Collins: Ormond will make Dunne look like Mystic Mac this year

When Bernard Dunne retired from boxing this month five years ago, he backed Stephen Ormond to keep the good times rolling.

When the now much fantasised ‘Dunne Era’ came to an end the Ormond era was meant to start.

However, five years later and Dunne’s fellow Clondalkin native has yet to secure a coveted World title shot, and had the majority of his success on the road far away from his home town. That will change this year claims coach Pascal Collins.

Ormond will become the latest ‘Darling of Dublin’ by winning a major title in America before coming home to defend it on big shows later in the year or in early 2017 according to the Celtic Warrior Gym boss.

“This is going to be Stephen Ormond’s year. I can see it in his eyes and we have someone like Ken Casey and Murphy’s Boxing behind him. I talk to Ken everyday and I tell him what route we should take and he is delivering,” Collins told Irish-boxing.com.

“Ormond will win an interim or a World title this year and come back to Dublin. Then we will do what Brian Peters did with Bernard Dunne, he will be a home based fighter and a big draw. He is marketable, likeable and talented he has what it takes.”

To ensure success Ormond, who fights at the National Stadium on the Clash of the Clans card this Saturday night, will have to do it the hard way, suggests his coach.

There is a lively lightweight scene in Britian, but Collins suggests ‘The Rock’ isn’t appealing to the likes of World champions Terry Flanagan and Anthony Crolla or the other named British lightweights.

As a result he will have to go the American route to make it hard for those across the water to avoid him.

“We have to do it Stateside now,” Collins continued.

“The Brits Derry Matthews, Terry Flanagan, Crolla and all these guys are not going to give him an opportunity. I understand why that is because their promoters want to make local fights and protect their fighters. Why bring Stephen Ormond over to upset the apple cart and they know he will. The fact is he is such a good fighter they won’t bring him over to fight their guys.

“What he is going to do now is go to America do it the hard way, come home with a belt and these guys can’t avoid him then.”