CAROLINE Jackson is the mother of professional boxer Conor Benn and the wife of former two-weight world champion Nigel Benn.
While she maintains a relatively low public profile, her role in the Benn family has been significant.
Caroline met Nigel Benn at her 21st birthday party at Stringfellow’s nightclub in London.
Despite Nigel’s fame and the entourage that surrounded him, Caroline stood out by being one of the few people who stood up to him.
This strength of character caught Nigel’s attention and led to their relationship.
But the early years of Caroline and Nigel’s relationship were not without difficulties.
After a period of reflection and growth, Nigel proposed to Caroline in the boxing ring after a match in March 1996.
He popped the question after losing to Thulani ‘Sugar Boy’ Malinga.
Nigel expressed his commitment to Caroline, insisting that it would be his last fight.
They tied the knot on September 4, 1996, but details of their wedding have not been reported.
Caroline and Nigel faced challenges in starting a family.
They underwent IVF treatment, which initially failed.
At one point, Nigel walked out on her when she didn’t become pregnant.
She has previously spoken about Nigel’s infidelity and his struggles with commitment.
In 1998, when she was 26, Caroline told the Mirror: “I feel sick when I think about Nigel’s affair, even now. I can remember it like it was yesterday.
“We were living in Jersey and we had been trying for months to have a baby. It was such a low point in my life. I was going for IVF treatment and it had failed.
Nigel shouts a lot when he doesn’t want to do something. He is hot-headed. It’s like a huge flare-up and then it’s over
Caroline Jackson
“On this night, we were supposed to be going out together and I was looking forward to it. Nigel told me at short notice that he wanted to go out on his own.
“What I didn’t know was this woman he knew and had slept with before had rung him and arranged to meet him at a hotel.
“He spent the night with her. It was just before Christmas. He told me three months later — just before his fight against Sugar Boy Malinga.
“I felt so sick. For years, I felt as though he would have dumped me at the drop of a hat, but I stuck with him because I felt he needed me. I was his closest friend.”
However, they reconciled and their perseverance eventually paid off.
Caroline and Nigel welcomed twins, Conor and his sister India, into their family shortly after their marriage on September 28, 1996.
The couple later had another son, Harley, who like his older brother and dad has become a professional boxer — he turned pro in 2017.
Nigel also had four children from his first marriage: Sade, Rene, Dominic and Nigel.
Throughout Nigel’s boxing career, Caroline played a crucial role.
She was often the person his managers and agents would turn to when they needed Nigel to do something — she was one of the few people who could effectively communicate with him.
She said: “He needed someone he could trust. I am the only person who stood up to him.
“His agent and managers would ring me and ask me to tell him what he had to do.
“Nigel shouts a lot when he doesn’t want to do something. He is hot-headed. It’s like a huge flare-up and then it’s over. “
As of October 2024, Caroline and Nigel’s relationship appears to be on solid ground.
Nigel has acknowledged his past mistakes and has taken steps to prove his commitment to Caroline.
Despite being part of a high-profile boxing family, Caroline has maintained a relatively private life.
Her focus appears to be on supporting her family, including Conor in his boxing career.
While she may not be in the public eye as much as her husband or son, her strength, resilience and support have been instrumental in both Nigel’s career and personal life, as well as in raising Conor to become the successful boxer he is today.
Her story is one of perseverance through personal and family challenges, ultimately contributing to the success and stability of one of boxing’s most famous dynasties.
