THERE was never any doubt in Steve Cottins's mind about his ability to be a world champion.

After an undistinguished though relatively successful under-card career in the US he set himself a new agenda. Yet when he put up gutsy performances against Mike MeCallum and Reggie Johnson in the US and against Sambu Kalambay in Italy many boxing sages were willing to write him off merely as a good journeyman who lacked the ability to go the whole way.

Even after he had taken the world middleweight title from Chris Pyatt in Sheffield in 1993 the doubts remained.

However, his belief has been underlined this year with a successful defence of his WBO super-middleweight title against Neville Brown in Millstreet in March and back-to-back stoppages of Nigel Benn in July and November, both in Manchester before sell-out crowds and with huge television coverage.

Collins was unconvincing when beating Browne in Millstreet in March but there could be no doubt whatever about the authenticity of his double defeat of Nigel Benn.

When it comes to an assessment of the place of Wayne McCullough in terms of world boxing, things become a little more complex.

His performance when winning the World Boxing Council bantamweight title by beating Yasuei Yakushiji in July 1995 on Yakushiji's home turf was considered by many the achievement of the year.

The defence of his title against Jose Luis Bueno from Mexico at The Point on March 30th was in a different category than the Japanese display, however. McCullough had defended against Johnny Bredhall from Denmark in Belfast without any trouble but Bred hall was not in the same league as Bueno.

From the start of the bout at the Point, the Mexican came forward with both hands working high and low. We were to discover later that McCullough sustained damage to his left ear drum, the result of a swinging right hook early in the fight, which troubled him throughout.

As the rounds rolled on it was obvious that McCullough was not having things his own way and at the end this writer's score card showed a mere one-point margin in McCullough's favour.

The official judges were no more certain and a split decision was the result. The Spanish and American judges gave McCullough a four-point bridge but the Italian on the ring apron gave it to Bueno by three points.

Leaving the scores aside it was clear that McCullough was not at his best.

After that close shave it was clear to him and his manager Mat Tinley, a television company guru rather than a boxing man, that McCullough would have to move up a weight to retain any semblance of authenticity as a world champion.

It is natural for a maturing body to gain basic weight as the years pile up, and for that reason McCullough must move up. This fact brings into focus the debate about whether McCullough will ever meet Prince Naseem Hamed, the Sheffield-based, Brendan Ingle-trained boxer who has a huge reputation in Britain.

The British promoter Frank Warren has made an official purse offer of $1 million to McCullough to fight Naseem.

While the status of Collins and McCullough as world champions dominated the Irish professional scene the former amateur gold medal-winning stars such as Michael Carruth (Olympic) and Paul Griffin (European) make slow but steady progress.