The rumble in Páirc Uí Chaoimh: When Steve Collins and Chris Eubank lit up Cork city

WARRIOR SPIRIT: Steve Collins lands a punch on Chris Eubank during their WBO Super-Middleweight world title rematch at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork on September 9, 1995. Picture: Holly Stein/Allsport

On this day 25 years ago, Steve Collins defeated Chris Eubank in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Hard to believe — not just that there was once a world title fight in the old stadium, but that there was a time when over 20,000 people could congregate safely in one place.

How did the fight land on Leeside in the first place, though?

Blame the man who gave Alf Smiddy tickets for the first Eubank-Collins bout held in Millstreet the previous March.

“I can’t even remember who gave me the tickets,” says Smiddy now.

“I got them at the last minute — I didn’t know much about boxing, apart from maybe watching Muhammad Ali on television as a kid.

“But it was the most amazing event I was ever at. There were just a few thousand there but you wouldn’t know it from the atmosphere. It was incredible. Steve Collins was in Celtic Warrior mode, Chris Eubank entered the ring to ‘Simply The Best’.

“It was probably the most electrifying event I’d ever been to.”

Collins won, collecting the WBO Super-Middleweight title.

Smiddy went back to work as MD of Beamish the following Monday morning with an idea. At the time the Cork brewery was pushing hard to break into the UK and US markets and Collins was going to have to give Eubank a rematch.

“I said to the lads in Beamish, ‘this is going to happen again, let’s get involved’. Other brands were involved in boxing, like Budweiser, so we decided to pursue it.”

The initial contacts weren’t promising. There was no interest on the boxing side in Beamish getting involved but they enjoyed a couple of breaks.

“First, we we were lucky in that Steve himself wanted an event in Ireland,” says Smiddy.

“As a Dubliner, he’d obviously have preferred to have it in Dublin, but there was nobody stepping up to the plate in Dublin. We were offering to step up to the plate in Cork.”

Alf Smiddy: ’It was a big event in Cork, and a big event for Cork. The city was at something of a crossroads, coming from the devastation of the 80s.’ Picture: Brian Lougheed

Smiddy met Collins and built a relationship, putting a strong case for Cork. The boxer was agreeable, so then it was time to move on and to convince promoter Frank Warren.

“We said we were keen on sponsoring the fight — and on bringing it to Cork, and Páirc Uí Chaoimh in particular.

“Steve and Frank were gentlemen to deal with. I know boxing might have an image of being shady at times, but we saw none of that. They were very professional from start to finish, very good to deal with. Anything we wanted in terms of publicity — the weigh-ins, all of that — they were very accommodating. Once we had agreed the deal, they were happy to do anything within the terms of the deal — and a lot more as well.

“If there was ever a sticking point, we were very keen to have the Beamish branding mat around the ring and we pushed that hard, but I wouldn’t say it was ever a serious issue.

“Sky were looking to make inroads into the Irish market at the time and were agreeable, for instance, so a lot of things happened to come together.”

And a lot of stakeholders, to use the modern phrase. Smiddy is quick to give credit to others whose support was crucial in landing the bout on Leeside.

“City Hall were very supportive, very helpful all through. Joe O’Callaghan as Mayor and Bernard Allen as Minister of Sport were both good to us as well.

“Down in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Frank Murphy (Cork County Board secretary) and his team embraced it hugely. If Cork had been in an All-Ireland final that September, they might have had that on their minds, but they were very good to deal with in terms of providing the venue.

“I think there might have been a general fear among people in Cork that Dublin might slip in and get the fight, but Cork was always a better option.

“Croke Park would have been too big for it, while Páirc Uí Chaoimh was the perfect size.”

The novelty of the event became a selling point, but Smiddy adds that it also served as a watershed for the city.

“It was a big event in Cork, and a big event for Cork. The city was at something of a crossroads, coming from the devastation of the 80s.

“Things were improving, though, and the city was bouncing back, so the timing of the fight couldn’t have been better.

“It electrified the city and I think it captured the attention of the entire country, and beyond.

“Because of it there were thousands who poured into Cork from all over the country — and not just men interested in boxing, either, which you’d expect. There were couples, families, Cork was thronged. It was a huge boost to the city.”

The timing of the fight also helped to capture that attention: it landed between the football and hurling All-Ireland finals and soaked up plenty of coverage. The participants’ willingness to publicise the fight helped too.

“That’s what I mean when I say that they were professional. They knew well that the name of the game was selling tickets, getting their faces out there. Both Steve and Eubank were happy to row in with that, in fairness.

“In addition, I think the fighters, Frank Warren, and Sky, all of them realised that the local area and community had to be engaged with the fight for it to be successful.

“And Eubank, in fairness, was almost a pantomime villain at the time as well. If Steve had been fighting anybody else, I don’t know if it would have been quite the same.”

On the evening itself, Smiddy was able to relax at ringside. Up to a point.

“All I remember is that up close, it’s very different. I had a seat very close to the ring and it’s very real at that range. The sweat from the boxers is spraying out over the ropes on you — which wouldn’t go down well with today’s social distancing — and you can see how ferocious it is.

“There are two men in there with nowhere to hide — it’s really hard-edged at that level. Brutal and brilliant.

“Steve charged in from the start — Eubank was the classical guy while Steve was more brute force, but that always stayed with me, how tough it is when you’re just a few feet away from it and you can hear the punches land.”

Smiddy’s analysis is on the money. The Collins approach was described by one English reporter as showing no pretence to finesse, but it was effective: he outpointed Eubank over 12 rounds to retain his title.

Beamish would sponsor other fights, but Collins-Eubank II was the big one.

“We had Beamish on the floor of the ring, the corners,” says Smiddy.

“The bang for the buck was incredible in terms of what we spent. It got us noticed, certainly.

“It was something that left an impression.

“I still meet people who’ll tell me they were at the fight, or who came to visit Cork for that weekend, and how much they enjoyed it — how special it was.”