STEVE Collins aims to slam the door of world championship dreams in the face of European champion Frederic Seillier tonight.
And with live television beaming the Docklands drama to the USA, there’s one arch rival he expects to be watching - Roy Jones.
“I might not have any French, but I made myself clear to him and when we step into the ring at the London Arena he’ll get the message,” said Dublin’s world super-middleweight champion.
“It’s not like the Eubank or Benn fights. There hasn’t been the same level of hype about this one with Seillier. But, the result will be the same, and that is all that matters to me.”
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FIFA bosses have welcomed the truce reached by UEFA and the Football Association over the 2006 World Cup finals but said it would not make any difference to the bidding process.
“Before the meeting we had a set of statutes. Now, after the meeting, those statutes still apply,” FIFA spokesman Keith Cooper said.
“Every national football association has the right to bid for the 2006 World Cup finals. That right still exists. (The meeting) really re-affirmed what is and what has always been the status quo.
“It is not for a federation to change FIFA rules. They’re not for anybody else to change other than the FIFA congress.”
Cooper said FIFA was pleased the three-hour talks between UEFA and English officials had taken some of the bitterness out of a potentially explosive issue.
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KEN Doherty secured a place in the semi-finals of the £500,000 Benson and Hedges Masters at the Wembley Conference Centre last night.
The Republic of Ireland World Cup captain, who has never got further than the last eight of the game’s premier invitation event in five previous visits, achieved his personal best with a 6-3 victory over Mark Williams.
“I’m delighted with the result because Mark is a proven winner. He’s up to third in the provisional world rankings and I can tell you from past experience what a difficult opponent he can be,” said Doherty.
“I genuinely think I can go all the way now. There’s plenty of fuel still left in the tank. I’m confident with my game and if I can just click up a gear or two that gold trophy could be mine.”
The carelessness which plagued Williams during his 6-4 victory over John Higgins in the last 16, resurfaced in the first half of the contest – but unlike his match with the Scot, Williams was made to pay.
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CONOR McCambridge is winning his race against time to figure in the AIB All-Ireland Club Final on February 16.
The Cushendall star feared he may not make the final selection for the trip to face Clare champions, Wolf Tones.
McCambridge, who picked up his third Ulster hurling medal last year, also picked up a hamstring injury in the win over Down’s Portaferry.
But the 22-year-old was able to return to action in the prolonged and largely exciting climax to the Antrim Division 1A senior hurling league, which should be decided this weekend.
