Former two-weight world champion Nigel Benn has revealed his delight and disbelief at being voted as one of the ‘Best Champions’ in a recent vote conducted by new World Boxing Council President Maurcio Sulaiman.
The 50 year-old, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest British fighters of all time, initially held the WBO title at 160lbs, until reiging supreme at super-middleweight with the WBC from 1992 to 1996.
WBC readers had been urged to name their favourite fighter from each weight division by Sulaiman recently, and after over 85,000 votes were cast, Benn gained a big enough percentage to be named alongside compatriot Joe Calzaghe.
In a letter to Benn obtained by WBN, Sulaiman wrote:
“I am contacting you to congratulate you for having been selected as one of the greatest champions in the history of the WBC and your picture will be featured in the WBC championship belt.
“I am extremely proud to inform you that the new WBC green and gold belt will have Nigel Benn in the super-middleweight division.”
Nigel Benn speaks to WBN
‘The Dark Destroyer’ was delighted to be recognised in this way by the WBC and will now be one of the ex-title holders who will be pictured on the new line of championship belts soon to be introduced.
“Wow!I am just so honoured that they voted for me,” Benn exclusively told World Boxing News.
“I am just a humble boy from Ilford in Essex, England and it’s an honour and a privilege to receive that kind of recognition, I am really gob-smacked.”
Benn is now living in Australia where he is still involved in the sport on a daily basis, and has a son, Conor, who is following in his father’s footsteps and forging his own path in the sport.
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