A SIGN of things to come? Both the Celtic Warrior and the Dark Destroyer proved to be rather elusive men yesterday, but at least Steve Collins turned up at the press conference in Manchester's Nynex Arena to confirm he will defend his WBO super middleweight title against the former WBC holder, Nigel Benn, at the venue on July 6th.

Benn didn't even bother to show up for a face to face meeting with the Dub liner, although Collins - speaking by mobile telephone on his way to the airport after making a quick getaway - was reluctant to make too big a deal of the snub. "Ah, Nigel said he didn't get enough notice or something," explained Collins, who will be defending his title outside of Ireland for the first time.

Collins had travelled from Dublin for the official announcement, while the current WBC champion, Sugar Boy Malinga, had undertaken a 24 hour journey from his home in South Africa to announce his title defence on the same card with Italian Vicenzo Nardiello, who had journeyed from Rome. It is expected the two winners' will meet in a unification bout in September.

But Benn decided to stay at home in Jersey, prompting Collins to quip: "I think he's bottled it, I hope he turns up in July." With gate receipts alone expected to exceed £2 million at the 20,000 capacity arena, there is little fear of Benn not showing.

Ironically, the Irishman will actually base himself in Jersey just as he did prior to his last defence against Neville Brown which is where Benn lives. "I am heading over to Jersey next week, so maybe Nigel will start to pack his bags and move out," said Collins.

"However, Nigel's manager (Peter DeFreitas) is beside me in the car here so I don't want to give away any secrets. I will be doing plenty of road work and weights in my preparations, but I don't want to let him know about my diet or my secret punch, or anything, so I don't want to say too much more," he said. "I'm looking forward to this bout, it is the one the boxing public wanted and the one I wanted," said Collins, who has made three successful defences since taking the crown from Chris Eubank 14 months ago. He has defended against Eubank, Cornelius Carr and most recently Brown.

But the move to take the belt out of Ireland and go into Benn's backyard for the July defence doesn't unduly trouble Collins: "There is no pressure, no gamble. I have been boxing all over the world for 10 years so it is nothing new for me."

When Collins undertook the first defence of his super middleweight title against Eubank in Pairc Ui Chaoimh, Benn was at ringside shouting for the Irishman. So, are they on friendly terms?

"This is now business, and when it's business with me I am no longer your friend, probably your worse nightmare. Maybe we'll be friends again in the future," said Collins.

DeFreitas played down Benn's non attendance at yesterday's announcement: "With nine out of 10 boxers there would be no trouble, but Nigel is Nigel. He wanted seven days notice and I could only give him four."

Benn lost his WBC crown to Malinga in Newcastle last March - the week before Collins successfully defended his WBO version against British middleweight champion Brown - and Collins yesterday observed: "Taking nothing away from Sugar Boy, but I'd have knocked out Benn on the night. The real Nigel Benn did not show up.

"But I know he is going to come back, he's got his pride, he wants to win big time. But I want him to be at his best, just like Eubank was," said Collins.

DeFreitas responded: "Nigel is a wounded soldier and that's when he comes out best."

The Malinga Nardiello WBC fight is on the undercard of the Collins Benn bill, with the unifying bout scheduled for September. Promoter Frank Warren believes the Nynex Centre, which is Britain's biggest indoor arena, will be a sell out for the July 6th card and, with a large Irish population in the English midlands, Collins is hopeful he will have strong representation.

. Past Irish boxing glories will be recalled when the finals in the National junior championships are decided at the National Stadium tonight. Special attention will focus on Charles Nash of Derry, a son of the former five times Irish lightweight champion, Charlie.

The West is likely to be seen to be very much awake with Roscommon twins David and Darren Conlon bidding for titles along with Westport's super heavyweight Damien Mullen.