Collins: I’m ready for a Midlands title shot

Collins opens-up on Chapman. Picture: Manjit Narotra/BCB Promotions

BEN Collins wants bigger things after keeping Robbie Chapman on the end of a broom stave jab for six rounds at Dudley Town Hall.

For starters, the Stourbridge light-heavy, who won Friday’s fight by a 60-54 landslide, wants a Midlands title.

Collins, who has now served a six fight apprenticeship, said: “I want to push on. Dave Butlin has the Midlands title. I’m ready for that, I’ll fight anyone for that.”

The 21-year-old, who delights in the ring nickname “Pumpkin, has a point.

Let’s tell it as it is, Chalk Farm’s Chapman, a veteran of close to 90 fights, achieved what he wanted to achieve – and that wasn’t necessarily winning.

He wasn’t overly troubled, came through the chief-support on BCB’s show unscathed and can pick-up another payday next week if the call comes.

It wasn’t a contest that caught fire because Chapman wasn’t prepared to roll the dice and punch with Collins. He circled, shifted and kept out of harm’s way.

He flung back in the dying seconds of the fight, even landing a left to the body, but that was an isolated moment of ambition.

In the fourth the London cupped his glove to his ear and made a mocking gesture after someone bellowed “**** him up”.

Chapman was in his comfort zone, getting off his stool early for each round and jigging to the music.

It’s very hard to look good against someone like Robbie.

Perhaps Collins should’ve thrown more punches in bunches and cut the ring off better, but that hard jab worked for him, so why abandon it?

I didn’t see Chapman land in the first as Collins pumped out left leads. He was also ineffective in the second as Ben brought his right hand into play. He swung with a right in the third, missed with it and was nailed by a counter.

Chapman circled in the fourth, copped a right to the body, then got caught by a jab, cross, hooks combination: that was the sequence I would’ve liked to have seen more of.

“I was pleased with my performance,” Collins said afterwards. “He was a frustrating opponent – he done his six rounds, he can fight again in two weeks time. I want to push on, I’m ready.”

His desire to step-up is understandable. Collins is well schooled, impressively built and very well supported.

He needs a dog fight to bring out the dog in him. Both men scaled 12st 6lbs.