The American referee in charge of the Chris Eubank/Steve Collins title fight in Millstreet in March 1995 will give evidence alleging promoter Mr Barry Hearn warned him just before the fight that the Irishman was a dirty fighter who used his head against opponents, the High Court heard yesterday.
Mr Colm Allen SC, for Mr Collins, said referee Mr Ron Lipton will testify that on the night of the fight, Mr Hearn approached him as he was getting into the ring and said: "You have to watch Collins. He is a dirty fighter. He is a real pro with the head. Watch he doesn't use his head."
Mr Hearn, who promoted the Millstreet fight and who was also the then manager of both Mr Eubank and Mr Collins, told the court he had never approached the referee or said such words.
Yesterday was the 12th day of the hearing in which Mr Hearn and his company, Matchroom Boxing Ltd, are suing Mr Collins for breach of contract. Mr Collins, of Pine House, Navan Road, Dublin, is denying the claim.
For the referee to make such a claim was a lie, Mr Hearn said. Steve Collins was not a dirty boxer and there was no way he would have said such a thing about him.
Mr Allen said the referee would also say he replied to Mr Hearn's warning by saying: "I have seen Collins on many occasions. He is a good clean fighter". Mr Hearn said he could not recall this.
Earlier, Mr Hearn said he was upset when he read a newspaper headline which said he had tried to get Mr Collins stripped of his WBO Super Middleweight World title in the summer of 1995.
In writing to the WBO and alleging a finger injury to Mr Collins had been "instigated", he was doing no more than protecting the interests of Chris Eubank, he said.
Mr Eubank, who had been beaten by Mr Collins in March 1995, was seeking an "interim title fight" before Mr Collins was ready to resume boxing. Mr Hearn said he had written a letter to the WBO chairman seeking such a fight although he knew that under the WBO rules such a fight could not take place.
Mr Allen put it to Mr Hearn that he deliberately, dishonestly and disreputably had done everything in his power to get his own client, Mr Collins, stripped of his title.
Mr Hearn said: "That is complete and utter nonsense."
Mr Allen referred Mr Hearn to a letter written by him to Mr Francisco Valcarcel, chairman of the WBO, on June 7th, 1995, in which he said he believed Mr Frank Warren, promoter of the second Collins/Eubank title fight, might instigate either a medical delay or some other delay to cause this fight to be postponed to the end of August 1995.
Mr Hearn agreed such a suggestion was pure conjecture on his part.
Mr Allen said the letter went on to suggest if Mr Collins was for any reason unable to defend his title by the end of July, that Mr Eubank be given an opportunity to fight for an interim title. The winner of that fight could then take on Mr Collins and the purse could be divided on a 50/50 basis.
Mr Hearn agreed that if his suggestion had been acted upon it could have meant the loss of $400,000 to Mr Collins who until then had been guaranteed 75 per cent of a £1.2 million purse, with Mr Eubank getting 25 per cent.
The hearing is continuing.