The former world champion boxer Steve Collins has told the High Court that he felt he had been "used" by his former manager, Mr Barry Hearn. Mr Collins said yesterday that Mr Hearn had not delivered on promises to get him a world title shot within six to 12 months of joining the London promoter's stable. He said Mr Hearn had delivered only inferior opponents.
Mr Hearn, because of his connections with the WBO boxing governing body, had guaranteed him he would get such a shot and for that reason he had stayed with him, Mr Collins said.
When fight offers came from other boxing promoters, including Mr Frank Warren, Mr Hearn had told him to ignore them, the boxer said.
He was giving evidence on the 14th day of the action taken by Mr Hearn and his company, Matchroom Boxing Ltd, against Mr Collins, alleging breach of contract. Mr Collins has denied the claim.
Mr Hearn had told him he would be better off having nothing to do with any other promotional company, Mr Collins said.
He had wanted to accept a fight offer from Mr Warren, but Mr Hearn had advised him this would spoil his career. He had wanted to fight and believed Mr Hearn should have negotiated the Warren fight deal for him.
The Dublin boxer said Mr Hearn had, in 1992, wooed him with promises of world title fights. However, by 1993 he was just filling in for other boxers, fighting inferior opponents and getting little money for doing so.
He could not go elsewhere because Mr Hearn was the number one at the time, Mr Collins said. He had told his manager of his unhappiness but Mr Hearn would "bullshit" him by either flattering or deflating him.
Mr Collins said that at one time the WBO had had problems. People did not accept Mr Hearn's control of the WBO.
After winning his world title, he believed, Mr Hearn should have been "hounding" other promoters to get a fight for him.
Mr Collins said that he was not originally on the bill for a show in Hong Kong in 1994. He had requested Mr Hearn to give him a fight. He was the number one man and he was getting a fight to fill a gap. If not, he would not have had a fight. He had let Mr Hearn know he was not happy, but the promoter said he would have to "take it or leave it".
Mr Collins said he travelled first class to Hong Kong, and the trip was very well organised. When it was announced the show was being cancelled, there was uproar.
He was absolutely disgusted that his Hong Kong fight was called off at the last moment and had made his anger known to Mr Hearn. The manager told him his fight would be rescheduled for two months later. This would have meant having only one pay day instead of two because his intention was to fight soon after the Hong Kong show.
When the court resumed yesterday afternoon, Mr Colm Allen SC, for Mr Collins, said the defence had come into possession of a document showing that Mr Hearn, despite his denials in the witness box, had helped to strip the boxer Paul "Silky" Jones of his world title.
The document was a letter written by Mr Hearn to the WBO while he was Mr Jones's manager. The defence would be contending that Mr Hearn was a dishonest person who had misled the court and concealed documents, counsel said.
The trial resumes next Wednesday.