By Rusty Nate: So the news surfaced the last couple of days that a match up that has been 15-20 years in the making could finally happen.
Steve Collins vs. Roy Jones Jnr.
I hear the quiet laughter from the back of the room as this is talked about. I honestly can’t believe that they are seriously considering this fight.
Roy Jones Junior has looked a shadow of his former self since long before his first defeat to Tarver. He has a mixed bag of stoppage losses and sub standard victories since that famous night with Tarver and nowadays he tends to be seen as a journeyman adding a famous name to a prospects record.
Jones in my opinion messed around with his weight once to often way back in the day and it ultimately cost him. It seriously impacted his performances when jumping from Super Middleweight to Heavyweight and back down to Light Heavyweight.
He was an amazing fighter, one of the best that ever lived but his time has way since past. Could he be risking his health for financial reasons? Maybe, but I can’t see that he is getting paid that much for the kind of fights he is having these days. BUT he has at least been constantly active over the years.
Steve Collins is a completely different story. He retired from the game all the way back in 1997 after beating Craig Cummings in Glasgow.
In his prime (1994 – 1997) Collins was best known for his aggressive style, great chin and of course the hypnotist before the Eubank fight that caused so much controversy.
He held the WBO SM World Title for near 4 years and defended successfully 8 times including twice against Chris Eubank and twice against Nigel Benn. These were huge fights in the UK although they did happen a little past Benn & Eubanks ultimate peak primes. They were good fights though.
Fast forward 15 years and now we have a 48 year old former world champion who has not laced a pair of gloves since 1997 and an over the hill past his prime Roy Jones.
To put that time frame into perspective, Joe Calzaghe won the world title in the same year Collins retired, he defended it 23 times and he himself retired 5 years Ago.
Ricky Hatton’s debut happened the year Collins retired and he has since fought 48 times as a professional.
That’s a long time!!!!!
Collins has said in an interview that he has always been in shape and fit since retiring and that he believes both men (him and Jones) have aged together and so the fight will be competitive. He went on to say he would not even consider taking on a young blood fighter because it wouldn’t be a fair fight but the Jones fight is one that should have happened years ago.
He has also sensibly stated that after his medicals if there is anything the doctor advises could be a problem then he will not even consider making a comeback.
If this happens I see it being a very dull late stoppage or UD win for Jones. Although having not seen Collins for so long, who knows maybe he is one of those super humans that can defy father time ;) I doubt it!
I think we’re more likely to see an escalated version of Hatton’s come back, bad timing, slow foot work, mistimed punch attempts and a rather embarrassing performance from a once tough and respected world champion trying to recapture his youth.
Ironically, a few weeks ago I wrote an article that I ended with the question “who if anyone will be the big come back from retirement fighter this year?”
DID ANYONE SEE THIS ONE COMING!!!??
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