Nigel Benn comeback: Billy Joe Saunders implores Benn’s family to scrap 55-year-old’s boxing return

Nearly 23 years have passed since Benn last punched for pay, when he retired after six rounds of his challenge for Steve Collins’ WBO super-middleweight title

Billy Joe Saunders has called on Nigel Benn’s loved ones to try and convince the 55-year-old to scrap his plans for a bizarre and potentially dangerous comeback.

Nearly 23 years have passed since Benn last punched for pay, when he retired after six rounds of his challenge for Steve Collins’ WBO super-middleweight title.

Saunders, the current incumbent of that very belt, was shocked by the news that Benn is now planning to return to the ring with a press conference in London this Thursday set to formally announce the fight, which is set for November in Birmingham.

The ‘Dark Destroyer’ was one of Saunders’ heroes growing up as a young, wannabe boxer during the 90s and he has gone on to emulate his hero as a world champion at middleweight and super-middle. But he recoils at the thought of Benn, who turns 56 in January, returning to the ring whatsoever.

“I just think that people around him, that care about him and love him whether that’s his son, brother or wife, should say ‘this is not for you, boxing has moved on’,” Saunders explained. “In 20 years boxing has escalated. It’s changed, it’s about diets and nutrition, everything. Everything has moved on, he should leave it.

“But someone like Nigel Benn who is always in shape, always keeps himself in shape is always going to have that thought to come back. But at 55 he’s over halfway to 100. Let’s just leave it now.”

Benn became a legend of British boxing as a result of his 48-fight professional career which ran from 1987 to 1996 and included domestic grudge matches against the likes of Michael Watson and Chris Eubank.

“I used to love watching Nigel Benn,” Saunders added. “I was a big, big fan. In the Chris Eubank rematch, I thought he should have definitely won when they called it a draw. But now it’s one of them where I just don’t want to see him get in the ring again.”

Boxing history is littered with fighters who are unable to truly walk away from the sport. Like Benn, many return after years in retirement while others try to replace the buzz with substance abuse. British boxing icon Ricky Hatton fell into a deep depression upon his first retirement in 2012 and openly admits he tried to kill himself on a number of occasions.

Nigel Benn celebrates after knocking out Gerald McClellan in 1995 (Getty Images)

Saunders, 30, has been boxing since he was a child and the sport has genuinely enveloped his life for more than two decades. He does not, however, anticipate any such problems with turning his back on it completely when the time is right.

“I think it’s the reason you have to hold back and not give everything to boxing,” said Saunders, who returns to the ring on November 11 as part of the undercard for the professional fight between Youtubers KSI and Logan Paul.

“Boxing is a sport and when boxing is gone from my life, I’m still going to be around doing something. I’ve always made sure I’ve got something half-sensible to fall back on and do once boxing is over.

“But you have to get what you want out of boxing in order to do that, in order to walk away. I’m in boxing to do what I can, get good fights and leave my trademark name as a Saunders. I want to leave a trail where people think ‘wow, that’s a tough trail to follow’.

“That’s my goal in boxing and so if I achieve that I’m happy and won’t be coming back at the age of 55.”

Benn’s 22-year-old son Conor, who himself is a 15-0 professional boxer, has suggested that it was his own career that enticed his old man back into boxing. He also revealed that the 55-year-old will face a former WBC champion who only fought two years ago. Those clues pointed towards 40-year-old Sakio Bika, who, like Benn, lives in Australia.

And promoter Hearn, who counts Benn Jr and Saunders among his clients, said: “I have too much respect for Nigel Benn to criticise him. He must have his reasons for doing it, I don’t believe it is just money. So what are they? Competitiveness? Curiosity? Boredom?

“If it is Sakio Bika, I don’t like that fight. He is still a right handful, he is strong, he can punch. He is horrible with his head, he is dirty. I don’t know too much about it.”

When asked whether Benn, who is currently 42-5-1, had approached him about promoting his comeback, Hearn added: “Maybe two years ago. He was always going to fight Eubank, that was always going to be the big comeback fight. I don’t understand the Sakio Bika fight. If it was Benn and Eubank, you would think that was big, but Benn against Sakio Bika in Birmingham?”