Benn vs McClellan

Yeah, that was clearly more than just a boxing match. Both guys put everything on the line - after beating Jackson McClellan never had any meaningful fight at 160. It was not his fault - Lamar Parks was supposed to fight him, but was diagnosed with HIV few days before the fight night. Nevertheless, Gerald was killing himself to make the weight, so it was a perfect opportunity. He went up in weight to face smaller guy who was knocked out before. By beating Benn in the UK he was setting up huge domestic fight with Roy Jones junior. Benn on the other hand needed a big name in his resume. He also earn a lot of money for that fight.

The more I think about this, it seems to me that a tragic ending was written all over it. So many little things point to that - like McClellan's weight which was 165. Why 165 when you fight at 168? Why Gerald never hired a true coach after his spat with Steward? Stan Johnson couldn't even wrap his hands - G-Man had to do it by himself. No one in his corner had the authority or any gameplan, he was there all by himself.

I'm not so sure that the drama started in round 9. I read a great book about this fight ("War Baby" by Kevin Mitchell) and some facts are just staggering. First of all, Gerald problems started after first fight with Jackson. Watch it, just after the fight G-Man is talking about how his head hurts from Jackson's power punches. His headaches continued and before fighting Benn he was in London... sparring heavyweights!

As a matter of fact I think Gerald might have been done just entering the ring. Even if the ref would count Benn out in the first (as he should), McCllelan was a tragic accident waiting to happen. Look at his body language from the second round on. He couldn't control his mouthpiece but being one tough S.O.B. he just couldn't go down. When it finally happened, the damage was irreversible. There are many factors to consider, but to me Johnson is the first to blame.

 

I said it before, and I'll say it again, Benn should've lost that fight for multiple reasons

 

That's fine, you don't have to, but the rules and regulations are on my side here not you. By the letter of the law the fight should've been over after Benn was knocked from the ring. There can be no argument otherwise. Then, when you add in the MULTIPLE, BLATANT, and DANGEROUS illegal blows by Benn, there can be no further discussion.

 

It was the best fight I've ever seen happening live. Have to say though, it was marred by an unbelievably inept refereeing performance. The man couldn't speak a word of English, actually physically pushed McClellan off Benn in the first, and ignored repeated, blatant, full force rabbit punches chucked by Benn throughout.

The fact McClellan weighed in 3 pounds under 168 after years of severely dehydrating to make 160 was definitely strange, as was the fact he didn't have a trainer worthy of the name. After the split over money with Steward, he pretty much didn't bother hiring another one. I think McClellan got to a point where he just believed whoever he hit he would KO, which is obviously dangerous.

 

Benn was not on par with brutal guys like Salem, but he should've been warned before. In this case referee issued first warning in like 9th round, which is just absurd. So the bigger problem is poor refereeing, not Benn being brutal. He was presented with opportunity and he took it, but that was his style. The referee messed up big time here. I stilll can't wrap my head around the fact that guys from England and United States were guided in the ring by dude who couldn't say s*** in English...

 

First, he was out of the ring longer than 10 second count. Second, he was propped up by one of the outside people of the ring, again that isn't allowed. It was mild, but it still occurred. Third, I thought the rules of this particular fight were that if you're knocked out of the ring, the fight is over.

BS they were no different. You watched the fight right? They were WAY more excessive than in most fight. Wanna know why? Because most fighters are penalized points or DQ'd for rabbit punching the way he was. Why was the no point deductions? Why was he not DQ'd? Nothing happened, and it was a terrible job by the ref. That doesn't change that most fighters would've and should've been DQ'd for such blatant continued fouling. Did you think that was legal? I'm guessing your a Benn hugger to make the claim that his fouling was no different than most fights. It absolutely was. If you disagree, I can fight 100's of fights in moments that don't have that level of blatant fouling. You'd be hard pressed to find a handful from this period where nothing was done to the person fouling. It was blatant, dangerous and he should've been DQ'd, plain and simple

 

So you struggling with counting then? Count when he counts knocked out, and then we he gets back in the ring. It's passed the count of 10. Just because a ref starts counting late, doesn't make it right does it, it's called a bad ref. Again though, none of that matters if the rules are how I remember.... If you're knocked out of the ring, the fight is over.

You're a Benn Hugger, and that is plainly apparent. I haven't run into one non bias person who doesn't think the rabbit punchers weren't excessive. They most certainly were, blatant, and what Benn had to resort to because he was getting the ever loving crap kicked out of him. We'll never know how the fight would've gone without those blows, will we, and wanna know why, because Benn cheated his way to victory. As I said, if they weren't excessive, then take up my challenge to list fights where it had as many rabbit punches with no point deductions or DQ... and I'll find all the fights were there was less rabbit punches, and the warnings or DQ's. You know you'll lose, and VERY badly, which is why you won't address it. You'll just sit there in your Benn Tighty Whitey's yelling, it wasn't excessive Rabbit Punching at all, it was just a normal fight... RIIIIIGHT

 

hahahaha!! ur a f***ing comedian. If the ref starts counting late, its the refs fault, the fighter should use these extra seconds to rest regardless. Benn couldve gotten up before 10 no matter when the count started.

 

So you named two fights... do you think that justifies your claim that it wasn't excessive, and as you call it "were no different than a lot of fights" You have this notion that the rabbit punchers were par for the course in most fights, and that is Very wrong. Not even close to being right. Not only did Benn commit more of them than in most any fight, he was never deducted a point or DQ'd, which again isn't typical. Nothing about those sequence of events was typical as you claim. Are you from the UK or something? To call Benn's performance a typical boxing match is hilarious.