Steve Collins

Steve Collins, born on July twenty-first, nineteen sixty-four, is an esteemed Irish former professional boxer and actor, known for his remarkable career in the ring and his appearances in film and television. Dubbed the 'Celtic Warrior,' Collins stands out as the most successful male Irish boxer in recent history, having held both the WBO middleweight and super-middleweight titles simultaneously without ever losing a fight as champion.

Collins began his professional boxing journey in nineteen eighty-six, with his first nineteen bouts taking place in the United States. His early career saw him clinch the Irish middleweight title in nineteen eighty-eight, followed by the USBA middleweight title in nineteen eighty-nine, which he defended successfully in notable venues like Atlantic City and Las Vegas. Despite facing setbacks in his initial world championship attempts, including close decisions against Mike McCallum and Reggie Johnson, Collins persevered.

It was in his early thirties that Collins truly realized his potential, capturing the WBO middleweight title in nineteen ninety-four with a fifth-round TKO victory over Chris Pyatt. He then moved up in weight to defeat the undefeated Chris Eubank, claiming the WBO super-middleweight title in nineteen ninety-five. Collins continued to build on his success, defending his title six times, including a rematch victory against Eubank.

Frustrated by the lack of opportunities to face top contenders like Roy Jones Jr., Collins announced his retirement from boxing in nineteen ninety-seven after pulling out of a proposed fight against Joe Calzaghe. Throughout his career, Collins faced some of the best boxers in both the UK and Ireland, often being associated with the fierce rivalry between Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn, both of whom he defeated towards the end of their careers.