Boxing promoter Mr Barry Hearn was asked yesterday by a High Court judge to produce the names of others who have managed both boxers in a single fight. The London promoter/manager simultaneously managed former world champion Steve Collins and the then WBO world middleweight champion, Chris Eubank, when both men fought in the Green Glens arena in Millstreet, Co Cork, on March 18th, 1995.
Yesterday, Mr Justice O'Sullivan asked Mr Hearn to produce next Tuesday the names of other managers who also managed two boxers in the same fight.
It was the sixth day of the hearing in which Mr Hearn, of Romford, Essex, and his company, Matchroom Boxing Ltd, are suing Mr Collins, of Pine House, Navan Road, Dublin, for breach of contract. Mr Hearn claims a one-year agreement with Mr Collins was extended for a further year from May 1995, but Mr Collins denies this.
Under cross-examination yesterday, Mr Hearn denied he had ever received specific complaints from Mr Collins about his treatment of the boxer.
After the Millstreet fight in March 1995, he believed Mr Collins's attitude towards him had changed, Mr Hearn said.
He had still been "shocked, staggered and disappointed" to receive a letter from Mr Collins on June 6th that year terminating their contract, he said.
On the night of the Millstreet fight, he had felt things between himself and Mr Collins were not right. He said he had doubts since September 1994 when Mr Collins had a meeting with rival London promoter Mr Frank Warren.
Mr Hearn said his doubts became clearer in Millstreet when Mr Collins talked about getting £1 million for his next fight.
Although he was glad about Mr Collins's success and disappointed for Mr Eubank, there was no bonhomie between himself and Mr Collins on the night, he said.
Asked why that was, Mr Hearn said he could not say.
Mr Colm Allen SC, for Mr Collins, suggested that one reason could be the shabby treatment that Mr Collins had received and the general dissatisfaction that Mr Collins had with Mr Hearn. That suggestion was absolute nonsense, Mr Hearn said.
When Mr Collins's solicitor subsequently wrote to him giving reasons why the Irishman had terminated their contract, he found the explanation "ludicrous".
Earlier, Mr Hearn denied that Mr Collins had been left to fend for himself while training in Las Vegas prior to the Millstreet fight.
The hearing continues on Tuesday next.