McCullough suspended
Posted: 18 Jul 2005, 14:45
Doctor calls time on 'Pocket Rocket'
By Bob Mee in Las Vegas
(Filed: 18/07/2005)
Wayne McCullough's gruelling, sometimes splendid career is almost certainly over.
The Irishman has been placed on an indefinite medical suspension after Dr Margaret Goodman stopped his world title challenge here against Oscar Larios.
Goodman got up from her ringside chair the moment the 10th round ended, climbed through the ropes and told McCullough, 35, she would not allow him to take any more punches.
Then she turned and signalled to referee Richard Steele, who used to run the Las Vegas gym where McCullough, the 'Pocket Rocket', trained for much of his career, that the fight was over.
Back in her seat, as McCullough was on the brink of tears just a few feet above her, she reflected sadly on the fact that in 2001 she oversaw the medical investigations as the boxer fought to continue his career.
In Britain, he had been denied a licence because of a cyst on the brain. When he returned to his American home, Goodman sent him to a Californian specialist and led the assessments of the case in Nevada.
Now, if McCullough wants to box on, he will need to pass substantial medical tests. "I've placed him on an indefinite suspension - it's a long road back from here," she said.
The former World Boxing Council bantamweight champion knew Goodman was right.
"I felt the doctor made the right call," he said, as his wife and manager, Cheryl, and seven-year-old daughter Winona stood alongside him in the ring. "I'm very disappointed. He never really hurt me, but I felt sluggish. I'm going home to take a rest."
Larios, who was defending the WBC super-bantamweight title, had controversially beaten McCullough on points in February.
This time, the Mexican dominated and won every round on one of the judge's scorecards. The boxers threw more than 1,100 punches each in the 10 rounds.
Nobody who boxed the man from Belfast, a silver medallist at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and a world champion 10 years ago, ever had an easy night.
"How did he stay up after all those punches he was taking?" Larios said. "It was really amazing."
By Bob Mee in Las Vegas
(Filed: 18/07/2005)
Wayne McCullough's gruelling, sometimes splendid career is almost certainly over.
The Irishman has been placed on an indefinite medical suspension after Dr Margaret Goodman stopped his world title challenge here against Oscar Larios.
Goodman got up from her ringside chair the moment the 10th round ended, climbed through the ropes and told McCullough, 35, she would not allow him to take any more punches.
Then she turned and signalled to referee Richard Steele, who used to run the Las Vegas gym where McCullough, the 'Pocket Rocket', trained for much of his career, that the fight was over.
Back in her seat, as McCullough was on the brink of tears just a few feet above her, she reflected sadly on the fact that in 2001 she oversaw the medical investigations as the boxer fought to continue his career.
In Britain, he had been denied a licence because of a cyst on the brain. When he returned to his American home, Goodman sent him to a Californian specialist and led the assessments of the case in Nevada.
Now, if McCullough wants to box on, he will need to pass substantial medical tests. "I've placed him on an indefinite suspension - it's a long road back from here," she said.
The former World Boxing Council bantamweight champion knew Goodman was right.
"I felt the doctor made the right call," he said, as his wife and manager, Cheryl, and seven-year-old daughter Winona stood alongside him in the ring. "I'm very disappointed. He never really hurt me, but I felt sluggish. I'm going home to take a rest."
Larios, who was defending the WBC super-bantamweight title, had controversially beaten McCullough on points in February.
This time, the Mexican dominated and won every round on one of the judge's scorecards. The boxers threw more than 1,100 punches each in the 10 rounds.
Nobody who boxed the man from Belfast, a silver medallist at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and a world champion 10 years ago, ever had an easy night.
"How did he stay up after all those punches he was taking?" Larios said. "It was really amazing."