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Jones would have knocked him out in 9rounds,
he woulda been too fast,skilled,tactically skilledComment
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McGuigan believes Collins is silly to climb back in ring with Jones
by Rita O'Reilly
FORMER champion boxer Barry McGuigan yesterday said it was "foolhardy and silly," of Steve Collins to go back into the ring to fight Roy Jones.
Collins accepted that there was "a bit of truth" in claims that he is coming out of retirement to make money to keep up his standard of living, but he said he had always promised he'd don his boxing gloves again if a Roy Jones bout was in the offing.
McGuigan told Joe Duffy on RTE Radio's Liveline yesterday: "I think he's being foolhardy, I think he's silly taking a fight of this magnitude now. I take my hat off to him and I admire his courage...but I think he's being foolish."
Collins has credibility to gain, courage to show and money to pick up from fighting the WBC light-heavyweight champion, McGuigan admitted. But he's also got a lot to lose and he's up against an exceptional fighter, the Sugar Ray Leonard of the nineties.
In his heyday Steve would have had trouble going the distance with Jones.
"He is very quick-handed, very fast on his feet and has great hand-eye co-ordination, he's a ****er.
"Boxing is about continuity, it's about keeping going, you can't give up for two years, especially if you're the type of fighter that Steve has always been.
"There's no secrets about Steve's style. He grabs the centre of the ring, he plants his feet in the middle and pitches his toes into the canvas and lets you have it.
"There's no subtleties about his style. He's an aggressive comeatcha type fighter and those are the type of fighters that Roy Jones loves." McGuigan said Jones's fleet footedness and speed meant he likes guys to come at him because then he can display his fabulous hand speed and his power.
"Steve is normally a very wise guy, I just don't think he's being very wise here," he said.
He did not think Collins, who won nine world title fights in a row before his retirement, will be able to recapture his sharpness.
"Each dog has his day. We all have a shelf life," McGuigan, who now works as a commentator for Sky Sports, said.
"This is a dangerous game, let's not forget that. He could get hurt, there's no doubt about that."
McGuigan, who retired at the age of 29, accepted his advice might fall on deaf ears. "He's laughing the whole way to the bank and I'm delighted for him and I hope he earns a fortune in it," he said of his compatriot's decision.
But Steve Collins said he had always said he would come out of retirement if he got the Roy Jones fight. "And why not?" go back into the ring, he asked.
"I believe I still have what it takes to beat Roy Jones," he said, adding that he would not go through any warm-up fights prior to the big bout, likely to take place in April.
And he said he still hasn't finalised the deal on exactly how much he will be paid for the fight : "The Rio Hotel in Las Vegas hope to stage the fight on April 17th, its opening night, but I'm hoping that a promoter over here will bring the fight back to Europe."
Both Sky and ITV have shown an interest in bringing the fight to Britain or Ireland, and Collins said he hoped a deal would be done by the end of the week.
He rejected the question mark over his decision as people being negative.
"What I've heard is a lot of opinions from people who I've not requested opinions from," he told Joe Duffy.
"The only opinion that would make any difference to me either way would be the opinion of my wife," he added.
And Collins accepted there was a little bit of truth in the claim that he is going back into the ring to keep up his standard of living, including the cost of keeping his 11 polo horses.
"Unfortunately, I've got involved in a hobby which is probably more expensive than bird-watching or fishing," he said, but ruled out selling some of his stock.
"If anything, I would like to buy better horses," Collins said.Comment
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DM? The guy who was beat by Julio Gonzalez? Riiight.Comment
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Oh I was just checking because I thought you meant someone who could have actually beaten Jones during his best. Clearly it wasn't the guy who dropped his title to Julio Gonzalez. I mean that would be ridiculous wouldn't it?
Remind me again how badly Jones toyed with JG? Or Clinton Woods who somehow has managed to again get a title. Guess he didn't fight anybody right?Comment
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Jones was at his best at 168..Comment
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The Nigel Benn wannabe:
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a seemingly inebriated Irish Steve Collins stumbled into Jones' interview mumbling "I'm here, Roy".Comment
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