STEVE COLLINS, THE former two-weight world boxing champion, is planning a shock return to the ring for “a 15-year grudge match” against Roy Jones Jr.
Collins retired in 1997 but the 48-year-old revealed today that he is getting ready for a bout against the American once considered the finest pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
“It’s not a comeback,” he told Richard Keys and Andy Gray on talkSPORT. “You don’t make comebacks at my age.”
Collins famously won the WBO super-middleweight title with a unanimous decision against Chris Eubank in 1995 but the Dubliner never managed to tempt Jones into a high-profile unification bout before hanging up his gloves. In 1999 he briefly came out retirement and was preparing to face Joe Calzaghe, a bout seen by many as the prelude to a meeting with Jones, when he collapsed in sparring and called off the comeback.
“I was very happy with my career, but the one fight I wanted was Roy Jones, and when that didn’t happen I retired. To me he was afraid of me. I don’t think he’s a coward but at the time he was,” said Collins.
Now that 43-year-old Jones is ready to retire himself, Collins says his decision to duck the long-standing challenge is hanging in the air. No deal has been agreed with promoters and though Collins would like the fight to take place in the UK, potentially in April or May, he indicated that there has also been interest from Dubai, Russia, China as well as Hollywood actor-turned-boxer Mickey Rourke.
I think it’s a fight he needs because he claims to be one of the greatest pound-for-pound fighters since the Marvin Hagler era, but the one thing that’s hanging over him is that he refused to fight me and avoided me. Even when I climbed into the ring and challenged him after one of his fights, he ran.It’s bothering him. He’s talking about retiring and it has come up — you’ve avoided Collins.
Collins is due to undergo a medical next week and insisted that he will not risk his health if he does not get the doctors’ seal of approval.
“If the examinations aren’t 100%, forget about it, it’s not going to happen. There’s no chance of it happening if I don’t get a 100% pass from the doctors.”
Great respect for both fighters but this will be a farce.
Roughly translated as he’s up to his Bol”"ix in debt and needs cash quickly.
Rock on Collins! That shows great signs of great sportsmanship!
Best of luck.
A ten minute nap is allowed after every round and a bit of supper after round six.
His wife must be delighted …. Oh wait ….
Was that necessary? That is personal insult/slur about the mans private life. Comment on the proposed fight all you like but your comment is cheap and adds nothing.
Good man Declan , well said..
Declan cotter …. your comment adds so much value doesnt it .. Same as the usual tripe you post !
Maybe Mayweather will fight the Lance Armstrong of boxing Manny Pacquiao at 48 too. Boxing needs a World governing body its turning into a farce with a lot of mega fights not being made.
Bring back the good old days of Leonard, Duran, Hagler, Hearns when win lose or draw the best fought the best.
Ahhh James you’re a romantic
Hadn’t heard anything other than a mayweather accusation, about manny doping. Have you read something on it?
Dont mind his ramblings there is no prof of any doping
Youl find Floyd loves peds just as much as pacman ie xylocaine and trt injections. But a coward is still a coward.
Steveoooo Steveoooo Steveooo
Remember his fights with Eubank and Benn :)
Reality TV show on the back boiler more like.
You’ll see a better fight in Temple Bar of a Saturday night
A heaw leave irou
Heard the chief support on the undercard is Abe Simpson vs Jesper for the Springfield retirement home belt! Winner fights winner of Jones/Collins
And an Uncle Albert V Knock Knock rematch too
It’d b cringe worthy watching these ole lads fight
Roy Jones has been a shadow of his former self in the last 8yrs. He has been brutality knocked out and out boxed and stopped by guys who in his prime wouldn’t have landed a punch on him.
A complete legend but with nothing left in the tank and his reflexes and punch resistance both shot.
Collins hasn’t fought since 97 and collapsed in 99 on his last comeback in sparring. So unless he has lived like a monk or Bernard Hopkins, I doubt he will be anything like the Celtic Warrior of old.
It’s a farce between two guys over the hill with diminished Skills.
A very sad state of affairs in boxing if this happens.
This has as much chance of happening as me be wrong for the first time in my life.
Never used tipp ex .
Adebayo
Quick question why do you feel the need to sign off on all posts your name appears anyway?
I have to agree with james its very annoying the way you sign off with your name, especially when its already beside your picture.
@ James. If you had a name as cool as this you would sign off with it too.
@Rossa. If you find me signing off ”very annoying” I feel bad for you son, I got 99 problems and you aint one.
Get used to it lads,
AdeBAAAAAAYYOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooo!
@scarr I said years ago it was obvious that Lance was doping. Shot down by the Cult of Lance.
In regards of Manny he can go through 7weight divisions and fight someone as big and durable as Margarito (fight night weight close to middle or super middle)
and fractures his orbital bone.
Yet he fights a much smaller Marquez and doesn’t hurt him anyway like that?
Plus a lot of high profile boxers recently failing tests. Not to mention the Wild card gym under Freddie Roach has had drug issues in the past eg James Toney and currently Chavez Jr.
I honestly think Manny has cycled off his peds as his last 3/4 fights have seen him slow sluggish and a much lower punch output and no ko power!
FLOYD would beat him easliy anyway.
One straight left from Manny and Floyd will hit the canvas. Mayweather family cant handle left handed fighters properly. Kentucky Floyd chicken is on the juice himself.
Must be broke because this will be a discrace to the sport
I really do hope its in ireland tho. Cause roy jones is one of my all time favourites
A fight is a fight, at 37, 47, 57 ya can still throw a punch, yea it’s not gonna be ur normal boxers who are superfit but I’ve seen a few crap fights on the tele from boxers in their prime, if Collins wants to fight Roy jones Jnr why not, both are still gonna wanna win , both were champions and good champions ill never forget Collins v Eubank, it’s not a farce, it’s two fighters wanting to fight, I’d love to see that
hopefully he gets knocked clean work out.. as the other person said he must be up to his eyes in debt.
Why him to get knocked out? Why not jones?
48 is the new 38.Cant be any worse than that flintoff fight.Go for it.
Sure is last fight was only a few years ago at the national areana.
You know what this needs…a montage!!!!
Cringe. Total embarrassment
Maybe Tony Quinn from Educo will train him again
He must be flat broke
Roy Jones is being threatened with jail time by gov for tax avoidance. He has central vestibular damage affecting his balance and has been told by doctors to stop sparring to avoid further injury. He is obviously under severe financial pressure to take another fight. That said Collins needs a reality check to come out with that tripe. If jobless this about Roy, then I’m sure he does, picking a fight with a wounded man is Cowardly.
Steve Collins coming out?
Hes so brave…..well done son.
Is this a piss take?
madness
They’re just 2 old guys going to “Suggs” it out
He was a muppet in his youth and cleary hasn’t grown up yet. Why would anybody line this clowns pockets? He’s probably only fighting because his not ‘Z list’ enough for “I’m a celebrity…” The man is a donkey and should have stayed ‘disappeared’
How old was foreman when he last one the title
He was 45 when he won
I say fair play to him. Hes pissed off that Jones Jr is mouthing off that Collins ran from him. Steve Collins wanted the fight with Jones Jr back in the 90′s. it’s only for one fight to try shut up Jones Jr after all these years. Collins doesn’t care about the money side of it. Just a grudge fight nothing more.
It would be funny to watch. Nice little pay day for Collins anyway!
He needs to link up with SMS Promotions
I’d be worried for Steve in this one. Whilst RJJ is a shadow of his former self he has been fighting competitively all these years. He has been losing but thats because he has been fighting at much heavier weightclasses.
Steve hasnt fought in 16 years now. I dont think a 10-12 week camp is gonna shake off the cobwebs and ring rust