NIGEL BENN, who had refused to turn up for a first press conference, was the best part of two hours late for his date with WBO super-middleweight champion Steve Collins in Manchester yesterday.

The Dark Destroyer made his entrance to the Coronation Street studio just before 1 p.m. but was not slow to apologise to the Dubliner saying: "I'd like to say sorry to Steve and all that."

Benn did it with a hand shake and then settled down to begin focusing himself on their July 6th clash at the 21,000 capacity Nynex Arena in Manchester.

"When the night comes we know what we have to do. There's no point in slagging each other off, we are both good professionals and want titles.

"I know this is not going to be easy. But I think I've got the know-how - I need a belt to keep up my trousers. I don't want to go out a loser."

What if he lost to Collins? Benn said significantly: "Where would I be going if I lost this."

Benn added: "I can still get the intensity of Gerald McClellan fight, most certainly. Steve can push me to that extent. He's a good fighter, I've always said that. But I'm not going to change my style. I still feel alright. If I had got beaten against McClellan I would have called it a day because that was a fight in which I was at my best.

"But when I lost to Sugar Boy Malinga, I had over-trained, that wasn't me and this will be the kind of fight I like."

Benn had his WBC crown ripped away by South Africa's Malinga in Newcastle in March, and immediately announced his retirement. But the following morning he had second thoughts and now he aims to win his third world title.

Collins commented: "I've always been a fan of Nigel and I would like to see him go out on a high - but not at my expense.

"I wouldn't like to see him go on like a Roberto Duran. He's got a lot left. He wants to beat me because I've beaten Chris Eubank twice. But this is reality. I've got more than he has. I just believe I'm good enough to beat him."

Benn will soon be off to his usual Tenerife training camp, adding: "I love the challenge and I love boxing. If I thought I was going to lose I wouldn't be in boxing.

"I don't think I'm on the slippery slope - far from it. I'm going on to better days by fighting Steve."

Collins, who took his title from Eubank and defended it successfully against the Brighton extrovert, has already set up his training camp in Jersey.