Imagine it’s November 9th, 1996. The president is Bill Clinton, “Space Jam” is headlining the box office and “No Diggity” is the reigning king #1 on the Billboard charts. As for boxing, Mike Tyson is fighting Evander Holyfield, who currently has both ears fully-intact. Across the pond, veteran British boxer Nigel “The Dark Destroyer” Benn is hoping to avenge his TKO loss to Irishman Steve Collins. There would be no such luck. In six rounds, Collins thoroughly demolishes the British national hero, forcing him to retire in his corner. Boxing fans seemed certain this would be the last time they’d see Benn in a boxing ring. It was a sad ending to a fairy tale boxing career.
Now, Benn is back to rewrite a happy ending. At the spry age of 55, the living legend announced his return to the ring this week. He’ll be trading punches with former world titlist Sakio Bika on November 23rd. It might not be the fight of the century, but it features nearly a century worth of combined age in the ring; Benn’s Cameroonian-Australian middleweight opponent is 40 years old.
According to Benn, this comeback fight is not about money. “I really have it all. Me and the wife work at the church in Australia. Just finishing building a lovely mansion, (all) paid for,” said Benn during his press conference. “But I never really had closure. There is something sitting in me, bugging me that I have to get out. I don’t want to be someone who asks ‘what if?’ No.”
After cutting his teeth in the military and as an amateur boxer, Benn turned professional in 1987. He quickly established a dangerous reputation after crushing Iran Barkley in 1990. A knockout artist, Benn boasts an astounding 83.3% KO ratio.
Following his “retirement,” Benn has stayed busy. He became a DJ, starred in a reality TV show and wrote an autobiography. Two of his sons, Conor and Harley, have followed in their dad’s footsteps as professional boxers.
Not waiting for a tune-up fight, Benn is fighting no tomato can in Bika. The former Olympian has tussled with everyone from Anthony Dirrell and Adonis Stevenson to Joe Calzaghe and Andre Ward. According to Benn, he previously approached names like Roy Jones Jr., Bernard Hopkins and long-time nemesis Chris Eubank for his comeback fight.
The British Boxing Board of Control, the usual sports commission in charge of boxing matches, refused to sanction the fight. Instead, the British & Irish Boxing Authority, a more fringe sports governing body, will oversee the match. The fight will take place at the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham, England and you can buy it on Epicentre.tv for £14.95.
