Podge Collins is readying for his debut: Will he live up to a strong family history?

The Collins family name is huge within the sport of boxing. Although a largely common name across Ireland, it’s one that can be associated with being hugely successful between the ropes.

Packie Collins is a former pro-turned-coach who has been successful. Stevie Jr, who is a pro, is another Collins, as is Steve Collins, who was a former middleweight and super-middleweight world champion. For Podge – Padraig Collins – boxing is a family affair.

Podge has been training hard recently and is set to compete in his first competitive fight. He will be well-backed, with some accomplished family members in his corner helping him the best they can. Packie is his uncle and coach, Steve Collins is another uncle and godfather, and Steve Jr is his cousin and coached him for a while.

If that weren’t enough, he also has boxing on his grandmother’s side, with Jack O’Rourke (former Irish heavyweight champion) and his grandfather’s side in Paschal and his grand-uncle Terry. As a result, it’s not a surprise that he is considered a favourite with the sites that offer boxing betting markets to their punters.

Will expectation be heavy on his shoulders?

Podge will kick off his career as a professional boxer in a fight contest at the National Stadium. It will be his turn to continue a long family legacy within the sport, and one that he will be hoping to start off in the best possible way. Having trimmed himself down from 21 stone to 15, he will be taking on an opponent at the cruiserweight level on October 18.

The 24-year-old has already admitted that he has seen all the videos of his family members and how they fought. However, he insists that he doesn’t feel any pressure as he looks to try and make history of his own under the family name.

His confidence might stem from the fact that he has been able to hold his own against some top-rated boxers already. He has sparred with the likes of Alan Babic, who are already established within the professional ranks.

Packie, on the other hand, has aired caution about Podge and the timeline in which they expect to do things. His coach has already revealed that they are going to take their time and make sure they do things correctly. They are plotting a path which will try and see them obtain a belt at light-heavyweight before potentially attempting to go for an Irish title in two years. However, he has also said that anything can happen, and it’s best to learn in a timely manner.

Irish fight fans will be excited

Given that he comes from the Collins family name of boxing, it’s no surprise that there is a lot of excitement among Irish fight fans about everything that Podge might be able to achieve.

Indeed, if he is able to follow those before him and apply himself in the way that his coach believes he can, perhaps he’ll become a big name between the ropes in his own right.