Collins: I have more to lose than Beech
Poster for the title showdown
SCOTTISH sensation Nathaniel Collins has stressed his fans may be underestimating James Beech, but he definitely is not.
The 26-year-old Commonwealth champ faces Black Country warrior Beech on his home turf – Glasgow’s Double Tree Hilton Hotel – tomorrow, Friday, March 10, with the vacant British featherweight title on the line.
It’s a very big one for Black Country fans.
Southpaw Collins is unbeaten in 11, but Beech has fought at a higher level. The two time Midlands champ has fought for the Lonsdale Belt before, losing gallantly on points to super-bantam champ Brad Foster.
In an 18 fight career, only outstanding Dennis McCann has truly done a number on the Bloxwich battler.
And James is coming off possibly the greatest performance of his career: a points win over Birmingham’s Raza Hamza who had never been beaten in an 18 fight career spanning almost eight years.
Collins knows what Beech brings to the table.
Speaking to Glasgow based newspaper The Herald, he said: “It’s a massive fight. It’s funny as I’ve always said that I’m not that bothered about the British title. I’ve always just wanted to take the quickest route to a world title.
“But it’s just so happened with the cards that have been dealt that I’m now in line for the British. So I’m going to go and take it and hopefully it’s a step to bigger things.
“But I can’t look too far ahead at this stage. People have been messaging me saying, ‘this is quite an easy fight for you’ or ‘you should deal with this guy no problem’, but if you actually look at Beech’s record he’s only lost to top-tier fighters, he’s done a 12-rounder and 10 rounds three times.
“He’s got a lot of experience. He’s fought for the British and Commonwealth before at super-bantamweight so it’s not like he’s not been in this situation before. He’s got nothing to lose and everything to gain. People are forgetting this is only my 12th fight. It’s James Beech’s 19th.
“I’ve got a lot more to lose than him but I’m feeling good. I’ve been training hard and sparring a lot, doing my weights and running. Everything’s pretty much on track. I feel like I normally do at this point before a fight and I’m looking forward to it.”
Collins has an added incentive – he recently became father to a baby girl.
“It’s a weird one as becoming a dad actually puts a bit more pressure on the boxing career,” he said.
“My missus is now dealing with the baby all the time. I need to train so I’m going out early and coming back late and she’s saying I’m not seeing the kid too much. This is to try to secure our future, but unless you’re in and about boxing you don’t know that.
“You don’t appreciate how big it is, really. Her family are questioning what’s happening and she’s questioning what’s happening. I’ve not fought in 10 months, we’ve got no money and we had a terrible Christmas and she’s asking if all of this is worth it and should I go and get a normal job.
“So the baby coming along has added more pressure. But it also makes it more worthwhile to keep going.
“That’s what I say all the time. I could be a couple of fights away from paying off the house and putting the kid in private school, things like that.”
To date, Collins has had a fairly undemanding ride as a professional. Beech – win or lose – will show him how deep you have to dig to be British champ.