Scottish boxing could do with a feelgood story right now and Nathaniel Collins believes he’s the man to deliver it.
A country that has often punched above its weight on the global stage is currently without a world champion after Josh Taylor relinquished the last of his four belts to Teofimo Lopez and Lee McGregor fell just short in his own comeback contest.
Collins isn’t quite at that level yet but the signs are encouraging. The 12-0 featherweight from Bearsden will defend his British and Commonwealth belts in London’s storied York Hall this evening, while also looking to catch a few more admiring glances in the process. Already ranked seventh in the world by the WBC, a strong performance against Rama Hamza on Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions bill – being broadcast live on TNT Sports - ought to enhance his reputation and propel him further up the rankings.
Collins has not been shy in the past to wonder why his fairly meteoric rise has made little traction south of Hadrian’s Wall, while even around the Glasgow area his is a name and face still really only familiar to keen boxing fans. It will take a few more steps if he is to become a household figure the way Taylor eventually became but the 27-year-old won’t shy away from that challenge.
“This is me getting the spotlight that I feel I’ve deserved over the last few years,” he says. “It’s on TNT which is the new BT Sport which is a big platform that not many other Scottish boxers have been on. There will be big names at the fight - Dennis McCann is the headliner and he draws a good crowd – so it’s definitely a chance for me to make an impression and get my name out there a bit more.
“I’m 12-0 and flying through my career quite quickly which is good but people now think it’s straightforward for me to keep winning. The fights are getting tougher and I have to be at my best to keep the journey going.
“I was at Lee’s fight and he was unfortunate not to win after a long lay-off. But I feel now it’s down to me to keep flying the flag for Scotland. If people are putting their hopes on me to be the next big thing to come from here then bring it on. I’m happy to carry Scottish boxing on my back.
“I’m gradually getting a bit more recognition but it’s still mostly boxing people. But hopefully after this one I’ll become a bit better known in wider circles.”
Collins wants to pull himself in two directions next. Should he take care of Hamza (17-1-1), the hope is that Queensberry will be willing to put him front and centre of big boxing nights in Glasgow. The man known as Nightmare, however, also appreciates he needs to boost his profile internationally. This is only his second fight outside of Scotland against another domestic opponent but he is willing to travel to the States or beyond if that’s where the lucrative opportunities lie.
“I’m hoping after this we can bring some big shows up to Scotland,” adds Collins. “We’re lacking in that just now. If I can put on a good performance here we can look to maybe have a fight in Glasgow and get some other promising Scottish boxers on the undercard as well.
“But there are loads of opportunities that could come from this. I’m on a run of domestic fights but I’ll be looking to put on a statement here to show I’ve surpassed British level. Hopefully I can get a crack at an international or European title as quickly as possible and keep building.
“I’d love to fight in America. That’s my dream. I love going over there. And it would be a brilliant place to be after my fight, feeding my face with big steakhouse burgers!”
First things first, however. Both Collins and Hamza have fought James Beech Jr in the past year, with Hamza losing on points in December before Collins stopped the same man in March to add the vacant British belt to his Commonwealth strap.
Logic suggests the Kynoch Boxing fighter ought to be considered the favourite this evening but he’s not of a mind to take anything for granted against his 31-year-old opponent.
“I don’t really look at things like that,” he adds. “The same way he underestimated Beech, I could underestimate him. So I’ve not taken this lightly. All it takes is an off-night or a bad performance and before you know it you’ve lost. He’s a bit older now so this is his last big shot at the British title. He’s said as much himself. He’s going to leave it all on the line. I need to be ready for that.
“I’m buzzing about the chance to fight at York Hall although I’ve been told it’s always absolutely roasting in there and it’s meant to be about 27 degrees come the fight. I’ll just need to try to beat him as quickly as I can before I melt!”
