I disagree: If Collins pulled out and carried on fighting or made a comeback a year or so later, yes he would of been out of order. But he did not, he pulled out and retired, giving the reason he was shot, that is honest and fair. At least to a point he helped the fans, after all Eubank as a replacement turned into a more than adequate scrap. I think back to the first Chavez/de la Hoya fight that was on at a god awful hour; and what? 10 seconds into the bout Chavez was cut. And we find out after, he had been cut in sparring one week earlier and decided to go ahead with the fight. I loved Chavez, but I would call that unprofessional and greedy. I have little time for Collins but I do respect what he did, the only small criticism is that perhaps he could of done it earlier than 10 days before the fight. But little damage was done, as Eubank had his final hurrah at 168lbs.
collins came out of retirement to fight jc but after collapseing in training he was advised by doctors not to fight again.. Regardless of this I believe jc would beat collins ud...
i dont remember collins retiring before the calzaghe fight was due. calzaghe was his mandatory and collins fitted in 2 fights against average fighters in 1997 before his october date with calzaghe. collins was decked in his previous fight and perhaps he new himself he could not beat calzaghe and decided to go out on top.
Collins pulled out ten days prior because he retired. Joe hasn't pulled out of bouts to retire but because he is injured.
I have no issues with retiring ala Lewis. If you can't or don't want to fight then cool. However Collins didn't think it through properly. He signed to fight and put in 6 to 8 weeks of training, as did Calzaghe, people bought tickets, there was a promotion etc Unprofessional to pull out at that point. It's best he did but its still unprofessional.
Man not much love for the Celtic Warrior on here. So let me get this straight Collins signs to fight Calzagha , goes into camp finds his body can't do what it used to so he's supposed to carry on and go in against a bigger , younger hungrier opponent and get starched ?? F*ck that. He PERHAPS could have pulled out earlier but if his body told him it was time , it was time !
The only British fighter who would have had any chance of beating Calzaghe was Nigel Benn. Collins was too hittable and one dimensional, Eubank had too low a workrate, Wharton would have been outboxed and stopped. Benn might have just had enough Savvy to draw Calzaghe into a war and with his heavy counters who knows.
As viewed on the televised Frank Warren talk in with Collins sat next to him - when Frank announced his next opponent was Joe Calzaghe - Collins got up and walked out muttering ' Nobody asked me if I would fight him' - a definite refusal ! And even more interestingly in the tv documentary on Eubanks career - straight after Eubanks defeat by Joe Calzaghe - as he was walking down the tunnel to his dressing room Eubank was heard to clearly say :- 'No wonder Steve Collins wouldn't fight him !' Calzaghe would have moidered Collins
the press conference was on terrestrial tv at the time - I don't have Sky & never will have - Ruppy Babe charges too much as it is for his channels of repeats without having to pay more to watch boxing - Sky have sadly marginalised boxing for the general public these days. (get yourself a motorised sat tv set up and a euro digi set top box and watch a lot more than Sky offer & then some !) Documentary was on Chris Eubank & his career / life. - terrestrial tv again Bound to be repeated. There was a similar one on Benn too.
