Boxing: Wayne McCullough believes he can thrust himself back into the world title picture with victory over European super-bantamweight champion Kiko Martinez in Belfast's King's Hall tomorrow night.
The Las Vegas-based veteran returns to the ring after an absence of two and a half years and is seen as a major outsider against the man who took the European belt from Dubliner Bernard Dunne in August, handing the Irishman his first professional defeat with an 86-second blitz.
McCullough, a former WBC bantamweight champion, insists the time spent away from the ring will not do him any harm and points out that he has never left the gym.
"Over the past two years I have actually signed to fight two world champions, Israel Vazquez and Steve Molitor and both fell through, so I was training hard for both of those and I never stop training - I'm in the gym twice a day," said the 37-year-old.
"Everyone has me down as the underdog for this fight and I can see why because they have seen what Martinez did to Dunne but I'm not Bernard Dunne.
"I've fought the very best, I've been with massive punchers like Erik Morales, Prince Naseem Hamed and Scott Harrison and I have shown that I can take a shot.
"They say Martinez is a big puncher but a lot of the guys he has beaten have been poor quality and from the tapes I've seen of him, as some of his fights have gone on his power seems to diminish.
"I know that I can beat this guy because I have the experience and the boxing ability and if I beat the European champion then I'm back in line for another world title shot in 2008.
"It has been hard over the past two years waiting to get another chance and I intend to take this one. If I lose it could be my last fight.
"The good thing is there is no pressure on me. All the expectation is around Martinez so I will just focus on the job I have to do and get the business done.
"It's going to be great fighting in Belfast again and back at the King's Hall and I know that I can prove that I'm not finished yet."
Tomorrow night's fight is over 10 rounds with Martinez's title not on the line, as McCullough's inactivity meant the European Boxing Union would not sanction it as a defence for champion Martinez.