Irish Steve Collins The Celtic Warrior Tribute

When I was boxing amateur and Collins was fighting in Brockton Massachusetts the Pettronelli's called my trainer looking for sparring for one of their fighters. So my trainer brings me up there and we find out its Steve Collins so he says no way. Didn't get to spar with him but we worked out together and he was giving me tips and helping me the whole time. Great, great guy and one of my favorites.

And for those wondering.....I have no illusions, he would have beat me silly if we sparred.

 

Collins is a big traveller name but Steve Collins is not a traveller he is from down the road from me a place called Cabra, he lived next door to my ex girlfriends auntie !

 

Nah, Collins is a settled guy.

Maybe he has some traveller ancestry, but not that I know of.

 

Do you know any traveller? I just watched knuckle and I'm interested in that stuff now

 

I used to live in an area full of them.

They're heavily involved in boxing in Ireland. Unfortunately despite some great success stories in the ring from that community, there are huge anti-social concerns about the community in general.

I wont go into it too much, but in general(not all of course), they're not much liked by the greater Irish community

 

I train with a few, in fact one is a Collins who boxed for Ireland at under 18 level then gave it up for some reason ! Smashing left hook !

JJ Nevin who just won silver at the olympics is a traveller and will probably go pro now, also look out for Joe Ward he is the best boxer in this country at the moment imo and was robbed from qualifying for the olympics, he beat the Russian gold medalist Mechonshev 3 months before London by 10 points.

In the pros there is some good young talent coming through Martin Ward, Martin J Ward, Taylor Ward and John O'Donnell !

Also Michael Quinn-McDonagh the red fella in Knuckle was recently charged with murdering his wife !

http://www.irishcentral.com/news/-K...-murder-as-her-funeral-is-held-168897686.html

 

you would be far less interested in them if they moved into south florida

 

I trained in a Traveller club in Dublin for 7 months. Some great boxers and a great head trainer but faciltys were brutal, it was a school hall. Used to have a mate that was a Traveller from Finglas. They have good and bad but they all could buy and sell you.

 

great video!!

 

One of my all-time favorites. Ducked no one and fought everyone. Great fight with Mike McCallum. Was in the old Horse and Jockey Pub in my hometown when he stopped Benn in their 1st fight.Saw the 2nd Benn fight in Punch's Pub in Limerick the same night that Holyfield stopped Tyson. Some night!!

 

Hard man Collins. Dont like the Benn fights being on a highlight reel though, Benn was shot to bits.The definaition of shot.