could steve collins punch?

[Stander]

I think joe would have definitely beat up Steve Collins. I knew a guy that worked with Eubank and said he was one of the biggest gentlemen he ever met. That arrogance was all show. My three favorite fighters of the 90's Joe Calzaghe, Steve Collins, and Chris Eubank. Poor Steve collins I think ended up with brain damage from the punching power of the Chris Eubanks, Nigel Benns, and Mike McCallumns. Went down in sparring as was mentioned training for a come back. The man was a warrior.

Does anyone know when he switched from Goodie Petronelli to Freddie Roach as a trainer?

[holmcall]

Here is my case for Steve to be in the Hall, though I would not call him a big puncher:


The Case for Steve Collins in the Hall

Maybe it's my imagination, but Steve "Celtic Warrior" Collins seems to have been forgotten by those who cast votes at the Hall in Canastota. Let's examine this Dubliner's record and see if we can uncover the reasons.

Record: As an amature he won he won numerous Irish titles at junior heavyweight, light-heavyweight and middleweight before moving to and turning professional in Massachesetts in 1986 where he was trained by Boston-based Freddie Roach. He also worked out of the Brockton gym of the Boston-based Petronelli brothers who trained his idol Marvellous Marvin Hagler.

He won his first 16 professional bouts fighting out of the Boston area. His final professional record was 36-3 with 21 ko's.

Level of opposition: Extremely high.

Chronology: Among his early victims were Sam Storey (for the Irish Middleweight Title), ruggedTony Thorton and Kevin "Killer" Watts (for the USBA Middleweight Title.)

He lost to Mike McCallum in 1990 for the WBA Middleweight Title in a close fight I attended. He then rebounded with 5 straight victories including wins over over tough Eddie Hall and Dan Morgan. He lost a razor thin and controversial MD to Reggie Johnson and a close UD to Sumbu Kalambay.

A discouraged Collins finally won the WBA Penta-Continental Middleweight Title in 1993 by ko win over South African Gerhard Botes. A year later he garnered the WBO Middleweight Title by a KO over the very capable Chris Pyatt in South Yorkshire, England. He would go on to win 15 straight to close out his career (the last 5 by stoppage). More importnantly, during this streak, he fought and beat Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn twice. Benn, who had been though a gruelling battle with Gerald McClellan, quickly got the message that his punching power was not good enough to stop concretee-chin Collins.

Due to some brain scan issues, Steve found himself stepping into Ray Close’s shoes to meet Chris Eubank and he proceeded to beat the great English fighter twice. By the time he accomplisde this remarkable feat, he was the reigning W.B.O. Middleweight champ, a fact still overlooked to the present day.

In all, he would succesfuly defend his new Super Middleweight title 8 times before retiring in1997 with a TKO win over Craig Cummings, 34-2, in 3 rounds. Curiously, he had begun his career in 1986 with a 3 round tko over one Julio Mercado in Lowell, MA. Amazingly, he had book-ended his career with 16 in the beginning and 15 at the end with the TKO's as icing on the cake.

The quintessential professional, Steve was a road warrior having fought in Scotland, Ireland, Wales, England, Northern Ireland, France, Italy, Atlantic City, Las Vegas, The Meadowlands Arena in New Jersey and in and around the Boston area. More to the point, he was an extremely tough, seasoned, iron-chined, determined and talented fighter who had long paid his dues training in the Boston area. He was considered to be one of the toughest pound-for- pound fighters of the late 90's having never been stopped in a high profile career.

One of his great regrets was to have never fought Roy Jones Jr. In fact, he is reported to have stated that he had spent so long chasing Roy, money was no longer an important factor and he would fight him in a phone box in front of two men and a dog. However, his attempts to get Roy into the ring ended when he collapsed during a training session. Medics told him to hang up his gloves for good and he did. Steve retired Northern Ireland and has pretty much maintained a low profile. Maybe this is the reason he has been overlooked by the Hall.

[BIG H]

Nice read Holmcall

[Stander]

I've seen that case for Steve being in the hall before. I hope he does get in. That fight against McCallum was great. Mike McCallum is now training Chris eubank's son ironically!

[donnydarkoIRL]

No Collins wasn't a puncher by any means.
An attritional fighter really.



As for his induction into the HOF, I really can't see that being a good idea considering all the things he's done since retiring.

[holmcall]

No Collins wasn't a puncher by any means.
An attritional fighter really.



As for his induction into the HOF, I really can't see that being a good idea considering all the things he's done since retiring.

And just what are those things? What do they have to do with the Hall of Fame. Does that mean Tyson doesn't get in? Liston should not be in? Etc.

Hell, boxing is the one business where what you do outside the ring dosen't matter.

[Stander]

No Collins wasn't a puncher by any means.
An attritional fighter really.



As for his induction into the HOF, I really can't see that being a good idea considering all the things he's done since retiring.

And just what are those things? What do they have to do with the Hall of Fame. Does that mean Tyson doesn't get in? Liston should not be in? Etc.

Hell, boxing is the one business where what you do outside the ring dosen't matter.

Thats true. Boxing is a hard man/tough guy sport that tends to attract hard men/tough guys!!

James Scott, Dwight Mohammed Quawii, Sonny Liston, iron Mike Tyson, Floyd Patterson and mounds of others were first exposed to boxing in or as a result of some sort of penal/youth/correctional facility/program! That goes with the sport