Collins talks about return

Steve Collins wants to follow Chris Eubank out of retirement and bring an end to some "unfinished business" with his old rival. The former WBO super-middleweight champion, who celebrated his 34th birthday yesterday, says he would relish a third meeting with Eubank as a possible warm-up to a world title fight with WBC and WBA light-heavyweight champion Roy Jones.

"If (promoter) Frank Warren came to me and said `Steve, you've got the Jones fight in December', and Eubank had won the cruiser-weight championship of the world, I would have taken him as a warm-up, yes," said Collins.

"I would fight Eubank and I would class it as a warm-up for Roy Jones. I would class it as unfinished business and I need to get it out of my system."

Eubank lost his fifth successive world title fight in just over three years against WBO cruiser-weight champion Carl Thompson in Sheffield on Saturday.

Collins inflicted upon Eubank the first two of those with points victories in March and September of 1995, prompting the Brighton boxer to quit the ring for 13 months.

But he has bounced back and claims the warm reception received from the crowd at Sheffield Arena justifies his decision to ignore Collins' claims he should give up the sport.

"The fans are ecstatic with the performances," said Eubank this week. "That to me doesn't make a person who should be saved from himself, as Steve Collins is saying. It seems that a person like that should continue to fight."

But Collins told Sky Sportscentre yesterday: "Eubank needs to be protected from himself. The guy has got a heart bigger than himself. If you have a heart like he has, you just can't stop. He just can't quit.

"He would be a very good male model, he just draws people's attention. That's not an insult, it's a compliment."

Now Collins has indicated he could be ready to make his comeback, only 10 months after he announced his retirement.

The Dubliner added: "I'm celebrating my 29th birthday because I can't remember my 29th birthday! Whatever age I am, I am in good shape and I'm happy."