Boxing promoter Barry Hearn never sought to "nobble" the referee in the fight between Steve Collins and Chris Eubank in Millstreet, Co Cork, in March 1995, the High Court was told yesterday.
It was "simply unbelievable" to suggest Mr Hearn would twice approach referee Ron Lipton on the eve of the clash and warn him about Collins's "dirtiness" as a boxer, counsel for Mr Hearn said.
Mr Rory Brady SC said the allegation of nobbling by his client was "a big lie". He was closing the case for Mr Hearn on the 25th day of the action taken by Mr Hearn and his company Matchroom Boxing Ltd., against Mr Collins for alleged breach of contract.
Mr Collins, of Pine House, Navan Road, Dublin, has denied the claim.
Mr Brady is expected to conclude his closing speech this morning. Mr Justice O'Sullivan is then expected to reserve judgment.
Mr Brady said the case was between a skilful and gifted boxer who won a world title and went on to become a national hero, and Mr Barry Hearn, a boxing promoter and a man just as successful in his own right.
Mr Hearn had brought Mr Collins from a position where he was earning just tens of thousands of pounds to millionaire status.
It was sad that such a dispute should have ended up in court, he said. Notwithstanding the plethora of charges and counter-charges made by both sides, the case was about two very simple issues, whether a contract existed and whether there was a breach of that contract which entitled Mr Hearn to damages.
Dealing with what he described as the alleged breaches of contract, Mr Brady said the claim that Mr Hearn sought to nobble referee Ron Lipton was "very serious". Mr Hearn's case was that such attempts never took place. Those allegations were the big lie in the case. The burden of proof to establish them rested with the defence and it was a matter of probability that those proofs had not been established, he said. It was absolutely inconceivable that Mr Hearn would make allegations which he knew were "ridiculous and silly" against Mr Collins, who had a reputation for being a good clean fighter, which was known to the referee.
Having been rebuffed by the referee, it was " simply unbelievable " that Mr Hearn would come back the following night and add to his remarks of the previous day.
Mr Brady said Mr Lipton had subsequently made no complaint about the alleged approaches to Mr Mel Christle, president of the Boxing Union of Ireland, nor had Mr Collins made such a complaint.
Earlier, Mr Paul Gallagher SC, also for Mr Hearn, addressed the court on the legal issues in the case. He said the defence claimed to have known since April 1995 of two improper approaches to the referee but these were never made known to Mr Hearn until the 12th day of the trial.
Even if Mr Hearn wanted Chris Eubank to win the Millstreet fight, this in itself did not amount to a breach of contract. Mr Collins before coming to Mr Hearn had earned nothing of financial substance, whatever about his achievements as a boxer, but after his period with Mr Hearn, he became a multi-millionaire, he said.
Mr Gallagher said the operation of the management agreement between the sides required Collins's co-operation, but he made it clear from April 1995 that he did not wish to co-operate.
He made it impossible for Mr Hearn to discharge his functions and obligations under the contract. Mr Hearn was entitled to damages arising out of the defendant's repudiatory breach of contract.