Chris Eubank: Encyclopedia - Chris Eubank

Chris Eubank

Chris Eubank (August 8, 1966 - ), is a boxing legend and a British celebrity.

Chris Eubank - Eubank the boxer

Born in Dulwich, Christopher Livingstone Eubanks (he later deleted the 's' from his surname) spent his early years in Jamaica before returning to the streets of East London, he spent his early teens at care homes or sleeping rough before his boxing brother Peter let Chris work as an assistant in his two fights with Barry McGuigan. Chris then flew to New York to live with his father in 1982, he attended Morris High School and started training at the Jerome Boxing Club in the South Bronx. He loved the poetic art of fighting, and his dedication to his craft led him to winning the Spanish Golden Gloves amateur boxing tournament (beating Dennis Milton in the final) in New York City in 1984 and briefly become the number-one junior-middleweight in the USA. Despite many offers to turn professional in boxing, Chris quit the sport directly after winning his first tournament, claiming that boxing didn't define him.

However, Chris returned to the sport when he needed some quick cash and had four four-round fights in Atlantic City, he won them all with no training. Slugger O'Toole, cousin of Herol Graham, got in contact with Eubank in 1987 and asked him if he would be interested in working as Graham's sparring partner. O'Toole had known Eubank from boxing in New York in the mid-80's. Eubank had another four-round fight in Atlantic City to pay for the flight back to England and then worked as Graham's sparring partner, he hadn't been in a boxing gym for over two and a half years when he first started sparring with Graham.

Eubank made the south coast town of Brighton his adopted home and boxing manager Keith Miles was so impressed with what he saw of Eubank at a gymnasium early in 1988 that he persuaded him to have a go at professional boxing, Miles became Eubank's manager and hired former Brighton boxer Ronnie Davies as his trainer. The rest is history.

Eubank was rated as one of the 15 best middleweight's in the world following his win over Tony Logan. He had a 20-0 record by 1990 and was now managed and promoted by Barry Hearn, he was already one of the most famous boxers in Britain due to his vault over the top-rope and trademark posturing. But he was known as the man everybody loved to hate due to his arrogance, he was inspired by a former American wrestler called Gorgeous George who realised that the customers would pay top dollar to see the downfall of an obnoxious boaster. Eubank had also become the darling of the British media due to his unique dress sense and Bertie Wooster English gent routine that was fascinating coming from a black man. He won the WBC International middleweight title early in 1990 and made two successful defences of the title in his hometown of Brighton, both defences were shown live on EPSN in the United States. Eubank exploded into the bigtime with his win over arch-rival Nigel Benn for the WBO World middleweight title in November 1990 at the NEC in Birmingham.

Eubank was the originator of true boxing arena entry, and his theme song was Simply The Best by Tina Turner. But he very almost quit boxing following his ill-fated bout with Michael Watson, Eubank left Watson wheelchair-bound and the tragic outcome of the fight meant that Eubank lost his finishing instinct and was content to allow fights to go the full 12-round duration while purposely doing only just enough to keep his undefeated record. In the years that followed the Watson fight, Eubank revelled in his role as the game's great showman with his fights shown live all over the world, but you always got the feeling during fights that he could be doing better if he decided to do better.

Irishman Steve Collins famously fooled Eubank and the world into believing that he was hypnotised and incapable of being hurt, this freaked out Eubank and he lost his first fight on a legendary night for Irish boxing on St Patricks weekend. The skeleton in Eubank's closet was found, Collins was clearly there for the taking when Eubank had him down and then out on his feet, but the thoughts of Michael Watson held Eubank back and he did nothing but pose for the rest of the fight. Eubank to this day though believes he was robbed at Millstreet.

Chris Eubank - Eubank the celebrity

Away from boxing Eubank comes across as an eccentric character in the public eye because he talks with a lisp, acts posh and pompous, dresses expensively, owns a Harley Davidson, drives the largest truck in Europe, often dons a bowler hat and a briefcase, sometimes wears jodhpurs and riding boots, enjoys carrying a cane and is famous for his use of a monocle.

In 1991 and 1993 he won the Britain's Best Dressed Man award, given by the Menswear Association of Great Britain. In 1998 and 2001 he won the Gold Tie Pin Award. In 1993 and 1995 he won the Daily Express Best Dressed Sportsman award.

Eubank and his wife, Karron, have four children. In 2003 they invited television cameras to follow their lives for nine-months; the resulting show, At Home With The Eubank's, was broadcast on the UK television channel Channel Five. In 2001, Eubank appeared in the reality television show Celebrity Big Brother on the UK television channel Channel Four. In the 2003 Channel Four poll, 100 Worst Britons We Love To Hate, Eubank was ranked 96th.

Karron filed for divorce from Eubank in August 2005.

Chris Eubank - In court

Eubank's colourful personality has led him into the courtroom on two occasions, including once in the dock. In 1989 Eubank performed a citizen's arrest of a jewellery thief. On September 1st 2005 Eubank was found guilty of taking and driving a vehicle without permission. The conviction was in relation to an incident in Brighton in which Eubank had got into a lorry making a delivery of beer and moved it from its position blocking the road. Eubank was trying to take his children to school at the time. He received a £450 fine and received six endorsement points on his driving licence. He was cleared of the stiffer charge of aggravated vehicle-taking.

Chris Eubank - Bankruptcy

In November 2005, Eubank was declared bankrupt, owing £1.3 million in taxes. [1]

Chris Eubank - Autobiography

In 2004, Eubank's self-titled autobiography was published, in which he revealed his secrets and life story, written in the usual eccentricity he has become famous for, along with his boxing talent.

See also

• List of notable eccentrics
• List of Black Britons

Chris Eubank - External link

• Career Record from boxrec.com

Categories: 1966 births | Big Brother (UK) | English boxers | Muslim converts

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Chris Eubank", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki