Steve Collins experienced one of the most confusing days of his entire life yesterday after an announcement in London by fight promoter, Frank Warren suggested that the Dubliner had been stripped of his WBO super middleweight title and that his old rival, Chris Eubank, would meet Joe Calzaghe from Wales in Sheffield on October 11th for the vacant title.

Collins had earlier informed Warren that he had an abscess on his right foot and that he had been instructed by a doctor not to box for six weeks, so ruling him out of the fight arranged with Calzaghe.

Collins flew from his base in America to London overnight and had requested a meeting with Warren. But the promoter did not attend the meeting, staging a press conference instead, at which he announced that Collins had been stripped of the WBO belt and that Eubank and Calzaghe would meet for the vacant title. But late last night Collins confirmed that he will be allowed to retain his status as WBO super middleweight champion and that he has been guaranteed a defence of the world title against the winner of the Eubank-Calzaghe fight within 90 days.

This seemed to confirm that Collins had not been officially stripped of the title and that he would remain champion while Eubank and Calzaghe contested a so-called "interim" title. In a telephone call to Boxing Union of Ireland president Mel Christle, Collins explained that he was told not to fight by the WBO doctor.

Christle said: "Steve told me tonight that he was examined by the WBO Commission doctor - Dr Robert Karns - on Friday, and was informed that he could not fight because of his leg injury.

"The president of the WBO, Francois Valcarsal, was then informed of the decision and, according to Steve, so was Frank Warren. Steve was told by the president of the WBO that there would be an interim title fight and that he would fight the winner so, as far as Steve is concerned, he's still the champion.

"Steve told me that he is seeking to clarify the situation with Frank Warren because there seems to have been some confusion at the press conference today regarding Calzaghe and Eubank.

"Steve was firing on all cylinders and is bitterly disappointed."

Valcarsal confirmed that Collins remains their super middleweight champion - "he's the champion, no way has he been stripped of the title" - but was surprised to learn that Calzaghe-Eubank had been announced for the interim fight.

"Frank Warren approached us for either Chris Eubank or Dean Francis to face Calzaghe for the interim title," he explained. "We've not officially sanctioned the interim fight but if Eubank has been announced then I believe that we will in the interests of the promotion and the fighters."

Relations between Collins and Warren have been strained for some time. Collins walked out of a press conference in London in August when Warren announced that he was to defend against Calzaghe at a Welsh venue. It is thought that Collins was unhappy with the amount of money he was getting for putting his title on the line.

Later the two were reported to have settled their differences when Warren announced a spectacular 10-bout bill in Sheffield featuring Collins and Calzaghe, Prince Naseem Hamed, Chris Eubank and Ryan Rhodes - a bill with 10 titles at stake.

It was thought that Collins's purse from the fight was considerably bigger than that which he was offered to fight Calzaghe originally, and he went to Los Angeles to prepare. His coach, Freddie Roach, was there helping Michael Moorer train for his world heavyweight title fight against Evander Holyfield.

Speaking from London yesterday Collins said that he was furious about the way he had been treated by Warren. "I flew in from the States and made an arrangement to meet him at 11 o'clock but he didn't show up. He called a press conference instead to announce that I had been stripped of my title and that Chris Eubank and Joe Calzaghe would fight for the vacant title. "They can't do that. My medical advice is that I should rest for two weeks and then take a further four weeks to prepare for the fight."

Collins said that doctor Robert Karns informed the WBO of the situation. "But they appear to have ignored him. A boxer should not go into the ring unless he is fully fit.

"In any event it is just crazy to stage a world title fight involving a boxer who is not rated in the top 10 (Eubank) and another who is rated only 10th in the world (Calzaghe). This kind of thing brings boxing into disrepute. I have never walked away from a fight in my life but I will not put my health at stake when my doctor says I am not fit.

"I beat Eubank fair and square twice and now he wants to get a soft shot at my title. Meeting him again would be a waste of time. He was finished two years ago.

"I have too much respect for my own safety and the future of my wife and family to take a silly risk by going into the ring against my doctor's advice."

Christle yesterday scoffed at the idea that Collins could be stripped of the title. "If he has pulled out of the fight on bona fide medical advice he cannot be stripped of the title.