland For WBO super-middleweight title
46 Win 43–1–2 Jose Ignacio Barruetabena KO 1 (10), 0:55 29 Jul 1995 Whitley Bay, England
45 Win 42–1–2 Bruno Ruben Godoy TKO 1 (10) 27 May 1995 King's Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland
44 Loss 41–1–2 Steve Collins UD 12 18 Mar 1995 Green Glens Arena, Millstreet, Ireland Lost WBO super-middleweight title
43 Win 41–0–2 Henry Wharton UD 12 10 Dec 1994 G-Mex Centre, Manchester, England Retained WBO super-middleweight title
42 Win 40–0–2 Dan Schommer UD 12 15 Oct 1994 Superbowl, Sun City, South Africa Retained WBO super-middleweight title
41 Win 39–0–2 Sam Storey TKO 7 (12), 1:00 27 Aug 1994 International Arena, Cardiff, Wales Retained WBO super-middleweight title
40 Win 38–0–2 Mauricio Amaral UD 12 9 Jul 1994 Earls Court Exhibition Centre, London, England Retained WBO super-middleweight title
39 Win 37–0–2 Ray Close SD 12 21 May 1994 King's Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland Retained WBO super-middleweight title
38 Win 36–0–2 Graciano Rocchigiani UD 12 5 Feb 1994 Deutschlandhalle, Berlin, Germany Retained WBO super-middleweight title
37 Draw 35–0–2 Nigel Benn SD 12 9 Oct 1993 Old Trafford, Manchester, England Retained WBO super-middleweight title;
For WBC super-middleweight title
36 Draw 35–0–1 Ray Close SD 12 15 May 1993 Exhibition and Conference Centre, Glasgow, Scotland Retained WBO super-middleweight title
35 Win 35–0 Lindell Holmes UD 12 20 Feb 1993 Earls Court Exhibition Centre, London, England Retained WBO super-middleweight title
34 Win 34–0 Juan Carlos Gimenez UD 12 28 Nov 1992 G-Mex Centre, Manchester, England Retained WBO super-middleweight title
33 Win 33–0 Tony Thornton UD 12 19 Sep 1992 Exhibition and Conference Centre, Glasgow, Scotland Retained WBO super-middleweight title
32 Win 32–0 Ron Essett UD 12 27 Jun 1992 Quinta do Lago Hotel, Almancil, Portugal Retained WBO super-middleweight title
31 Win 31–0 John Jarvis KO 3 (12), 1:50 25 Apr 1992 G-Mex Centre, Manchester, England Retained WBO super-middleweight title
30 Win 30–0 Thulani Malinga SD 12 1 Feb 1992 National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, England Retained WBO super-middleweight title
29 Win 29–0 Michael Watson TKO 12 (12), 0:29 21 Sep 1991 White Hart Lane, London, England Won vacant WBO super-middleweight title
28 Win 28–0 Michael Watson MD 12 22 Jun 1991 Earls Court Exhibition Centre, London, England Retained WBO middleweight title
27 Win 27–0 Gary Stretch TKO 6 (12), 1:56 18 Apr 1991 Olympia Grand Hall, London, England Retained WBO middleweight title
26 Win 26–0 Dan Sherry TD 10 (12), 2:11 23 Feb 1991 Brighton Centre, Brighton, England Retained WBO middleweight title;
Split TD: Sherry unable to continue after a headbutt by Eubank
25 Win 25–0 Nigel Benn TKO 9 (12), 2:56 18 Nov 1990 National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, England Won WBO middleweight title
24 Win 24–0 Reginaldo Dos Santos KO 1 (10), 0:20 22 Sep 1990 Royal Albert Hall, London, England
23 Win 23–0 Kid Milo TKO 8 (12) 5 Sep 1990 Brighton Centre, Brighton, England Retained WBC International middleweight title
22 Win 22–0 Eduardo Domingo Contreras UD 12 25 Apr 1990 Brighton Centre, Brighton, England Retained WBC International middleweight title
21 Win 21–0 Hugo Antonio Corti TKO 8 (12), 0:46 6 Mar 1990 York Hall, London, England Won WBC International middleweight title
20 Win 20–0 Denys Cronin TKO 3 (8), 1:15 16 Jan 1990 STAR Centre, Cardiff, Wales
19 Win 19–0 Jose Carlos da Silva KO 6 (8) 20 Dec 1989 Kirkby Leisure Centre, Liverpool, England
18 Win 18–0 Johnny Melfah KO 4 (8) 5 Nov 1989 Royal Albert Hall, London, England
17 Win 17–0 Jean-Noel Camara TKO 2 (8) 24 Oct 1989 York Hall, London, England
16 Win 16–0 Ron Malek TKO 5 (8), 1:20 4 Oct 1989 Festival Hall, Basildon, England
15 Win 15–0 Les Wisniewski TKO 2 (8), 1:07 28 Jun 1989 International Centre, Brentwood, England
14 Win 14–0 Randy Smith PTS 10 26 May 1989 York Hall, London, England
13 Win 13–0 Franky Moro PTS 8 1 Mar 1989 York Hall, London, England
12 Win 12–0 Anthony Logan PTS 8 8 Feb 1989 Royal Albert Hall, London, England
11 Win 11–0 Simon Collins TKO 4 (8), 2:22 31 Jan 1989 York Hall, London, England
10 Win 10–0 Steve Aquilina TKO 4 (6), 2:40 18 May 1988 Guildhall, Portsmouth, England
9 Win 9–0 Greg George TKO 5 (8), 1:25 4 May 1988 Olympia Grand Hall, London, England
8 Win 8–0 Michael Justin TKO 5 (8) 26 Apr 1988 Town Hall, Hove, England
7 Win 7–0 Winston Burnett PTS 6 7 Mar 1988 Town Hall, Hove, England
6 Win 6–0 Darren Parker TKO 1 (6) 15 Feb 1988 Effingham Park Country Club, Copthorne, England
5 Win 5–0 James Canty UD 4 25 Mar 1987 Resorts Casino Hotel, Atlantic City, New Jersey, US
4 Win 4–0 Eric Holland UD 4 25 Feb 1986 Tropicana, Atlantic City, New Jersey, US
3 Win 3–0 Mike Bagwell MD 4 8 Jan 1986 Broadway by the Bay Theater, Atlantic City, New Jersey, US
2 Win 2–0 Kenny Cannido UD 4 7 Nov 1985 Atlantis Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City, New Jersey, US
1 Win 1–0 Tim Brown UD 4 3 Oct 1985 Sands, Atlantic City, New Jersey, US
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