Glenn McCrory blogs on an emotional night in honour of Michael Watson and his inspirational 20-year fight.
The boxing brotherhood honours a true hero to us all
I was fortunate enough to be at a wonderful, emotional night at the Dorchester Hotel on Tuesday, in honour of Michael Watson.
It has been a long, 20-year journey for Michael and it was an absolute honour to be part of it. You can see it for yourselves on Ringside tonight and then there is the documentary to mark the anniversary of a night none of us can ever forget.
The first thing that struck me at the benefit dinner was the genuine goodwill and camaraderie between Michael, Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn. This was three guys that had done everything, physically and verbally, to destroy each other all those years ago, but the depth of feeling between them was obvious.
There was a real sense of brotherhood between them and as a fighter, you can appreciate it. Whenever you spend time in the ring with someone, you find out what is in their soul and whatever the result, you walk away with nothing but respect for the other guy. That was the case with Watson, Benn and Eubank and the bond that only boxing can bring about, was there all night long.
The event was well-supported by the great and good of the sport as well. Joe Calzaghe, Johnny Nelson, John Conteh and Billy Schwer were all there as well as our own Spencer Oliver whose life was probably spared due to the horrific injuries sustained by Michael.
But one of the most heart-rending moments for me was seeing Harry Senior, a fighter that suffered a massive stroke when working as a sparring partner in 2009. Harry can barely walk, but seeing him being helped into the room, desperate to be there to support Michael, brought a tear to the eye. Harry is lovely, lovely man and although he has a daily battle of his own, nothing would've kept him away from supporting Michael.
Poignant
It was inspiring seeing Harry just as, I'm sure, Michael had been an inspiration to him. It was one of the most touching moments of an incredibly touching night.
But it was also a night filled with joy. Anyone that knows Michael will know that he has never lost his sense of fun and although it was a poignant occasion, there was plenty of laughter as well.
I don't think I have ever seen a room erupt in joy as much as I did when the WBO presented Michael with a world middleweight title belt. To many who believed he had beaten Eubank in their first meeting, it was just rewards, but it was a lovely gesture and one that had Michael absolutely thrilled to bits. It was wonderful to see the pleasure it gave him.
And that joy was shared by everybody in the room. And I mean everybody. I was on stage to interview Michael for Ringside and although it was only me and him chatting on the one microphone for television, the whole room was on its feet listening intently, hanging on his every single word. I remember looking round and realising just how engrossed everyone was in what he was saying - just as his remarkable journey has captured us as well.
Registered
We got to watch some of the documentary you can see on Sky Sports and it is brilliant. It charts Michael's rise from the amateurs, through those huge nights with Benn and Eubank to that terrible night on September 21, 1991. And then of course, the moving story of the past 20 years; the on-going fight, the London Marathon. There wasn't a dry eye in the house.
For me it was especially poignant because for the first time in two decades, I actually realised I was there. At ringside. Working.
I say it was a night none of us will ever forget, but I'll be totally honest with you and say that for 20 years I had blocked out events at White Hart Lane. I knew I was at the first Watson-Eubank fight, but this second one barely even registered, yet there I was on the documentary, sat next to Ian Darke, commentating.
The reason I had is simple: I was fighting the following weekend, against Lennox Lewis. Mine was the next big fight on ITV and I also had Michael's trainer, Jimmy Tibbs, in my corner. There and then I guess the only way to deal with what I had seen was to shut it all out. As a fighter you are all too aware of what can happen but the last thing I could do was dwell. I had my own fight to deal with.
So it all came flooding back to me on Tuesday night, it really did.
And I was fascinated by Chris Eubank's part in the evening as well. To me, Chris has always been a superstar, a real hero and to see the support and friendship between him and Michael now - and Nigel - was something else.
Yes, Chris was 'the guy in the other corner' that night, but you can't ignore his own efforts that night, being floored, getting up and somehow finding the resolve to come up with that right uppercut and the victory. I will always remember the words the great Boxing News editor Harry Mullan used to describe Eubank that night: "Rare is the man that can dig so deep into his soul."
Well that summed up Eubank on that night and as he embraced his friend and honoured a remarkable story of bravery, grit and determination 20 years on, they are the best words I can find to pay tribute to an inspiration to us all. Michael Watson MBE.
