BoxRec

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/7033737.stm

Just saw this on the BBC website, what is Wayne doing, Kiko will destroy and possibly stop him!

aaa brill!!!!

good to see belfast back in there

Please retire wayne!

This is a bad, bad move......Wayne will either get knocked out or smashed to pieces over 12 rounds because of his terrific chin....

Personally I think Kiko will have him out of there, and early. Good luck to Wayne though, even if I do think he's had one fight too many. He hasnt beat a "decent" operator in 5 years. Was badly beaten against Larios the second time. On the other hand he trains daily and is possibly one of the fittest guys in boxing (still).

Silly move to jump right back in with this guy becuase with a fight behind him he could probably give him a good go but with a couple of years out theres every chance Martinex could swarm all over him early and get a stoppage, although maybe not as early as Dunne!

I'm not convinced Martinez is all that special but there is a chance he could score another early win here and even with the long layoff that result would raise a few eyebrows in the U.S. becuase of Wayne;s rep there.

Unless his chin holds up then Kiko will KO Wayne.

Kiko's not a world level fighter and Wayne's losses were only to world level fighters so might be a close one.

BBC does say:

The European Boxing Union has been asked to sanction the 12-round fight in Belfast.

So it's not a done deal yet. No way should they sanction a title fight with a guy who's been inactive for a couple of years. What happened to earning a title shot?

Yeah, yeah, I know how boxing works nowadays, but still, the EBU is one of the most respectable organisations in terms of its ratings and sanctioning policies. You never really see the EBU in a scandal.

oliverfennell wrote:BBC does say:

The European Boxing Union has been asked to sanction the 12-round fight in Belfast.

So it's not a done deal yet. No way should they sanction a title fight with a guy who's been inactive for a couple of years. What happened to earning a title shot?

Yeah, yeah, I know how boxing works nowadays, but still, the EBU is one of the most respectable organisations in terms of its ratings and sanctioning policies. You never really see the EBU in a scandal.

They won't sanction it. EBU rules are that you have to have fought in the last year and if you're based outside Europe you have to have fought in Europe at least twice in recent times to get a ranking. All the more reasdon for McCullough to have a few warm up fights and then get in with Martinez for the European title.

Is Pickering the mandatory for that title now? I'd fandy his chances of putting in a good showing against Martinez.

Also Wayne is now an American Citizen on paper, you have to give up your British Citizenship if your from the UK to gain an American citizenship so taking that into account I don't think he'd be allowed to fight for a European title now as he's classed as an American now on paper. (Although he's a Belfast man )

I think Wayne see's this as a way back, as he's the man who Ko'd Dunne in a round. Its a tough fight, I can't see Wayne getting steam rolled like Dunne did and he does stay sharp in training but still it's a very tough fight after a long lay off and a hard career. Wayne's maybe thinking Kilo is there to be beaten by a fighter whos been at world level.

If Wayne wants to box its up to him at the end of the day regardless what we think, I don't see Kilo as a Larios style fighter nor do I see him taking Wayne out like he did to Dunne, even at this stage of McCulloughs career. Dunnes chin was never tested fully, until then and he was down in the past so I think from Wayne's point of view he see's this as a chance to get in the spot light and it would sell big time at the Kings Hall.

Stylewise this could be interesting - I guess it doesn't have to be the EBU title. Kiko can bang, but Wayne can take it. Whats Kiko like when he's gone a few rounds? Kiko isn't hard to hit himself. We don't know alot about him... Wayne can still test him.

stujones wrote:Stylewise this could be interesting - I guess it doesn't have to be the EBU title. Kiko can bang, but Wayne can take it. Whats Kiko like when he's gone a few rounds? Kiko isn't hard to hit himself. We don't know alot about him... Wayne can still test him.

Thats what I'm thinking, Wayne still has a tough chin and held his own with Larios 2 fights ago. If Kilo can't take McCullough out, can he out box him over 10 rounds say? ......it's interesting and then McCulloughs in the spot light again by going ahead of were Dunne should be now.

Does it really have to be for the title?

Instead of it being a Martinez voluntary they could just have the fight as a non-title. Does anyone really care if it's for the European title?

Autobarn wrote:Does it really have to be for the title?

Instead of it being a Martinez voluntary they could just have the fight as a non-title. Does anyone really care if it's for the European title?

No the title is not important, Wayne wants the win as he's the man who easily Ko'd new golden Irish fighter of that time Dunne.

Great fight for Wayne- could push him straight back up there if he can pull it off. I think he's much more suited to Martinez than Dunne was. For one, Wayne doesn;t stop punching and if he ever does, he comes out of an exchange with his hands up and head down, unlike Bernard.

The fight may still go ahead.

Wayne commented on this in one of the Irish papers this morning where he said he was not eligible for EBU but may fight non title. They're looking at a 10 rounder.

Said the most likely destination is King's Hall or somewhere in London on December 1st.

What have we really seen of Martinez??? he could be a hype job who caught Dunne cold...I would like to see Wayne in a fight beforehand..im sure if he knows hes shot...

I wouldnt put it past wayne whos as fit as a fiddle

Wayne's only looked shot against world level fighters though, against Euro he might have enough still.

thepocketrocket wrote:What have we really seen of Martinez??? he could be a hype job who caught Dunne cold...I would like to see Wayne in a fight beforehand..im sure if he knows hes shot...

I wouldnt put it past wayne whos as fit as a fiddle

well they all said he was just a hype job before he splattered Dunne.

In other fights he seems a heavy hitter and good body puncher.

Hard to tell for most of us with regard to how good Martinez actually is. I suspect that I like many of you have only seen him the once, other than that it's his record you go by.

Still looking at Waynes record he is ripe for the taking even at Euro level now....

Seems a terrible match for Wayne, not one you'd advise for an old warrior in his twilight years.
Taking on a young gun who throws damaging punches, if nothing else, and the Irishman has the type of chin that'll mean he'll have to take a lot, even if he manages to win. Which looks a very long shot.

He's been in far too many wars over the years and I'd love to see him turn his hand to training full time, rather than carrying on Holyfield style.

If Kiko beat Wayne, there wouldn't be too many fighters who had as good a record at 21 as he has or after only 18 fights.

so he won a world championship when he was in his early 20's. since then he has lost, lost, lost. what the hell is he thinking or his manager? does she want him dead?

gimmeabreak wrote:so he won a world championship when he was in his early 20's. since then he has lost, lost, lost. what the hell is he thinking or his manager? does she want him dead?

His manager is his wife, isnt it?

Cheryl McCullough. She's motivated by the big green dollar bills so will be hoping Wayne's chin holds up a few fights yet.