Whatever happened to... Henry Wharton?

Henry Wharton is one of British boxing's biggest nearly men. On no less than three occasions he challenged for a world title, only to lose each time on points.

SS: So let's get onto the fight against Benn, which took place at Earls Court in the February of 1994. It was undoubtedly the biggest night of your career so far... HW: It was massive. You can't get any bigger than that. We had a plan, we had a plan to tuck up a little bit, keep the hands up high and protect myself for three or four rounds, then come on strong. It just didn't work; I maybe sat back a little too long. I've seen it back a few times and it haunts me a little bit, but I can't change it now. It wasn't as hard as I made out in my mind it was going to be - I'd built it up far too much in my mind, though perhaps you have to do that for your preparations. Perhaps I was more capable than I realised. SS: Manager Mickey Duff certainly believed you would take the WBC title from the 'Dark Destroyer', placing a sizeable wager on you for victory. HW: He had done the same with Michael Watson (who Duff also managed when he beat Benn back in 1989). But Benn didn't come out fighting the same as he had done against Watson, he didn't come straight out and tear it up like he had done in that fight. He learned from his mistakes, he'd moved on and matured. He was a thinker who had been in 44 fights I think by the time he met me. He had matured. He was a completely different character when he fought me. SS: You took Benn the distance - what were your emotions when that final bell sounded? HW: I knew it was close, I knew it was really close. A lot of the Americans in the audience had me winning. But with him being the champion, you've got to take it off him. I just didn't do enough and the first four rounds cost me. He has told me that it was one of the hardest fights he had. I wanted to get straight back in with him, straight in. But he wouldn't do that, so I had to climb my way back to that no 1 position again before anyone would give me a chance. I was in that unique club where nobody wants you. It's not always good when you get in a position like that - I was side-stepped so many times. I took Benn to the WBC court because he didn't want to fight. He gave me $50,000 so I stood aside so he could have another defence instead of fighting me again. SS: That rematch with Benn never happened, but you did get another world title shot at the end of 1994. Tell us about the clash with Eubank. HW: He was completely different. If I'm telling the truth, because I'd held back a little bit against Benn I went all out for Eubank, like a bull in a china shop. Styles make fights, and that style suited Eubank. I suited him because I was coming forward onto a counter puncher. I suited him down to the ground. He said recently that I didn't break his spirit, but I did break his heart. I didn't really get to know him but he's always been alright when I've spoken to him. He had had so many fights before me when he hadn't looked himself. I must admit that made me think he couldn't live with my pace. I thought after six or seven rounds I'll keep going, if he's tired like he was in those fights then I'll go through him. But I kept going and he was still there. The British Boxing Board of Control had monitored him in the build-up because he had previously been fasting before fights, they had weighed him regularly and because of that he was more prepared. He'd done things better for me. I think looking back now that I tried so hard in that