Stephen Collins was born on 21 July 1964 and is an Irish former professional boxer who competed from 1986 to 1997.
34 Facts About Steve Collins
2.
Steve Collins challenged unsuccessfully for the European middleweight title later in 1992, losing a controversial decision to Sumbu Kalambay in Italy.
3.
Steve Collins successfully defended his title another six times before pulling out of a proposed fight in October 1997 against rising Welsh star, Joe Calzaghe, and retiring from the sport, with Steve Collins frustrated by his inability to get a fight against the pound for pound number one boxer of the time, Roy Jones Jr.
4.
Steve Collins won 26 Irish titles as an amateur before turning professional in Boston, Massachusetts in October 1986.
5.
Steve Collins worked out of Petronelli Brothers gym in Brockton, Massachusetts alongside Marvin Hagler.
6.
Steve Collins's debut fight was against Julio Mercado on the undercard of a bill that featured Irish Americans; his future trainer Freddie Roach and the future Fight of the Year winner Micky Ward.
7.
Steve Collins beat Mercado by way of knockout in the third round.
8.
Steve Collins was supported by a large crowd of Irish Americans as he battled the champion McCallum, with the fight being close early on before McCallum started to tire as Steve Collins gained momentum in the later stages to bring a close finish at the end of 12 exciting rounds.
9.
In 1992, Steve Collins lost a majority decision to Reggie Johnson in a closely contested slugfest for the vacant WBA middleweight title.
10.
Steve Collins then lost by split decision to Sumbu Kalambay for the European title in Italy, before beating Gerhard Botes of South Africa to win the WBA Penta-Continental middleweight title in 1993.
11.
Steve Collins then moved to Belfast under the management of Barney Eastwood before basing himself in England where he joined Barry Hearn's Matchroom Boxing.
12.
Steve Collins was trained by Freddie King in the Romford training camp.
13.
In May 1994, Steve Collins finally won a world title by defeating Chris Pyatt by stoppage in five rounds to become the WBO middleweight champion.
14.
Early in 1995, Steve Collins relinquished this title without a defence as he was having difficulty making the 160lbs middleweight limit.
15.
Steve Collins then stepped into Close's place, moving up to super-middleweight to take on Eubank.
16.
Steve Collins defeated the then unbeaten long-reigning champion Chris Eubank in Millstreet, County Cork, Ireland, in March 1995, by unanimous decision, to win the WBO super-middleweight title.
17.
Steve Collins had enlisted the help of a guru, and they led the press to believe that Steve Collins would be hypnotised for the fight, which noticeably unsettled Eubank.
18.
True to form, Steve Collins sat in his corner and did not move, listening to headphones during Eubank's ring entrance.
19.
Steve Collins knocked Eubank down in the eighth round, and was well ahead on the scorecards at the end of Round 9, but Eubank finished the fight strongly as he tried to save his unbeaten record and knocked Steve Collins down in the tenth round, coming close to a stoppage.
20.
Eubank was unable to finish the job, and Steve Collins held on for victory.
21.
Steve Collins successfully defended his WBO super-middleweight title seven times, including two fights against Nigel Benn in 1996.
22.
Steve Collins is reported to have stated in Boxing World that he had spent so long chasing Roy Jones Jr.
23.
Steve Collins then added he wanted to retire on a high note with a good pay day, "Joe is a good up-and-coming kid, but he wouldn't fill a parish church".
24.
In 1999, Steve Collins announced his decision to come out of retirement to fight Roy Jones Jr.
25.
Steve Collins retired in 1997, with a record of 39 fights, 36 wins and 3 losses.
26.
Steve Collins has not entirely faded from the spotlight since his retirement.
27.
On 15 January 2013, at the age of 48, Steve Collins announced plans to fight Roy Jones Jr.
28.
Steve Collins went on to appear in a number of exhibition bouts in preparation for the proposed Jones fight.
29.
In 2017 Steve Collins joined the Army Reserve's 253 Provost Company of the 4th Regiment Royal Military Police in London where he had been living for the previous 20 years.
30.
Steve Collins gained promotion to Lance Corporal and qualified as an army boxing coach.
31.
Steve Collins's brother Roddy Collins is a former professional footballer and manager.
32.
Steve Collins's brother Paschal was a professional boxer and now a leading professional boxing coach plus manager.
33.
Steve Collins's eldest son Stevie Jnr is a retired rugby player and a retired professional boxer who now coaches and manages boxers.
34.
Steve Collins's youngest son Luke is an active amateur boxer and qualified amateur boxing coach.