McCullough hopes for Irish rematch
Super-bantamweight Wayne McCullough has been offered a rematch against WBC champion Oscar Larios - and the Belfast boxer wants to get it on in Ireland.
Las Vegas-based McCullough was defeated on points by the Mexican last week despite a plucky, tireless performance.
And according to the 34-year-old he has been offered another shot by Larios’ manager Rafael Mendoza – and he hopes it will be in his hometown.
“The manager of Larios has offered me a re-match, which would be great. I would jump at the chance. I’m going to weigh things up. I’d like another couple of fights before going for another world title.
"Hopefully we can make the Larios fight, that would be ideal and maybe we could bring it to Ireland,” he said.
Larios, though, is set to meet WBO champion Joan Guzman in Texas in April.
McCullough had just two rounds under his belt in the last two years, smashing Mike Juarez after less than six minutes last September.
“My coach Freddie Roach said to me that if I had had two or three fights more before facing Larios I would have beaten him easy,” added McCullough.
“I’ve no doubt that if I get him again I’ll beat him. He’s a tough, tough guy - I worked him hard to the body. It was very close, a lot closer than what the judges had.
“I still believe that I can get that second world title. I just have to sit down and work out with Freddie and Dan Goosen where I go from here,” he told Sunday Life.
The Pocket Rocket also admitted his injured left hand – on which he had treatment a fortnight before the match – caused him problems.
“I had to go back to Las Vegas to get a cortisone injection in my hand and I felt it early on in the fight.
“But I don’t make excuses. I gave it everything and he knew he was in a real fight. I showed that what happened in the Scott Harrison fight [when he lost a unanimous decision in 2003] was just a one-off.”
“I knew I wasn’t right for that fight. Against Larios I was back to throwing plenty of punches, the way I used to,” he said.
