Warrior Wayne faces up to his biggest gamble
Saturday, October 13, 2007
By David Kelly
Wayne McCullough simply salivates at a mountainous task and in taking on
Kiko Martinez he has given himself one akin to Everest.
While it seemed to all but anyone around the McCullough camp that his career
was heading into retirement, this week we had the amazing news that he is
taking on European super-bantamweight champion Martinez.
Martinez, fresh from an 86-second blow-out of Dublin's favourite son Bernard
Dunne, is now hoping for a similar result against the Pocket Rocket at the
King's Hall on December 1.
Two and a half years out of the ring, one win in five years and aged 37,
Belfast's former World champion must surely know that this is his biggest
gamble.
Martinez has already shown that he has power, though Dunne's collapse must
not cloud our vision of the Spaniard as McCullough will not march in with
his hands around his waist and his chin in the air.
But the unbeaten Spanish sensation, known to his camp as 'Little Tyson', is
on the rise and no doubt in 2008 he has his sights firmly fixed on a world
title shot.
It is little surprise that many have concerns of how McCullough will handle
Martinez's bombs but we can be sure that at next week's press conference the
Las Vegas-based fighter will tell us how he plans to defy all sporting logic.
At 37 most fighters would be hanging up the gloves, though McCullough will
point to a certain Daniel Zaragoza who, aged 39, inflicted the first defeat
on the record of the Belfast man in a WBC World super-bantamweight title.
It happened ten years ago and no doubt McCullough will have his own mind set
on such a victory over Martinez in what is said to be a title fight though
whether it is for the Spaniard's European belt remains unsure.
Throughout the history of this brutal and colourful sport there have been
tales of amazing comebacks and men defying old father time but unfortunately
for McCullough the far greater percentage is of men returning to the ring
having left their reflexes, timing and resistance in another era.
The great Joe Louis returned for a few dollars more only to be mercilessly
hammered by Rocky Marciano, Muhammad Ali had the pitiful end of losing to
Trevor Berbick and who do you think lost to the likes of unknowns Joey
Archer, Stan Harrington, Phil Moyer and Ferd Hernandez? Alas, it was a faded
and 40-year-old Sugar Ray Robinson.
Those joining in the McCullough belief that he can cause an upset will point
to the likes of Bernard Hopkins, George Foreman and even Marco Antonio
Barrera, a veteran of 69 fights and world champion when 32. Last week he
walked away from the ring after defeat to Manny Pacquiao and every fight fan
wishes him well and a retirement that is unbroken.
Many who have followed McCullough's courageous career as he has persistently
taken on the very best with amazing resolve will have genuine concern that
the King's Hall will see him badly punished.
McCullough will cast such fears to the wind and reach for the summit, simply
unable to let go of the challenge of the ring.
