28 Facts About Wayne McCullough

Wayne McCullough held the WBC bantamweight title from 1995 to 1997, becoming the first boxer from Northern Ireland to win a WBC championship.

Wayne McCullough challenged six times for world titles at super-bantamweight and featherweight.

Wayne McCullough won flyweight gold at the 1990 Commonwealth Games, representing Northern Ireland.

Wayne McCullough was never once knocked down in his professional career.

Wayne McCullough stopped the late Arturo Gatti as an amateur.

Wayne McCullough had a very successful amateur career, amassing a record of 319 wins and 11 defeats, with over 100 wins coming by way of knockout.

Wayne McCullough went on to win a silver medal for Ireland at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.

In 1990, Wayne McCullough won Bronze for Ireland at the Boxing World Cup in Mumbai, India.

In 1993 Wayne McCullough moved to Las Vegas to train under Eddie Futch, who agreed to train him after seeing him at the Olympics.

Wayne McCullough always fought in neutral colours and did not have national anthems played at his fights; his supporters in Northern Ireland include Protestants and Catholics.

Wayne McCullough was the first fighter from Ireland or the UK to travel to Japan and win a belt.

Wayne McCullough defended his title twice before vacating the belt and moving up in weight to challenge WBC super bantamweight champion Daniel Zaragoza, but lost via a split decision in the WBC "Fight of the Year".

Wayne McCullough unsuccessfully challenged champions Naseem Hamed in 1998, and Erik Morales in 1999.

Morales stated that Wayne McCullough gave him one of the top three fights of his career and almost quit on his stool after the 9th round.

In October 2000, Wayne McCullough was to return to his native Belfast for a homecoming fight.

Wayne McCullough flew back to Las Vegas and was advised by the Nevada Commission to visit the neurosurgery department at UCLA for a more thorough investigation.

Wayne McCullough was relicensed in Nevada and fought again in January 2002.

On 17 August 2005 Wayne McCullough was appointed the first WBC World Ambassador for Peace and Goodwill in Sports.

In November 2005, Wayne McCullough released his autobiography, Pocket Rocket: Don't Quit, in the UK and Ireland.

Wayne McCullough went on a publicity tour to promote the book, which reached Number 2 on the best sellers list.

In 2007, Wayne McCullough joined the Ultimate Fighting Championship organisation as a PR associate, to promote Mixed Martial Arts.

In 2007 Wayne McCullough signed to fight Spain's Kiko Martinez who had just defeated Bernard Dunne at the Point Depot, Dublin for the European super bantamweight title.

Wayne McCullough had not fought for over two years and the Kings Hall venue was sold out for the fight.

Wayne McCullough comes in over the weight and then after being asked to take it off he just sits there and does nothing.

On 20 June 2008, Wayne McCullough fought Juan Ruiz in the Cayman Islands, his first fight in three years.

Wayne McCullough lost in six rounds, retiring on his stool.

Wayne McCullough married Cheryl Rennie, from Belfast, in the early 1990s.

In May 2004, Wayne McCullough changed his name by deed poll.