Nigel Benn and Gerald McClellan to meet tonight--12 years later

Black_Power · (#1 (**permalink**))

BENN BIDS TO BOOST GERALD

By Steve Royce

TWELVE years after 17 million watched possibly the greatest fight ever staged in Britain, a much smaller audience will turn out next Saturday to honour one of the boxers.

In February 1995 Nigel Benn beat American Gerald McClellan in 10 brutal rounds to win the WBC super-middleweight title.

McClellan required emergency surgery to remove a blood clot from his brain. He is blind and partially deaf and his movement is limited, but on Saturday he returns to London for the first time for a benefit evening at the Grosvenor House.

The men behind bringing McClellan over for a fundraiser that could see him leave with as much as £300,000 in his pocket are Benn and his agent Kevin Lueshing.

"Gerald has been forgotten by the boxing community and that is why we are doing this," said Benn.

"Gerald was the most feared fighter in boxing and I knew how difficult it would be to beat him.

"The ending was not what anybody involved in boxing wanted. And in many ways this gala evening will offer an alternative ending.

"I've been stunned by the response and I'm convinced it will be the most emotional night of my life."

For ticket information call 01992 451 332 or log on at www.geraldmcclellan.co.uk

Source…

http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/sport...-name_page.html

Plus other sites regarding the story…

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/20...ing.reunion.ap/

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/126274.html