The referee of the 1995 Steve Collins/Chris Eubank world title fight in Co Cork has six criminal charges outstanding against him in New York, the High Court was told yesterday.
Mr Ron Lipton said the charges against him had arisen out of an attack on him by three men, one of whom was a former boyfriend of his girlfriend.,
He said he had been run off the road by the men, one of whom he subsequently hit and knocked out. He was merely acting to defend himself and had done nothing illegal. He was being cross-examined on the 17th day of the action taken by British boxing promoter Mr Barry Hearn and his company Matchroom Boxing Ltd, alleging breach of contract against boxer Steve Collins, of Pine House, Navan Road, Dublin. Mr Collins denies the claim. In court yesterday, Mr Paul Gallagher SC, for Mr Hearn, asked Mr Lipton if all the charges against him involved substantial violence.
Mr Lipton said they did not involve violence but involved a substantial amount of selfdefence.
Mr Lipton, in earlier evidence in the case, has alleged that Mr Hearn, who was manager of Eubank and Collins at the March 18th, 1995 bout in Millstreet, Co Cork, had twice approached him before the fight and warned him about Collins's improper use of the head.
Cross-examined by Mr Gallagher, Mr Lipton insisted he had a clean record covering his 20 years in the NYPD prior to his honourable retirement in 1987. Mr Lipton said he was currently on bail on the six charges against him.
He said he had told the Millstreet fight supervisor, Mr John Montano, that he was threatened by a group of men whom he associated with Mr Hearn.
He said he felt under threat in Millstreet. 20 police officers stayed with him while he changed for the fight. There were some people there whose agenda it was to have Steve Collins lose but he wanted nothing to do with it.
The case resumes on Tuesday.