The Celtic Warrior from Ireland turns pro in Boston, builds up a nice record fighting out of Boston. He steps up to try to win the middleweight title but is outclassed and nearly shut out by Mike McCallum. Back to the drawing board, he picks up a couple of decent wins (the best being over Tony Thornton), but strikes out when he again tries for a world title (vacant WBA) at 160 against Reggie Johnson in a close s****, and loses to Sumbu Kalambay. At this point, he seems to have found his ceiling. He moves back to the UK, where he figures to dine on domestic opposition but never is expected to crack the elite level. He strings together a few wins over the next couple years or so and wins a WBO trinket (not as highly regarded at that time) against Chris Pyatt ... and immediately vacates to move up to 168. Then a funny thing happens. The self-hypnotist beats Chris Eubank twice, keeps defending the belt and twice bests Nigel Benn. Were they prime? No, but Collins isn't exaclty up for rookie of the year at this point and previously hadn't shown anything to make anyone think he could mix in this company successfully. Collins up and retires at age 33 (?) with a 36-3 record, never stopped in his career, a handful of real quality wins and all of his losses to quality opposition. So what to make of Steve? Was he the best of that UK lot at the time -- which included Eubank, Benn and Watson? Or did he just hypnotize us all?
He was a good fighter, because any fighter at that level is good who had good timing and had got a few breaks that wen his way.
Collins was a genuine tough guy. He didn't have elaborate skills but decent fundamentals. I've seen some of the film of his fight against McCallum and although Mike won handily Collins was competitive in there and certainly wasn't disgraced. He caught Eubank and particularly Benn when they were on the slide but Eubank still had plenty left but Collins seemed to spook him mentally! Overall a hard proposition for anyone with his toughness and strong mental attitude.
Collins was a good fighter who beat eubank both in and out of the ring was eubank on in decline very probably and benn certainly wasn't the same fighter he once was . It would be nice if people stopped referring to Collins as british or part of that uk lot as he's Irish from the Republic of Ireland and is in no way british or from the uk
During the time of Diluted titles the British scene (in the British isles) was able to dominate the WBC and WBO belts and produce fighters capable to contest for them like Henry Wharton, Nicky Piper, Ray Close, Lou Gent, Sam Storey, Garry Stretch and Robin Reid as well as Michael Watson, Chris Eubanks, Nigal Benn and Steve Colins who were as good as anyone not called James Toney and Roy Jones. In fact the WBO belt was exclusive property of fighters based in the British isles from 1990-2007. The WBC belt was dominated by British fighters from 1992-2000. From 2008-2011 Carl Froch had the WBC then switched to IBF and WBA from 2011 until now. So from 1990-2015 there have always been British based belt holders at that weight class. But until the super six it was like there was two circuits out there. Especially during Collins time it was The British based circuit and the American circuit. Collins failed at the American circuit so he entered the British circuit and became successful. You could argue that Roy Jones was the real champion and that the British scene for all it had internationally named champions in ny other era would have been nothing more than a healthy British championship scene with champions capable of beating good Americans like Mclellan and Barkley. So if you like Collins in another era was the Irish champ who won a serries of fights with the British champions.
Solid fighter, very tough, not an easy night's work for anyone. Benn was well done by the time Collins got to him, though Eubank was still just 28 and unbeaten. He got under Eubank's skin in a way that no one else could. He'd have fought Roy Jones any time, any place. I think he still would now if he had the chance.
Great fight with Johnson, also pretty competitive with a peak McCallum while still learning. Faster hands than generally accepted, great boxing brain as well as his better known attributes of courage, adaptability, mental strength, durability and fitness. A benchmark for all SMW.
I don't see where anyone referred to him as British. I said he moved back to the UK because upon his return he was fighting in Wales, London, Sheffield, Belfast, etc. -- all UK venues. He did later fight in the Republic a few times, but my reference was specific to the time frame of his return from the U.S.
Always liked Collins. Really tough good solid fighter. Wasn't afraid of anybody. BTW for Wat it's worth I read the whole hypnotic thing was BS to get under Eubanks skin.
Collins was a 16-fight novice against McCallum and became the first and only fighter ever to make McCallum actually run away! ..I thought he deserved the decisions in Reggie's and Sumbu's backyards (I felt Reggie beat Toney), but I felt Tony Thornton drew with him and that Eubank clearly beat him at Mill Street.. He was wild, unorthodox and non-stop in the Eubank rematch and Benn fights, outworking the lazy Eubank and taking all of weak-minded Benn's bombs without blinking, causing Nigel to quit twice.! He was effective. -Very, very effective..
Very good fighter. That made some very entertaining fights. Still remember watching him fight in my favorite bar back in 1995. Can't remember if it was the first or second Eubank match. I just remember the atmosphere was electric.
I agree. On the other hand I thought those fights were there for Eubank to win and he let them slip away more than anything Collins did. Eubank seemed afraid to hurt him when he tagged Collins good, just unwilling to follow up.