Eubank v McKenna

Last night was something of a rarity: live boxing on free-to -air television. The Noble Art has suffered from satellite coverage and pay-to-view and I cannot be the only disillusioned fan.

There was not much sport to watch so I switched on at 9.00pm for the undercard of Belfast Boy Michael Conlon v Asad Asif Khan, which the former won on points.

It was not a great fight but Conlon seemed to justify his Northern Ireland heritage of Rinty Monaghan and Barry McGuigan.

The main fight was between Harlem Eubank and Tyrone Mckenna.

Harlem Eubank is mainly known as the son of Chris Eubank. Eubank  was based in Brighton and on occasion you could see him drive his enormous Hummer in the twisty Lanes.

Although Chris Eubank might be described politely as ‘eccentric’ he was Super Middleweight WBO champion for 5 years and fought stirring encounters with Nigel Benn and Michael Watson, the latter of which ended in tragedy.  Although Eubank’s persona was effete with his dandy dressing, cane and lisp – he was more than durable in the ring. He lost his title to the up and coming Joe Calzaghe, but once again put up a memorable fight.

I did not see much of his father in Harlem but he had enough ringcraft to win in the Brighton Dome.

Brighton is an underrated sporting city.

In the past The Brighton Tigers ice hockey team beat Russia, the then Olympic champions, and now it boasts a cricket and football team at the highest level. Steve Ovett was a Brighton boy. Eubank v Mckenna may not have attained the quality of Dave ‘Boy’ Green v John H. Strachey but the Eubanks are part of the seaside city’s sporting pantheon.