Steve Collins hails ‘educator’ Pete Taylor ahead of Tapia clash
Steve Collins Jr has a renewed confidence going into this fight with Mateo Tapia in Dubai this Friday.
‘The Irish Wolfhound’ heads for Dubai’s Caesars Palace Bluewaters for the #MTKFightNight and to take on an unbeaten Australian super middleweight.
Collins knows victory will propel him back towards title shots and with coach Peter Taylor in his corner, he feels more than capable of upsetting the Australian’s rise on a big stage.
“I’m learning something new every day under Pete Taylor. I’ve never had a coach, an educator, a teacher before him. I’ve had gyms I’ve trained in but now I’m picking new things up all the time. I didn’t realise how little I knew until I teamed up with Pete,” said Collins.
“My confidence under Pete is going to show when I’m boxing. Every single day I become a better fighter under him,” he adds before discussing Dubai.
“I don’t know much about Dubai yet but boxing seems to be growing there. There’s great interest in it and it’s superb to see boxing expanding; whether that’s in the desert or in the jungle. It’s all positive!
“It means everything to be representing my country, flying the flag as an Irishman in a different country. I’d love to get a win away from home.”
Alongside Collins Jr vs. Tapia on a stacked bill, world-ranked super-flyweight Aliu Bamidele Lasisi defends the WBC International title against Norbelto Jimenez and recent world champion TJ Doheny steps in against Ionut Baluta.
On the undercard, unbeaten Kazakhs Zhan Kossobutskiy and Nurtas Azhbenov, Dubai-based Irishman Rohan Date, Indian prospects Lalringsanga Tlau and Faizan Anwar and emerging local hero Sultan Al Nuaimi all look to steal the show.
