(Queensberry Promotions/Leigh Dawney)
After Nathaniel Collins drew with Spaniard Cristobal Lorente, the popular Scot already had his next challenge lined up.
A couple of weeks after headlining in front of 6,000 supercharged fans for the European title, the superfit featherweight took on the Golspie Backyard Ultra, a running race that sees its entrants complete a 6.7km loop every hour on the hour.
After 16 laps, and having totalled around 115km, Collins was forced out when his achilles started to tighten on the first hill and the pain in his knees and calves started to bite.
As a professional fighter, long-term injuries are not something Collins would welcome. Even though he fell short of his 160km (100 miles) target, he was content to nearly break the top 10 of a field of some 150 runners.
Collins is well-healed now, and heading into a rematch with Lorente on Friday night, this time at the Hydro in Glasgow and not the Braehead Arena.
“I’m fine after that,” Collins told BoxingScene of his running exploits. “I’m well over that. I love that stuff, definitely, and do you know what? It’s actually quite funny because I’ve went in a different direction this training camp, away from that. Normally I’m just doing mad stuff and then this time it’s all been just boxing.”
That has included a trip to the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles for sparring and the overall focus has been on boxing and intervals. Usually, Collins has a base of Hyrox training and strength and conditioning, but he’s gone back to basics this time.
“It’s been a proper 180 this time, so we’ll see how that goes,” said the 31-year-old.
That said, Collins’ fitness levels rarely falter. Because he enjoys his work so much, he trains all of the time between fights. Camp doesn’t start and finish. Training is part of his active lifestyle.
“Absolutely,” he agreed. “It’s certainly not easy, but it’s actually an enjoyable, it’s almost like training away from [boxing] training that’s enjoyable, that keeps making it feel fresh, and then, when it’s time to go into camp, it’s time to go into camp, or what people call camp, that kind of time period.”
Training in other domains also adds a community element to his training, rather than the solitude that so many associate with boxing.
“Boxing’s a lonely sport and you can only carry yourself. Obviously, your coach is there, you’ve got other boxers there, a lot of this camp I’ve been working…
2026-04-16 17:00:00
