'Everyone' invited to attend funeral of 'King of Sheffield' Willy Collins who died on Spanish holiday

Details have been released of the funeral arrangements for a bare-knuckle fighter dubbed the ‘King of Sheffield’, who died while on a holiday in Spain to celebrate his wife’s birthday.
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Willy Collins, who was known to many as Big Willy Collins, passed away last month aged 49 in Port de Pollença, on the Spanish island of Majorca.

A post mortem revealed the father-of-nine, from Darnall, died of natural causes after a bleeding ulcer in his stomach burst to cause a haemorrhage.

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His funeral will take place at Shiregreen Cemetery on Saturday, August 15, beginning at 1pm.

Willy Collins, pictured with his wife Kathleen, died while on holiday in SpainWilly Collins, pictured with his wife Kathleen, died while on holiday in Spain
Willy Collins, pictured with his wife Kathleen, died while on holiday in Spain
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However, as the current coronavirus restrictions limit the number of people attending a funeral to 30, it will instead be a graveside service so everyone can adhere to social distancing.

His wife Kathleen said: “On August 14, he’ll be going to my son’s yard and we’ll be having a 24-hour wake there.

"Then the next morning he’ll come to Darnall and we’ll be setting off from Darnall Road, near to what used to be The Ball Inn, at around 10.30am. We’ll be going through Darnall, and up through Pitsmoor where he grew up as a young lad, and on to Shiregreen Cemetery where we’ll have an electric lift to lower the coffin.

The 'King of Sheffield' Willy Collins. His funeral will be held on August 15.The 'King of Sheffield' Willy Collins. His funeral will be held on August 15.
The 'King of Sheffield' Willy Collins. His funeral will be held on August 15.
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"We’ve also hired a marquee for social distancing and we’ll make it look like a church inside. We’ll also be playing his favourite music, he loved Joe Dolan who is an Irish singer.

“August 15 is a special day for us, and a lot of the traveller community and Catholics, because it’s Our Lady’s day.

"My husband was well-known, respected and loved by everybody. Everyone who knew him, no matter what origin they are, are welcome – he loved life and he’s got many friends and he would love them all there.”

Willy, who was born in Ireland, moved to Sheffield in 1980 and was a regular at Brendan Ingle's gym in Wincobank – often jogging miles across the city to get there every day.

Kathleen said Will was "well-known, respected and loved" by everyone that knew himKathleen said Will was "well-known, respected and loved" by everyone that knew him
Kathleen said Will was "well-known, respected and loved" by everyone that knew him

His body was repatriated to the UK on July 23.

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There will be a party to celebrate Willy’s life shortly after his burial, details of which will be confirmed at a later date.

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