Boxing News round-up While featherweight Bernard Dunne, back in Ireland looking after his professional career, is seen as the hot property in the boxing market, Wayne McCullough has proven himself to be more durable than his detractors give him credit for.
Following his recent decisive points defeat to WBC super bantamweight champion Oscar Larios, McCullough continues to hold a ranking close to the top of his weight division. Larios aside, only Japan's Toshiaki Nishioka and top-ranked Thai fighter Naphapol Kiattisakchocchoi are rated higher in the 122lb division.
That the WBC have the Irishman ranked third at super bantamweight, goes some way towards indicating, in America at least, the 34-year-old (35 in July) is still a highly-rated commodity.
Somewhat forgotten on this side of the Atlantic, following his defeat to Scott Harrison in Glasgow in 2003, is McCullough's ability to impress which keeps alive his chase for a second world title. There had been talk of a rematch with Larios but the Mexican had to undergo surgery to repair torn arm muscles recently. That rematch seems unlikely and McCullough is looking for an alternative that will relaunch his career as a world champion.
Still based in Las Vegas, McCullough has indicated he is far from finished as a contender. As he points out, he has very low mileage on the clock. "One mistake and they write you off," was his dismissal of the media calls for retirement after the Harrison defeat. That sentiment appears to be supported by the WBC, suggesting the 1992 Olympic silver medallist may have one more world championship title in him.
Another Irishman, Brian Magee, is hoping to do the same tomorrow week in Belfast. Magee will take on WBO super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe, who will be defending his WBO crown for the 16th time. The Welsh southpaw is regarded as a hot favourite even in Magee's home territory of King's Hall.
At 29 years old this will be Magee's biggest chance to make a step up. A former European silver medallist and IBO champion following a 2001 win over Ramon Britez, Magee defended that title seven times before dropping it to Robin Reid last summer. The question mark surrounding Calzaghe is whether he has shaken off the injuries that have plagued him over recent months.
