NATHANIEL COLLINS crowned himself “the new king of Scotland” last night after stunning Raza Hamza inside 30 seconds to retain his British and Commonwealth titles.
The Bearsden featherweight was making his debut on Frank Warren’s Queensberry promotional ticket on a show televised live on TNT Sport inside London’s storied York Hall.
Eager to put on a show to impress the main man sitting ringside, Collins only needed to throw one significant punch to floor Hamza and send his opponent from Birmingham to just a second defeat in 20 contests.
It was a performance that will put the rest of the featherweight division on notice as the Kynoch Boxing fighter edges ever closer to European and then world honours.
Warren’s great rival, Eddie Hearn, last week hailed Anthony Joshua’s stoppage of Robert Helenius as knockout of the year but a buoyant Collins joked that he had now taken that mantle.
The 27 year-old said: “I said in the build-up I was the best featherweight in the country and they’ve put me in another domestic fight there and I’ve shown it.
“There’s been a lot of ranting and raving about Anthony Joshua’s knockout – well, Eddie Hearn, that’s the knockout of the year for you!
“I believe in my ability. I work really hard. I’ve come from nothing. I’ve got mouths to feed and that guy in front of me was standing in the way of me putting food on the table for my wife and daughter.
“There’s no other explanation for it. That’s my intrinsic motivation. I hope [the contenders for his belts] are watching and are ready. All those other boys can do what they need to do and we’ll meet somewhere along the line.
“I’m going to celebrate my victory. I’ve got the Commonwealth and British – now let me get that European strap now. You’re not seeing many Scottish guys out here doing what I’m doing. I’m the new king of Scotland!”
Collins had spoken about a desire to bring big-time boxing back to Scotland and Warren was of a mind to do likewise.
He said: “It was the perfect punch. It didn’t go that far, did it? Tremendous power. We were talking about knockouts of the year last week – that’s the knockout of the year this week.
“I can see some big nights coming up in Scotland.. That was a real quality punch and a fabulous performance. He’s certainly made his mark, I can promise you.”
Collins had been waiting for a while for his “coming out” fight, a chance to show the rest of the UK what he was all about.
He didn’t get long to prove it, however, through no fault of his own. One punch – a whipping right-hander – was all it took to send Hamza down 15 seconds into the opening round.
Collins moved forward from the first bell and, as the Englishman retreated, the champion unleashed an effort that knocked down his opponent.
Hamza looked stunned and, as the referee’s count began, it became clear that he wasn’t going to get up.
The official time of the stoppage was given as 24 seconds and Collins could scarcely believe it as the referee waved off, before being joined in the ring by trainer Joe Ham and manager Sam Kynoch who seemed stunned too by how easy it had all been for their charge.
Watching ringside for TNT was Carl Frampton, the former world champion. And the Northern Irishman felt Collins had shown he was capable of mixing it with the best featherweights in the division.
He said: “I’m thinking of the mouthwatering fights Collins could be involved in. He still has to progress and move on. We don’t know what he’s doing behind the scenes as we didn’t see a lot there tonight as it was over so quickly.
“But he’ll be looking at guys like [Josh] Warrington and [Leigh] Wood, guys who are almost on the way out, and that’s the direction he needs to be going in. Maybe he meets the loser of that fight.
“This is the first time I’ve heard him speaking and he seems very sensible and level-headed. He touched on his motivation being his wife and daughter and that’s enough motivation for anybody. He’s got the world at his feet.”
