Tom Collins Documentary

[1181567]

Interesting old film about the former British and European Lightheavyweight champion.



R.I.P - Terry Mintus

[goose 5]

Thanks so much for this; I'm a huge fan of Collins.

[Coco]

Tom the Bomb

[THEBUTCH]

That was a wonderful piece of film

Collins was a good British and European champion with a pulverising right hand, but never good enough to win a world title.

Dear Reg Gutteridge was talking nonsense in commentary in saying Collins had a good chance against then WBA light heavyweight champion Virgil Hill "Quick Silver" was levels above Tom and would have boxed his head off.

What an amusing little character Trevor Callaghan was in the film.

Collins and Callaghan seemed to have a good Ying and Yang going on.

[margaret thatcher]

tom's favourite past time was fighting dennis andries

[THEBUTCH]

Haha they had quite the rivalry!

Tom couldn't help getting a little dig in against Andries, saying Dennis had been unable to win the European title.

[The Gratest]

I'm going to watch this at the weekend.
Cheers 118

[1181567]

Goose, Butch, Greatest,

Thanks for the kind words chaps, I wasn't quite sure if it would be of interest to anyone else (I also considered posting it in Boxing History) but it brought back a lot of memories for me.

I spent many happy hour in that cellar beneath the Compton Arms (always stunk of beer and Carl Gaffney and me had to be careful not to bang our heads on the low ceiling)

I also spent several less happy hours being cuffed about by Tom and Carl (it has to be said both recognised I wasn't that good and didn't take liberties)

A few years later I also worked the doors at Madison's like Tom.

It was also a little poignant seeing Terry Mintus who sadly passed recently, he spent far more time training me than my ability deserved.

[1181567]

What an amusing little character Trevor Callaghan was in the film.

Not wishing to 'speak of the dead' and all that, but don't be fooled by his friendly, avuncular manner, not the nicest of men (especially when it came to money)

[1181567]

Collins was a good British and European champion with a pulverising right hand.

There was a rock hard leather covered bag in the gym which was his favourite, he used to have it swinging all over the place (the rest of us could barely budge it) and the noise of him hitting it used to echo around the entire gym.

He only ever hit me once with any real intent and I swear I felt it all the way down to my lower back.

[JamesPhilips]

Interesting old film about the former British and European Lightheavyweight champion.



R.I.P - Terry Mintus

Nice documentary. He seems quite laid back Tom Collins. Any idea what he’s doing now?

[olij999]

Goose, Butch, Greatest,

Thanks for the kind words chaps, I wasn't quite sure if it would be of interest to anyone else (I also considered posting it in Boxing History) but it brought back a lot of memories for me.

Certainly of interest to me too. Thanks for posting it. Proper fighter, with a proper career. I remember being so disappointed when he decided he couldn't continue against Jeff Harding - Collins seem to have some nights where he could walk through (and punch through) walls at title level, and a few where he just wasn't at the races so much, and maybe Harding was one of the latter. Don't know if you think that's a fair assessment, OP?

[1181567]

He was same in the gym mate, some nights it was terrifying to watch him on the bags/pads (poor Terry Mintus' joints took a terrible pounding) and Carl Gaffney used to take a real pummelling, but other nights he looked bloody awful, lethargic, unmotivated and sloppy.

He was a bit off temperamentally as well, on some occasions he was very friendly and affable, on others you could barely get a word out of him.

[1181567]

Although this was ridiculed by the aforementioned Trevor Callaghan; after the loss to Harding I suggested a move to the newly created 168 division, Tom never had to boil down to make 175, always looked a little 'soft' and often weighed a few pounds under the limit, he'd have been an absolute beast there and in the UK the division was full of big names.

Instead after the loss to Barber he moved up to Cruiser (only 190 back then) and while looking distinctly podgy only managed a draw and two stoppage defeats, the last being a particularly unedifying affair against Johnny Nelson for the WBF 'title'

[THEBUTCH]

Fascinating stuff.

I seem to recall it was the right hand bomb that effectively brought about the stoppage of high flying Tony Wilson when Collins reclaimed the British title. Great win !

In fairness to Harding, who was world class....Collins wouldn't have beaten him in a month of Sundays. Jeff was super tough, had a great chin and whose marauding, two fisted style was all wrong for Tom.

[Specialized101]

Decent watch that

[margaret thatcher]

tom was before my time watching seriously.......but looks like a fighter who kinda half arsed it but still had the raw power to reach a good level

[1181567]

I seem to recall it was the right hand bomb that effectively brought about the stoppage of high flying Tony Wilson when Collins reclaimed the British title. Great win !

That was a cracking performance, Trevor Callaghan said it was made easier by the fact that Wilson was utterly 'terrified' (bit harsh I thought)

[mickey1975]

Was there ever talk of him and Crawford getting it on? Were they friends?

[THEBUTCH]

Yep, it was the big right hand that did all the damage against Wilson.

I agree. Callaghan was harsh saying Wilson was terrified !

Tony was certainly careful and rightly so, but Wilson set the pace and was having good success with his piston like left jab.

[handsofstone]

I just watched the Harding fight not long ago, highly entertaining

[1181567]

Was there ever talk of him and Crawford getting it on? Were they friends?

Don't think so (to both questions) mate, it would have been an interesting match though.

Looking at their respective records; three months apart in 1991, Crawford lost to Rocchigiani for the EBU, Tom lost to Barber for the WBO.

Who would you have favoured Mickey?

[1181567]

I just watched the Harding fight not long ago, highly entertaining

How Harding took those right handers I don't know, unreal durability.

[mickey1975]

Was there ever talk of him and Crawford getting it on? Were they friends?

Don't think so (to both questions) mate, it would have been an interesting match though.

Looking at their respective records; three months apart in 1991, Crawford lost to Rocchigiani for the EBU, Tom lost to Barber for the WBO.

Who would you have favoured Mickey?

I was at the Barber fight but very young. There must have been some talk of it, they're even from roughly the same area! Did Collins spar with any of the St Pats lads? They had a few around that weight.
I haven't seen enough of Collins to favour either. Nor Crawford in his earlier days. Both seem very much alike as in blowing hot and cold. Very similar careers, really, going by their records.

[Deserter]

Goose, Butch, Greatest,

Thanks for the kind words chaps, I wasn't quite sure if it would be of interest to anyone else (I also considered posting it in Boxing History) but it brought back a lot of memories for me.

I spent many happy hour in that cellar beneath the Compton Arms (always stunk of beer and Carl Gaffney and me had to be careful not to bang our heads on the low ceiling)

I also spent several less happy hours being cuffed about by Tom and Carl (it has to be said both recognised I wasn't that good and didn't take liberties)

A few years later I also worked the doors at Madison's like Tom.

It was also a little poignant seeing Terry Mintus who sadly passed recently, he spent far more time training me than my ability deserved.

Great watch and great thread mate so thanks for sharing.