he craziest trilogy fight in the history of combat sports came when bitter rivals Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank Sr trained as gladiators then fought one another with swords, shields and maces in front of a baying crowd.

The contest ended with beatings, bloodshed and a surprise surrender. The premise behind this frankly bonkers feature-length reality TV show was simple: Britain’s fiercest boxing rivalry required a third chapter. The first fight saw Eubank rise from the canvas to stop Benn in a war in 1990, the second was a controversial draw at a packed Old Trafford.

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Benn and Eubank reignited their rivalry on reality TV

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Eubank KOed Benn in their first fight in 1990, but the rematch in 1993 ended with a split decision drawCredit: Getty
With 18 million watching Benn-Eubank II on British TV, a third fight looked nailed-on but was never quite signed. “We spent three bloody years talking, but Chris is impossible,” Benn lamented.

Step in Channel 5 in 2003, a decade after the the rematch, to put together ‘Gladiator: Benn v Eubank’ where the ex-boxers would meet up in Rome, toil through five days of training while competing in a series of challenges – then get the chance to fight one another with ancient weapons.

Inevitably, reality TV got a bit too real as it all blew up between them. The first slice of insanity was that the pair were given gladiator names – Maximo for Eubank, Eracido for Benn – a bit weird given that Channel 5 shelled out hard cash presumably because everyone knows who Eubank and Benn are, only to immediately change their names.

Still, it gave us a chance to hear Eubank stare into his rival’s eyes and state – with total sincerity – “Nothing personal Eradico, but on that particular discipline I’m going to wipe the floor with you.” So the audience was the real winner.

The opening credits saw a man in full Russell Crowe getup run his rival through with a trident – Brick Tamland from Anchorman style – which might have set the bar for violence a bit high even for this pair. There followed an introduction to the duo’s current lives: Eubank lord of the manor in Hove, Benn with his family in Majorca – complete with a cameo of a six-year-old Conor Benn shadow boxing with his dad.

Benn, now 28, has seemingly not lost any of the ill will between the two families that gripped the nation during the 1990s. Both him and Chris Eubank Jr are carrying on where their dads left off as they prepare to fight in the ring and complete the trilogy of sorts.

It has been three years in the making having initially been scheduled for 2022 until Benn tested positive for clomifene and was subsequently banned. The years since has seen verbal assaults from both camps and a clash at the press conference to match the venom shared by their dads.

But back to Rome. Under the merciless sun in Ostia Antica Gladiator Camp in Italy, however, things got tougher. The pair were each assigned an instructor, both ex-army, and it became apparent they were going to take this differently. Benn, who first boxed while in the army, revelled in the hard graft.

Eubank found it trickier and griped his way through a series of push-up punishments before announcing primly: “Taking orders from unaccomplished men is very tough.”

The two trainers, along with head gladiator coach Procerus (real name: Ray), tried to debunk this insult with tales of their real-life fights as doormen. But frankly chucking out a few drunks isn’t really comparable to going 12 brutal rounds in a world-title fight, so let’s score that one a moral victory for Eubank (sorry, ‘Maximo’).

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Conor Benn, now a boxer in his own right, made a brief cameo

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Benn and Eubank took the challenges incredibly seriously

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The tension boiled over when Benn shoved Eubank

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The pair nearly brawled and had to be kept apart
Still, it was Benn who took to the swordplay quickest, winning the first endurance challenge. The tension erupted on day two, however, when the pair were chained together and tasked with guarding the other’s back with a shield (a challenge entitled ‘Defend Your Enemy’).

Eubank won and couldn’t resist rubbing it in. “He’s only interested in looking after himself, that’s my observation. No disrespect,” he said disrespectfully, before adding that they should bring in some boxing gloves tomorrow and “have a little session”.

A riled Benn responded: “We don’t have to bring gloves,” before shoving Eubank hard in the chest. Cue the trainers and the pair’s managers immediately leaping into the fray to try and separate the two snarling ex-champions as they steamed in to get at one another. Eubank eventually extended the hand of friendship – a ruse so he could shove Nigel back – and it all kicked off again.

“He started it, but I’ll finish it,” yelled Eubank, while Benn was wearing his old pre-fight stare that had reduced grown men to puddles. A change of plan meant the pair trained separately on day three before a challenge – spear throwing – was won by Eubank, whose accuracy had not deserted him.

But it was becoming clear that Benn had taken the project a bit more seriously beforehand. The ‘Dark Destroyer’ had spent several months training and, while Eubank sported his usual six-pack, he began reflecting that he’d underestimated the task at hand.

“I came in here cold, expecting to do some kind of television project,” he said. “Recite some poetry, a few poses – but it’s been quite brutal.”

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Eubank Jr slapped Benn Jr with an egg as they came face-to-face to show the family feud is still aliveCredit: Getty

Benn won the last two challenges – hanging from two ropes (the producers were clearly running out of ideas by this point) and an assault course – to win the challenges 3-2. Yet this merely earned him the right to emerge second when the two engaged in actual combat. A three-round fight in a Roman amphitheatre: first with swords and shields, second with mace, then greco-roman wrestling.

The opening round saw Benn come out like a London-born Maximus Decimus Meridius, spinning at his old foe and clattering him on the bonce. Eubank got a few licks in and we saw one of his classic moves (the Eubank clinch!) but it was clear that Benn – the crowd favourite as usual – had grasped it all better.

“I’m going for the neck, the jugular, all the vital parts,” said Benn after round one. Meanwhile Eubank, cut by the eye and on the lip, assessed: “He’s not a pussycat in there playing games. Look at me, this is not fake blood.”

The second round brought no respite for Eubank as Benn clobbered him with a blunted mace, showing no mercy when ‘Simply the Best’ dropped to all fours. Eubank got in the final shot, bonking his nemesis on the head, but it looked like another Benn round.

At this point, Eubank – calculating that wrestling with his fitter, fired-up opponent was not a smart move – got a doctor’s note to explain that his cuts and injuries sustained in training (a sprained wrist and jarred neck) meant he had to concede in gentlemanly fashion.

Benn was awarded a wooden sword for his victory (probably still more prestigious than half the belts in boxing) and said: “Now I know what victory feels like. Just a little bit! But it’s nice.”

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The pair earned one another’s respect once more
Eubank was gracious in defeat, while adding that Nigel’s intensive preparation was the difference-maker, believing that the producers had not fully explained to him how gruelling the experience would be. Then he challenged Benn to a rematch. Of course.

But despite their needle and competitive fire, what ‘Gladiator: Benn v Eubank’ also warmly captured was their burgeoning bond. Like warring brothers, when the pair weren’t threatening each other, they were exchanging hugs, handshakes and compliments.

When Chris was asked for his highlight of the experience he said: “Getting to know Eradico here a bit better over the last few days.” Benn post-victory admitted: “Me and Chris, we have a long history together, both being world champions – and it was great to meet him again.”

Are you not entertained? We certainly were.