(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
Nathaniel Collins Eyes World Title Glory Amid Rising Featherweight Clashes
Undefeated featherweight contender Nathaniel Collins is firmly focused on his own championship ambitions but continues to keep a watchful eye on developments across the global featherweight division.
Collins Prepares for European Title Clash in Glasgow
Fresh off a dominant stoppage win over Lee McGregor in May, the 28-year-old Scotsman elevated his record to 17-0 (8 KOs) and secured the WBC’s No. 1 ranking at 126 pounds. Now, Collins is preparing to challenge Spain’s Cristobal Lorente (20-0-2, 8 KOs) for the European featherweight title on October 4 at the Braehead Arena in Glasgow.
All Eyes on Ball vs. Goodman in Saudi Arabia
Before his own title fight, Collins will be closely watching the WBA featherweight world title bout between Nick Ball and Sam Goodman on August 16 in Riyadh during the ESports World Cup Fight Week. The event will be streamed globally via DAZN.
Collins believes Ball, his domestic rival and fellow Queensberry Promotions fighter, will comfortably defend his title:
“Yes, pretty easily probably,” he told The Ring.
While Goodman has shown promise, Collins questions the Australian’s durability and readiness, especially after previously pulling out of two scheduled fights with Naoya Inoue due to an eye injury.
A Long-Awaited Domestic Clash with Ball?
The possibility of a showdown between Collins and Ball has been in the air for some time. Although preliminary talks occurred earlier this year, scheduling and opponent changes put the matchup on hold.
“Obviously, we said yes. We would love that fight,” Collins shared.
However, with his growing stature in the global rankings, Collins now prefers a high-stakes unification clash — perhaps down the line when both fighters hold world titles.
“That’s when you’re talking big-time unifications. Frampton-Quigg level,” Collins said.
“We’ve been on a collision course for years. Hopefully, it happens at some point.”
Carrington Looms as Next Major Challenge
Before any dream domestic bout materializes, Collins must deal with another rising star — Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington. The American recently claimed the WBC interim title with a dominant win over Mateus Heita and could soon face Collins in a final eliminator or vacant title fight.
Despite Carrington’s hype, Collins remains confident:
“I wasn’t majorly impressed… I definitely would be interested in that,” he said.
Looking Ahead
As uncertainty surrounds the future of current WBC champion Stephen Fulton, who may move up in weight, and with Rey Vargas still holding the “champion in recess” status, the door is wide open for Collins to make his world title dreams a reality.
Stay tuned for more updates as Nathaniel Collins continues his rise through the featherweight ranks and eyes his shot at world glory.
