Nathaniel Collins vs Lee McGregor Predictions: Nip-and-tuck battle to crown next Josh Taylor?

Former British and Commonwealth champion Nathaniel Collins takes on Lee MrGregor in an all-Scottish affair this Saturday, May 24. The bout features on the undercard of Josh Taylor vs Ekow Essuman at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow. DAZN screens the event live.

Here are my Nathaniel Collins vs Lee McGregor predictions ahead of this civil war.

Nathaniel Collins vs Lee McGregor Odds

Collins is 1/2 to have his hand raised while McGregor is pitched at 17/10 for a victory. A draw can be backed at 14/1.

Nathaniel Collins vs Lee McGregor Fight Preview

Collins has cleaned up at domestic level, picking up British and Commonwealth titles along the way. He never lost those belts in the ring and had targeted adding the European title to that triplicate. A fight for that championship could still be in his future, but it is the WBC silver featherweight trinket on the line on Saturday.

The sanctioning body minor baubles are silly, but they can net you a world ranking. McGregor has one already, where intriguingly he finds himself in the WBA ratings topped by Liverpool’s very won world champion Nick Ball. A scrap with ‘Wrecking Ball’ seems like a sensible direction of travel for the winner here.

Collins is unranked but he is yet you put a professional foot wrong, something McGregor can’t say. ‘The Nightmare’ is a glistening 16-0 with seven knockouts. Stoppage wins over Felix Williams, Thembani Mbangatha and James Beech stand out. Collins also has points victories over the likes of Zak Miller and Fransesco Grandelli.

It is a decent list of vanquished foes, but McGregor is a step-up. 15-1-1 with 11 knockouts, his only defeat came in a hard-fought 12-rounder with Erik Robles for the IBO super bantamweight strap. It might not be the genuine article as far as world titles go, but mugs don’t tend to fight for it either. It was a brutal, enthralling contest worthy of some sort of leather and gold ornament for the winner’s waist.

After getting his eye in over shorter distances following his first career loss, McGregor re-announced himself with a solid win over Isaac Lowe. It was a huge tick in the McGregor column considering the face Lowe’s only previous two losses had come against current WBA boss ball and former IBF kingpin Luis Alberto Lopez.

McGregor might feel aggrieved to be the underdog here, but I doubt he has given it much thought. In front of a packed Hydro waiting to greet national pride Josh Taylor, this is a chance to show not only the Scottish boxing landscape, but the world scene, what he is all about.

That will be music to the ears of Collins. A proven quantity on the British and Commonwealth scene, he will be eyeing those world rankings with Ball, McGregor and Rhys Edwards listed, and look to become the latest fighter from these Isles to crash the party.

It shows the quality of the match-making that we have not even got to the concept of Scottish pride. McGregor and Collins are both 28 years of age. Taylor, boxing’s most prominent current Scot, is 34. ‘The Tartan Tornado’ was 29 when he captured the undisputed world championship. These numbers will not be lost on Saturday’s combatants. They fight knowing a chance to lead their nation in boxing terms is also on the line.

Nathaniel Collins vs Lee McGregor Full Card

Josh Taylor vs Ekow Essuman

Nathaniel Collins vs Lee McGregor

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Moses Itauma vs Mike Balogun

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Nathaniel Collins vs Lee McGregor Predictions

Tough to call this. Tougher than the odds make out in my view. McGregor has the edge in height and power. But Collins is more of a natural at the weight, with McGregor once reigning as British, Commonwealth and European king at bantamweight.

Collins is the favourite, but I think McGregor has the know-how. The Lowe win is probably the best on either record. The championship experience is close. McGregor is comfortable at close quarters, but while Collins is a stylist, he does not always keep his opponent off effectively.

I’m picking Lee McGregor to notch the upset in this one, though I think it’ll be close. 17/10 for the underdog victory.

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