‘We want titles now for Tommy Collins,’ demands dad Dean

Tommy Collins…he almost quit the game. Pic: MSN Images/BCB

TOMMY Collins, the prospect with a fanatical Bluenose following, learned to live with the bitter heartache of being on the wrong end of controversial decisions in his amateur days.

Now, as a pro, he is battling the bitterness of not receiving the breaks he and dad Dean believe are due.

And Dean, who trains the 26-year-old, admits he feared the fighter would walk away from the sport disillusioned by the deck he has been dealt to date.

“Tommy Gun”, unbeaten in 10 and a huge ticketseller, wants titles and bouts on televised arena shows. He wants to be tested, Dean said.

“He said he’d had enough,” Dean admitted. “He told me, ‘I’m not earning any money out of it’ and, to be honest, I don’t understand how he still does it after so many knock-backs. I thought that was the end.

“He doesn’t want to be fighting journeymen, he is better than that. He doesn’t want to do that, I don’t want to do that. He wants titles and he wants them now.

“Journeymen are real tough guys, they are not wimps – not many can do what they do.”

But, following injuries sustained eight weeks ago in a moped accident while holidaying in the Philippines, Tommy is back in the gym and sparring.

The cold reality is that, after a near five year pro career admittedly interrupted by the pandemic, Collins has yet to face a boxer with a winning record and is still on the small hall circuit. Father and son fear fans’ patience is being tested.

In contrast, Collins’ former amateur rival Danny Quartermaine, who turned over at around the same time, has had 12 bouts, collected two European belts and appeared on three big shows, one of them at Resorts World.

That must sting a little. Collins beat the Leamington Hurricane on the unpaid circuit.

None of those guiding Tommy’s career can be faulted. They have tried to secure meaningful fights, but failed through no fault of their own.

A bid to match the Birmingham hope with Tom Farrell for a European “silver” title was given the thumbs down by the Board of Control, said Dean. It is now hoped to secure him a championship bout in September.

“I see him spar top lads and think, ‘why are you not getting the breaks?’ I can only hope. We want to get up there as quickly as possible – get a title and keep pushing, pushing.”

And Dean passionately believes Collins, if given the breaks, will one day have a Lonsdale Belt wrapped round his waist.

“He has the tools,” he added. “Keep him in the gym and with elite sparring to give him that little edge, he can do it. I truly believe that. I have always pushed and pushed and pushed.

“Chris Adaway (KOd by Collins in one round in 2022) said he’d never been hit that hard in his life.

“Hopefully, there will be a happy ending. Even if there isn’t, I know Tommy will go out on his shield.”