WHATEVER the outcome of tonight's super middleweight title fight between the reigning WBO champion, Steve Collins and the challenger, Frederic Seillier at the London Arena, it will surely be a watershed in the life of the affable Dublin man's career. Even before he steps into the ring, Collins has been talking about a move up to the light heavyweight division in a bid to establish himself beyond all question as one of boxing's modern heroes.

Such a move would open up new avenues for him and give him a number of options which now seem closed. In his present situation he seems certain that his preferred next opponent, Roy Jones from the United States, is avoiding a show down with him and thus a big pay day for both.

At 32, Collins is not talking of retirement, but he is wise enough to realise that there is a limited amount of time for him to copper fasten his future financially and that the only way to do this is for him to take three or four big fights at the most before hanging up his gloves.

He makes no secret of the fact that he wants to continue in the fight game as a trainer/coach or manager and in Dublin at that. He fancies the idea of having a state of the art gymnasium in his native city where he could, as he says himself, put back into boxing what he has learned from it.

It is in that context that tonight's title defence has to be seen. Collins knows that, although he is a hot favourite to win, there are risks involved in taking on a man who has won 43 of his 52 fights to date 29 of those within the distance. Any lack of concentration on Collins' part could have serious repercussions for the Irishman and he knows that better than anyone.

In his fights against Chris Eubank (two) and Nigel Benn (two) Collins knew that only his very best would be good enough against the two top class British boxers. The fact that he lived up to the challenges that they presented will be to his eternal credit.

Against lesser challengers, however, such as Cornelius Carr and Neville Brown, Collins was not as convincing, and the result was that Carr took him the full distance while Brown did not succumb until the 11th round of their fight.

One senses that Seillier is a much better opponent than either of those two, and if Collins underestimates him things could go seriously astray. Collins has been at pains to point out that he accepts this view. "I am no doubt better against better fighters, I admit that. But Seillier is a good fighter and I know where I stand. I will not let him dictate the fight and I promise you I will be at my best.

"I have prepared well and the fact is that since the second fight against Nigel Benn in Manchester in November I have had only a very short break for Christmas. I have been working every day. I have been away from my wife and family and all other distractions. My weight is fine, my health is perfect and I am ready," he said with conviction.

Needless to say, Seillier repeats those sentiments, through an interpreter, almost word for word. The Frenchman looks older than his 32 years, older than Collins, even though a mere month separates their dates of birth. A glance at their ring records since 1990 reveals that Collins has been the more active of the two.

Having lost three in a row to Mike McCallum, Reggie Johnson and Sumbu Kalambay, Collins won the WBO world middleweight title in May of 1994 and is unbeaten in six bouts since then. In that space of time Seillier has lost twice, to Kalambay and Frank Liles, drawn one and lost one - not nearly as impressive a record as Collins during the same period.

Everything, therefore, points to a Collins victory and it is perhaps in that very fact that the real danger lies. Unless the Dubliner can muster the same relentless barrage as he did against Eubank and Benn Seillier could gain the initiative and sow doubts in Collins' mind.

If, as Collins claims, he is fully focused on this fight, I can see but one outcome. However, Seillier is tough, without any doubt, and durable as well. He could present Collins with a variety of tactical problems which could bring the fight the full distance.

As far as the British public is concerned, the fight of the night in the London Arena is not that involving Collins and Seillier but the one between "Prince" Naseem Hamed from Sheffield and Tom "Boom Boom" Johnson from Detroit in the United States. Naseem has been his usual talkative self in the run up to this fight and has lost as many supporters as he has gained by reason of his arrogance and his dismissive attitude to any boxer other than himself.

His record of being unbeaten in 24 fights to date is impressive, however, and cannot be dismissed. Johnson, however, has had 25 early endings in his 44 fights to date and may present Naseem with more problems than he has had to date. The two schools of thought in regard to Naseem's quality would appear to clash on the likely outcome.

Naseem has generated much interest, and even if his chatterbox boasting is a bit hard to take, he's a very attractive stylist. In taking on Johnson he has taken the risk of stepping up in class, but anything other than a clearcut victory is unlikely, and Naseem will probably add Johnson's IBF featherweight title to his own WBO crown before the end of the night.

Two other world title fights are also on the card, with Robin Reid of England via Italy defending his WBC super middleweight title against Giovanni Pretorious from South Africa, while "Baby" Jake Matlala defends his WBO light flyweight title against Mickey Cantwell of England - both of whose parents, incidentally, are from Ireland.

On the supporting card, two bouts are of Irish interest. Michael Carruth, Ireland's gold medallist at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, meets Paul Dyer from Portsmouth at welterweight over eight rounds and Mark Winters from Belfast meets Kos Kansantonis from Potters Bar.

At the eight in last night for the Collins fight, which was held in absolutely farcical conditions in a restaurant still serving food to its paying clients, both Collins and Seillier weighed in at exactly the same weight, 11st 13 1/2lb.

The influence of television on this kind of event has now gone so far as to bring boxing into disrepute.

Also last night, Francie Barrett from Galway reached the semifinals of the English ABA championships in the welterweight division in the York Hall in Bethnal Green, London last night when he beat Michael Jennings from Wigan.

Barrett dictated the fight from the start and forced his opponent to take a standing count in the first round. He eventually won over five two minute rounds by 22-17 - a score which scarcely reflected his overall superiority.

Barrett goes on to the semifinals of the English championships in Portsmouth next month.