Talking Boxing with WAYNE McCULLOUGH
by
Jason Peck
9/9 - On September 23rd, featherweight
Wayne "The Pocket Rocket" McCullough makes his return to boxing after losing to Scott Harrison a year earlier. Some can doubt his likelihood of winning the title, but no one can doubt that the Pocket Rocket is a warrior through and through; McCullough has taken on boxing's best fighters such as Erik Morales and Naseem Hamed and was chosen by Ring Magazine as the Best Chin in Boxing. While training, the former WBC bantamweight champ, who still doesn't have an opponent, took time to answer some questions for
TalkingBoxing.
WAYNE McCULLOUGH
Jason Peck: The featherweight division has become very exciting following the Manny Pacquaio-Juan Manuel Marquez fight in May, and the titles are up in the air. You're a featherweight now, but you've displayed a lot of versatility in your weight. Do you see yourself moving around or are you committing yourself to featherweight for now?
Wayne McCullough: I try to explain this to everyone I talk to. As a champion you usually fight "in between" fights at a higher weight. No champion will fight at his championship weight since we only like to make that weight when we need to.
Jason Peck: How has the added weight changed the way you fight? What are the differences, if any?
Wayne McCullough: Even though I started my career as a bantamweight, I rarely fought at there. In the early days, I fought often at 122lbs and above. It was only when the WBC Bantamweight championship came along that I had to make weight. I don't think there are many differences except for the fact that if I fight at a heavier weight, then so does my opponent.
Jason Peck: Is featherweight your ideal weight, or would you feel more comfortable at another class?
Wayne McCullough: I am comfortable at featherweight and super bantam.
Jason Peck: What motivated you to vacate the bantamweight belt in the first place?
Wayne McCullough: I could no longer make bantamweight and in my last fight doing so, I almost killed myself and ended up in hospital. The risk wasn't worth it.
Jason Peck: Earlier reports said you were looking forward to a fight with Johnny Tapia. What is it about Tapia that really interests you?
Wayne McCullough: I was never "looking" for a fight with Tapia but I was offered it earlier this year. I said yes to that fight but it never materialized. Johnny and I would put on a tremendous performance - he's a great guy.
Jason Peck: And Paulie Ayala?
Wayne McCullough: We were "offered" a fight with Paulie three times and each time we said yes. Unfortunately his team decided to go in another direction.
Jason Peck: What do you see in this upcoming fight? How are you preparing for it?
Wayne McCullough: I prepare for every fight as I would a championship fight. I never take anyone lightly. I am sparring 3 days a week and working really hard in the gym. Next week I will be going to LA to work with Freddie Roach and I am very excited about that.
Jason Peck: What motivated the name change?
Wayne McCullough: One of my teammates in the 1988 Olympic Games gave me the nickname "Pocket Rocket" because he said I was small enough to fit in your pocket but I fought like a rocket!! When I came to America everyone called me Pocket Rocket instead of Wayne. Over the years I have been called Pocket Rocket, Rocket, Pocket and Champ so I decided to make it legal. It was a decision that I made without even thinking about it. It wasn't to make headlines, it was just a reference to who I am.
Jason Peck: You commentated to the BBC that if people knew what you went through "before, during and after" the Harrison fight they would think differently about the fight. We knew weight was a problem, but could you elaborate?
Wayne McCullough: It will all be in the book! Seriously though, my wife and manager, Cheryl, was pulling me out of the fight 2 weeks before and in hindsight she should have. But I felt by pulling out I would be letting everyone down but in the end I only let myself down and ended up ill in hospital. I learnt my lesson and won't let it happen again.
Jason Peck: Acelino Freitas gave up in his fight with Diego Corrales. You took Harrison the distance and never gave up. Do you have any thoughts on losing like you did? Like is a loss really a loss when you don't give up?
Wayne McCullough: I personally don't know what Freitas went through and I'm sure he had a good enough reason to quit but I would never give up. I lost a little confidence in my fight with Harrison but everyone treated me like I had won saying that I was a warrior and extremely brave to fight for the full 12 rounds with Harrison. A loss is a loss no matter what but I feel that I gave my all.
Jason Peck: With that, how does the admiration of the fans stack up to holding a championship belt?
Wayne McCullough: Holding a belt is like nothing else in the world however having the fans support me is a truly wonderful thing. Throughout my career I have had many ups and downs but the fans have stuck by me. I continue to receive letters asking for autographs and I think having that fanbase is what helps keep me going.
Jason Peck: As a final thought, what does a former Olympic boxer think of the boxing in Athens this year?
Wayne McCullough: I honestly thought that Olympic boxing this year was abysmal. America only got one Gold. Britain's boxer, Amir Khan, definitely stood out in my mind - and if he turns pro, I'd love to train him. I think we would work great together. He needs to come to America if he decides to go pro. Ireland's sole boxer was put out even before the medal stages but I have said enough about that in the past and they know my view on the whole situation over there. As usual, the Cubans stood out and many of them would have a future in the pro game but as we all know that probably won't happen.
TalkingBoxing would like to thank Wayne and his wife Cheryl for their time!
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