| 24 January 2010
Hayley interviews boxer, Wayne ‘Pocket Rocket’ McCullough, about his experiences as a WBC Bantamweight Champion boxer and his current position as a PR Associate with the UFC.
photo credit: cayman islands
Mention the name ‘Wayne McCullough’ to any boxing fan and everyone knows who you are talking about...the Pocket Rocket! And yes, believe it or not, since 2004, Wayne has legally been known as:
Wayne is one of Ireland’s favourite boxers with a very impressive professional record of 27 wins in 34 fights (18 by way of KO). He has fought a total of 319 amateur contests, losing only 11. http://www.pocketrocketbox.com/gallery_pic.asp?id=76&x=400&y=288The former WBC bantamweight champion had a successful amateur career before moving to Las Vegas from his homeland to turn professional under the guidance of legendary trainer Eddie Futch.
· Won a silver medal for Ireland at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona.
· Won a gold medal at the 1990 Commonwealth games in Auckland for Northern Ireland.
· Won a bronze medal in 1990 at the World Cup in Bombay, India.
Clearly a very talented man, I hear you say? To further support this, less than 2.5 years after turning professional, Wayne won the WBC Bantamweight title by beating the champion Yasuei Yakushiji in his own hometown in Japan. Wayne made two successful defences of his title before vacating the belt to move up in weight.
Despite health issues in the past, Wayne went from strength to strength and has had a number of highlights throughout his career. He has fought some of the best fighters in their divisions - Naseem Hamed and Eric Morales to name two. He’s been honoured as the first ever WBC Boxer's Ambassador of the World for Peace and Goodwill in Sports and is widely known in the world of boxing as having one of the best chins, never having been knocked down in any fight!
In September 2005, McCullough became a United States citizen and lives in Vegas with his wife, Cheryl and their daughter, Wynona. He’s also turned his hand to writing, releasing a bestselling autobiography, Pocket Rocket: Don't Quit, in the UK and Ireland in 2005 and writing a column for Sky Sports!
If Wayne was not busy enough, he joined the UFC as a PR Associate in 2007 and travels around the world helping to promote the sport of MMA. What a life, eh?
Wayne is clearly very well educated in the world of combat sports, so why not take some time and pick his brain?
photo credit daily mail
Hi Wayne! Firstly, thanks so much for taking time out to talk to SportsChatPlace. We want to get to know a little more about you and your thoughts on boxing and MMA today. So let’s get started!
Wayne on Wayne
Wayne, you have had a very successful career, with a number of great fights under your belt. Looking back, which was your most rewarding fight?
Taking the belt off the World Champion (Yasuei Yakushiji) in his backyard of Japan when most of the press didn't give me a chance!
You issued a press release last year after announcing your retirement in 2008, stating that you plan to return and continue with your boxing career. What made you decide to come back?
I never really retired. I said "this could be my last fight" but of course the media ran with it! I was pressured into the fight by my promoter but I had an injury and know that I should never have been in the ring that night.
On your return you proposed a fight with Bernard Dunne. However, it appears as though Bernard is avoiding you... If this fight does not happen, are there any other fights in particular that interest you and why?
I don't know why Bernard won't fight me but right now I've lost my last 3 so I'd be a perfect opponent for him ;) I'd love to get back in the ring but none of the young 'uns want to take a chance against me!
If you could start your career again as a young fighter today, would you still go the boxing route or maybe try your hand in MMA?
In 1993 when I turned pro, UFC was just getting started but honestly if it had been run the way Dana and the Fertitta brothers are running it now I'd definitely have gone down the MMA route. I'm a little too small though!
Wayne on Boxing
Who would you say are some of the best prospects in boxing today? Who should we be looking out for?
Unfortunately there aren't that many prospects coming through these days. But I'd keep an eye out for the fighters who defected from Cuba namely Olympic champions (and current world champ) Yuriorkis Gamboa and Guillermo Rigondeaux.
Who in your opinion is the best P4P boxer today?
Floyd Mayweather
The hugely anticipated Pacquiao v Mayweather fight has been on and off for some time now. If the fight does go ahead, how do you see it playing out?
Mayweather boxing the ears off him for 12 rounds!
I, like many people today, only got into combat sports by becoming a fan of MMA. As a boxing novice, which three classic bouts would you recommend I watch to educate myself about the sport?
Wayne McCullough v Erik Morales - not only saying that to get you to watch my fights but everyone loves that one. Me, not so much because I got hit, but after that fight Morales called me the crazy Irishman because when he hit me I wouldn't stop coming back at him!
One of my favs is Tommy Hearns v Marvin Hagler and of course Diego Corrales v Jose Luis Castillo I
Wayne on MMA
What got you interested in MMA and how did you become involved with the UFC?
I've always been a fan of Chuck Lidell, Tito Ortiz and Randy Couture back in the late 90's. But I went to my first live event in April 2004 between Lidell and Ortiz I and just loved it. Back in 2006, I got in touch with Marc Ratner to ask for tickets for the Lidell v Ortiz II fight and during the fight, I waved at Dana to thank him for the tickets. He came over to me and asked if I'd be part of the UFC. We've been friends for many years but to be asked personally by Dana was an honor! Of course, I said yes!
photo credit: the daily mail
Do you think there are any boxers today that could have a successful career in MMA and vice versa?
I think I'd do ok! But I'd need to be a little bit bigger.
Who do you think has the best boxing in MMA?
I'm impressed by BJ Penn and Frankie Edgar. Also Tyson Griffin isn't bad either. Probably the best is Anderson Silva.
Many people feel that boxing’s popularity has dwindled over the years. Do you think that a promoter using a UFC style business model could aid in the sports revival?
Yes, but they won't. In MMA, they put on matches where either fighter can win and in the UFC they pay bonuses for best submission, best KO, best fight of the night, etc. That's a great incentive. Boxing promoters have known this since Dana and the Fertitta's took over, but nobody has done anything to change boxing as yet.
Anderson Silva has expressed wanting to fight Roy Jones Junior in a boxing match. What are your thoughts on this? Do you think Silva has a chance in a boxing match? Who would you put your money on?
The Roy Jones of today just got KO'd and his chin and reflexes are gone. Silva would destroy him. But the Roy Jones of 10 years ago would have given him a different fight. I was a big Roy Jones fan back in the day, but boxing and MMA are two different sports and I don't like to make comparisons. I love both sports and have favourite fighters in each of them.
And finally.... who in your opinion is the best fighter in the world in any combat sports?
Anderson Silva and Floyd Mayweather tie at the top.
Thank you to Wayne for sharing his thoughts with us. Why don’t you follow Wayne and his daughter on Twitter? (@WayneMcCullough and @WynonaLeigh) Wayne's website
Hayley Forster, a long-time female fight fan, lives in the North of England with her husband, Pete. Both have deep love for the sport of MMA. Follow Hayley on www.twitter.com/fairly_normal
If you would like to submit a guest post on the subject of mixed martial arts or boxing, please forward it to Cheryl Ragsdale email: mmafightfans at thatgirlisfunny.com
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