As a nation of sports fans, Britains collective conscience is etched with memories from its greatest triumphs; the Wilkinson kick that won us the World Cup, Beckhams last minute goal against Greece, the gut wrenching ebb and flow of Murray vs Djokovic at the Wimbledon final. As wonderful and galvanising as these images are for our nations people, equally etched on our memories are those moments of heartbreak and horror in the world of sport. Whenever a tragedy occurs involving human life, our intuition leads us to the obvious question what could have been done to prevent it? We live in a learned world where much of the regulation and bureaucracy in sport derives from the inadequacies in procedure leading to the tragic loss of human life in the past. Take the Hillsborough disaster in 1989; a horrific crush in which 96 people were killed at a football ground in Sheffield. This tragedy led to standardised health and safety procedures now in place across all major sports venues, ensuring that such an event never occurs again. Likewise, the miraculous survival of former Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba following a heart attack on the field of play led to cardiac screenings across all major Premier League clubs. The shock value of these events prompted the inception of brand new preventative measures, but for all the lives that are saved in the future, the press hounds wait in the wings for the next tragedy to occur if so much as one slips through the net, those deemed responsible will never be allowed to forget it. For Howard Foster, Saturday night caused a huge amount of contention. His stoppage of the world title fight between Carl Froch and George Groves was deemed unjust and premature. With Groves ahead on all the scorecards, he was stopped in the 9th round after sustained pressure from Froch saw him visibly deteriorate. But was it to the extent that Foster needed to step in when he did? The mainstream media consensus seems to say no. As with all top level sportsmen, the two men in the ring on Saturday night had gone above and beyond the call of duty for their craft; both were willing to give whatever it took to secure the WBA and IBF World titles. However there is something a little different about boxing that sets it apart from mainstream sport. Regardless of the staunch rivalries that exist in modern competition, be they Barcelona vs Real Madrid, Murray vs Djokovic or Bolt vs Blake, their sport is never a case of life and death. Saturday night, however, was a painfully similar reconstruction of an infamous fight night that lives harrowingly in the minds of all boxing fans, including Howard Foster. It is a reminder for all of us that in boxing, life can be the ultimate sacrifice. It was the 25th February 1995. Nigel Benn, one of Britains top Super Middleweight boxers and then WBC Super middleweight champion, took on Gerald McClellan of the United States. To watch this fight back through the lens of hindsight - knowing the fate which befell the young American - is pure heartbreak. Having been knocked through the ropes in the first round, Nigel Benn was on the canvas for around 18 seconds, well beyond the standard 8 count. Referee Alfred Asaro should, in theory, have stopped the fight. But for whatever reason, he didn't, and it paved the way for a revival from Benn that was as remarkable as it was savage. The Briton landed monstrous hooks and straight rights to the skull of his American rival over what followed as 10 of the most dramatic rounds in boxing history. As the two went toe to toe, McClellan began to wane in the 8th. Something was very wrong. The young American complained of feeling a water-like sensation on the inside of his head. He had sustained a blood clot and shortly after taking a knee in the 10th, he was unconscious. After 11 days in a coma, McClellan was left blind, severely brain damaged, 80% deaf and unable to walk unassisted. He has never recovered. For Nigel Benn and Alfred Asaro, the guilt and torment of that night will never escape them. Looking back, there were numerous opportunities for Asaro to stop the fight; Benn was down in the 1st and the 8th, McClellan twice in the 10th. McClellan had developed an odd twitch from round 8 onwards and in hindsight the warning signs were evident. The aftermath of this tragic circumstance highlighted the vital importance of a referees role in boxing; primarily the safety of the boxers in front of him. For those outside the ring on Saturday night, the build up to the spectacle of Carl Froch and George Groves served as the most electric of narratives. But perhaps the script was too well written and the build up so Americanised that the whole thing seemed fictional the next installment of the Rocky franchise where the audience could momentarily suspend their beliefs, investing in two characters who would theatrically fight to the death for their entertainment. But as the 20,000 strong crowd in Manchester bayed for blood in the middle rounds they seemed worryingly oblivious that Saturday night was perhaps the closest theyve come to watching a modern Benn vs McClellan. For Howard Foster, the responsibility and the danger in front of him was all too real. As the two men exchanged frightening blows, it was Froch who would taste the canvas for only the second time in his career. A crushing right hand - the first of many from Groves - would unravel the seemingly untestable will of Carl Froch. It was clear for all to see why Froch is regarded as one of the hardest men in boxing, even clearer how hard hed been hit; those who have followed him know that he is not a man easily put down. It was two men going to places that even the toughest of boxers rarely visit. BBC 5 Lives Mike Costello recounted an anecdote which occurred in the fortnight following Frochs first world title victory over Jean Pascal in 2008. During this fortnight he couldnt stand up straight and repeatedly forgot his best friends name. He was 30 years of age and already showing early signs of brain damage. That was 11 world title fights ago. What must be understood is that if Howard Foster had let events on Saturday night draw to a natural conclusion, there was the possibility that the two men would have left the ring unscathed. However, given the nature of the fight, the chances of one of these men being placed at serious risk was increasing more and more as the fight went on. About a fortnight before this fight, it was clear that this was no longer about boxing; it had gone far beyond that. It had become two men, driven by instinct and hatred, trying to hurt each other with every piece of will they could summon; it had February 25th 1995 written all over it. Quite literally, it seemed that either man would have rather died than quit in that ring. And that is where Howard Foster played such a key part on Saturday night. By stepping in, he prevented a tragedy which may or may not have occurred, we will never know for sure. Of course, for the ardent boxing fan to see such a magnificent display come to such an unsatisfying conclusion is understandably frustrating. But this is not just about entertainment for the masses, it is about two mens lives; One with nothing left to prove to the sport of boxing, a strong legacy as a four time world champion, a wife and two children. The other young, optimistic and almost certainly the future of British boxing - a boy who turned man on Saturday night and proved way beyond his worth. At 25, George Groves has his whole career and life ahead of him, as did a young Gerald McClellan nearly two decades ago. So if you, the reader, realise that it wasnt worth those extra few blows that Nigel Benn landed in 1995 all to feed the insatiable appetite for entertainment of the disconnected masses then forgive Howard Foster for showing some compassion and foresight on Saturday night. George Groves will return - better than ever - and will almost certainly become world champion in the future. For that, we should be thankful that Howard Foster stepped in when he did, because in boxing, as history has proved, you just never know. Chris Lloyd is BBC Kents Boxing Correspondent. You can follow him on Twitter @ChrisLloydTV