STEVE COLLINS has so much of his future mapped out that he was prepared yesterday to outline several Options facing him in advance of his sixth defence of the World Boxing Organisation super middleweight title at the London Arena tomorrow night.
Needless to say, he will not hear of defeat. He will talk, however, at length of a blatant and open challenge for Roy Jones' IBF title "anywhere, any place, anytime". He says that, if necessary, he is prepared to "doorstep" Jones and challenge him to come out onto the street with his coat off. "I might even go to his next fight and get myself arrested at the ringside," he said, with a mischievous gleam in his eye.
But he is not confining his options to Jones. He will be the guest of German television at a bout in Munich next month featuring Virgil Hill from North Dakota and Darius Michalczewski from Poland with three light heavyweight titles at stake. Between them the two hold three world titles, WBA and IBF in the case of Hill and the WBO title held by the Polish boxer.
"That would mean that if I beat the winner I would be a world champion in three different weights - middle, super middle and light-heavy. That's the kind of ambition I have and if Jones continues to run away, I will only run alter him to a certain extent. I can see myself as a light heavyweight champion if Jones continues to run. The fact is that I want the big names I am strong and talented enough to take on the best at any of those weights and I intend to do just that," he said.
There is so much honest conviction in Collins' approach that it is impossible not to be impressed. The days of the brash braggart who infuriated Chris Eubank and indeed many Irish boxing fans are well behind him. He doesn't need a music hall act to get him into the mood for a fight.
Maturity has come with his advance into his third decade. He is now well heeled, secure, confident, harder in body and mind, sure in his own ability and indeed on the basis of yesterday's conversation, his destiny.
As he relaxed in his spartan hotel bedroom on the banks of the Thames yesterday, he talked of a long-term dream of going on an African safari. "I was Tarzan when I was a kid. Now I want to live out that fantasy with Gemma and the boys and my next year or two in boxing will ensure that I can do all that, everything I ever wanted to do.
"I am not going to wait around for Roy Jones or anyone else for much longer. If I have to move up a weight to light heavy, I can still beat the best,' he insists.
He accepts an implied criticism that he is better against quality fighters and less impressive against lesser opponents and that this aspect of his character might act against him against Frederic Seillier tomorrow night. "That is something that's common to all fighters. I can assure you, however, that I am totally focused for this fight. I respect Seillier and I know he is a genuine opponent. I don't underestimate him but I am confident that my preparation has been good," he says.
That view of the fight is repeated through an interpreter by Seillier himself and the respect of the two for each other is in contrast to the clowning performance and sometimes offensive dismissal of Tom (Boom Boom ) Johnson by Prince Naseem Hamad, who will be contesting the WBO featherweight title on the top of the bill tomorrow night.
Naseem always nowadays comes across as the kind of schoolyard brat who would inspire everybody around him to give him "a clip on the ear". Brendan Ingle from Ringsend presides over his colourful charge like an indulgent games master and at times seems even slightly embarrassed by his flamboyant behaviour both inside and outside the ring. Yet Ingle's gentle honesty cannot totally conceal the fact that to many genuine boxing people, Naseem is an arrogant little Napoleon who will eventually meet his Waterloo. It may be sooner rather than later.
A more dignified performance by Naseem's opponent, Johnson yesterday shaded the press conference popularity stakes. Naseem got all the ironic laughs, Johnson got the respect for his low-key rejection of the tactics of his opponent. If this assessment is repeated tomorrow night, many may be pleased and few, apart from Naseem's closer friends, may be disappointed.
An added piece of excitement for the Irish supporters who have come to cheer on Collins has been added by the fact that they have discovered that the Irish welterweight champion, Francie Barrett, from Galway, will be meeting a north of England opponent, Mark Jennings from Wigan, in the quarter-final of the ABA championships in Bethnal Green tonight.
Barrett, who has made a big impress ion on Irish boxing as the first member of the travelling community to wear the green vest in the ring, will find that his support in tonight's bout will have been considerably increased once the word gets around.
If he wins tonight, he will go on to the semi-finals of the ABA (English) championships and may then go to the finals at Wembley on March 5th before defending his welterweight title.
