McCullough to face Martinez

FORMER world champion, Wayne McCullough, is set to challenge the Spaniard, Kiko Martinez, who shocked the Irish boxing public with his first round victory over Bernard Dunne in August.

The fight, scheduled for the King’s Hall in Belfast on December 1, has already fuelled speculation of an all-Ireland clash between McCullough and Bernard Dunne, although the European super bantamweight title Martinez won from Dunne in August will not be up for grabs when McCullough and Martinez clash.

Despite his years — he turned 37 three months ago — the former WBC bantamweight champion can’t wait to mark his return to the ring with a shot at the 21-year-old Alicante man, who stripped Dunne of his European title in loess than 90 seconds.

The title won’t be on the line at the King’s Hall but the Pocket Rocket, who last fought in his native city five years ago next month when he stopped Russian import Nikolai Eremeev at the Maysfield Leisure Centre in four rounds, is nevertheless looking forward to the scheduled 10 rounder.

“I can’t wait to fight in front of my home fans,” he said.

“I haven’t fought in Belfast since 2002 and while I constantly asked for a fight over there, it just didn’t happen.

“The only time I’ve seen Kiko Martinez fight is when he defeated Bernard Dunne, so I can’t take much from that fight,” he said.

“Martinez caught Bernard cold but that’s boxing. I’ve been up against the best fighters in the world before so I know what to expect.’’

As regards an eventual clash with Bernard Dunne, he was not committing himself to anything.

“I never look past an opponent and I know Martinez will give me a great fight, but my plan is to go on to fight for another world title in the very near future,” he said. Meanwhile the coveted green vest of Ireland could be worn again by Irish boxers at next year’s Olympic Games in Beijing.

At the AIBA Congress here in Chicago, it was decided to drop the blue and red singlets that denote the separate corners and return to national colours for amateur boxers as President Wu promised to return amateur boxing as it was.

It was also decided to change the computer scoring by dropping the highest and lowest scores from the five judges.

The headgear will be retained although it will be modified by strengthening the chin strap and lightning the top of the helmet, should the medical commission agree.

They will also consider a return to the 3 x 3 minute rounds pending agreement from the commission.

All the changes have yet to be ratified.