Steve Collins has finally retired from boxing. Following his collapse in a London gym last week the 34-year-old Dubliner has been told by the neurosurgeon who carried out a brain scan in London that it would be dangerous to risk boxing again because of possible brain damage.

Collins said: "Donal Shanahan, the consultant surgeon who did my test, said that scar tissue from a previous injury had probably hardened, and the scar is sandwiched between the grey matter of the brain and skull.

"Impact on that part of my head could kill the cells. His advice was not to box again for fear of damage.

"I can lead a perfectly normal life, but because of the nature of boxing, I could not avoid receiving punches to that part of my head.

"The headaches I was experiencing in training were a warning. That's why I had the brain scan."

Collins was Ireland's most successful professional boxer. He won 36 of his 39 bouts and won WBO world titles at middleweight and super middleweight. His only defeats were against Mike McCallum, Reggie Johnson and Sumbu Kalambay. His most significant feats involved beating Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn. "I am financially secure," Collins said, "but I wouldn't mind staying in boxing as a business adviser, negotiating deals for fighters."