February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
In a matter of days, Gossen Tutor Promotions had offered Ireland’s last bona fide champion a multi-fight deal, and the hope of a world title match before the end of 2005.
But as things go in the often surreal world of boxing, McCullough, one fight removed from a punishing loss to WBO featherweight titlist Scott Harrison in March 2003, will get an unexpected shot at glory this Thursday night when he meets Oscar Larios for the WBC super bantamweight crown in Lemoore, Calif.
The scheduled 12-round contest at the Palace Indian Gaming Center will be televised live on Fox Sports Network’s “Best Damn Sports Show, Period!”
He might be the underdog in many betting parlors, but the 34-year old McCullough fancies his chances against a foe he thinks little of.
“I’ve seen Larios fight over the years and I knew it was a fight I wanted,” the challenger said while sparring in Santa Monica last week.
“He hasn’t fought any big names. I’ll probably be the biggest and I’ll have experience on my side because I’ve fought better fighters,” he reiterated.
This will be the “Pocket Rocket’s” third bid to capture the super bantamweight title, and one that could likely define his legacy.
Ten years have passed since McCullough went to Nagoya, Japan, and outpointed Yasuei Yakushiji to win the WBC bantamweight belt in his 17th pro fight. He would relinquish the crown 18 months later to make the first of what will now be four attempts to become a two-time world champion.
In two previous bids for the WBC 122-pound title, the Shankill Road product would emerge a gallant loser against Mexican legends Daniel Zaragoza and Erik Morales.
Withstanding the numbing power of Naseem Hamed over 12 rounds in another unsuccessful title quest — this time at featherweight — only further burnished McCullough’s reputation for toughness.
His chin has been hailed by pundits as the best in the game, and his high-octane, all-action style is applauded by fans and TV executives.
Both should be considered major assets against Larios, a hard working 28-year old with decent pop in both hands, as indicated by the 34 KO’s on his 54-3-1 ledger.
Larios’ last contest was a points victory over Australian Nadel Hussain last November, a fight that left McCullough unimpressed at ringside.
Said McCullough: “He didn’t show me anything that I should be worried about. He made hard work of it against Hussain, who even managed to push him back.”
A teetotaler and gym rat that is hardly out of shape, McCullough has whipped himself back into peak condition under the tutelage of new trainer Freddie Roach.
What remains to be seen, though, is how much toll, if any, Father Time has taken on the challenger.
McCullough has repeatedly discounted his below par performance against Harrison in his last title effort two years ago as a bad day at the office.
The second round stoppage of Mike Juarez last fall, his only bout post-Harrison, was too brief to render any evidence of how much gas the “Pocket Rocket” has left. Against Larios, McCullough (27-4) has the opportunity to prove that what happened in Glasgow was an aberration.
Then there’s the punch factor. McCullough bristles at the very notion that he doesn’t pack a wallop. He points at his 14 knockout wins, including his most recent one over Juarez last September as proof positive he’s a KO specialist.
Going down four pounds to the super bantamweight division, McCullough’s strength and power should be amplified against an opponent who has campaigned as a super bantamweight his entire 11-year career.
And if Father Time takes the night off, McCullough may well surprise the younger man and fulfill his dream of a winning a second world title.