McCullough stopped

Wayne McCullough was stopped for the first time in his career as WBC super-bantamweight champion Oscar Larios defended his title in style at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

The ‘Pocket Rocket’ protested “I’m fine” repeatedly as referee Richard Steele – on the advice of doctor Margaret Goodman – retired McCullough as he sat on his stool at the end of the 10th round.

It was McCullough’s sixth defeat in his 28 professional fights and surely represented his last shot at a world title.

The Belfast boxer was clearly upset at being denied the chance to go the distance, but the punishment he had taken had long since reached unacceptable levels.

Both fighters started at a furious pace but McCullough’s plan to march forward and out-punch Larios seemed doomed to failure as the Mexican used his height and reach advantage to land the cleaner shots and keep the 35-year-old challenger at bay.

Larios sustained a cut next to his right eye in an accidental clash of heads in the third round and McCullough tried to seize his chance in the fourth, getting in close enough to land his punches.

In truth, the fourth round was probably the only one McCullough won and as his pace dropped off slightly Larios reasserted his dominance.

A big left hook from the Mexican rocked McCullough for just a second in the sixth round and a big right hand followed by a combination definitely shook McCullough in the sixth.

McCullough’s durability is well known, but his somewhat foolish response to Larios’ onslaught was to drop his hands in a show of bravado and invite the Mexican to try harder.

Trainer Freddie Roach showed concern for McCullough at the end of the eighth round and at the end of the ninth referee Steele told McCullough he was taking too many shots.

The fight doctor stepped in to stop what was becoming a brutal beating at the end of the 10th round and Larios, who had claimed a unanimous points decision when the pair met in February, won on a technical knockout.

It was a 17th consecutive win for 28-year-old Larios, but McCullough knows time is fast running out to win another world title to add to the WBC bantamweight belt he held in the mid-1990s.