Boxing News Boxing News
The date of June 16, 1983, forever will taint the history of New York sports and the world of boxing. That evening at Madison Square Garden, a shameful chain of events ended a promising young boxer’s career and changed the lives of many associated with the tragic scandal.
Thursday, April 3, in New York City details will be revealed regarding the filing of a motion to reopen the case of the Collins-Resto scandal with the Federal Court of Claims against the State of New York.
Nashville, Tennessee’s ‘Irish’ Billy Collins Jr. was an undefeated welterweight and fulfilling every boxer’s dream of fighting in the world’s most famous arena. Collins’opponent, Luis Resto, had his own aspirations by playing the spoiler role as the Bronx underdog who rose to the occasion in front of the hometown fans. What transpired in the Collins-Resto fight was so heinous it led to Resto’s conviction, incarceration and lifetime ban from boxing.
Now, as the 25th anniversary of the incident approaches, new evidence has been uncovered during the making of the film Cornered—which exposes the true nature of the tragic crime to be much worse than previously reported or known.
“New revelations may lead to revived litigation,” said Marc R. Thompson of Manhattan’s Pulvers, Pulvers and Thompson, the attorney for Andrea Collins-Nile, widow of late the Billy Collins Jr.
Now, 25 years later, it’s asked: Will justice finally be served for the Collins family and estate? Will the sport of boxing finally gain closure of this open wound? The answers start coming forth Thursday, April 3.
