Q&A with Wayne McCullough

Evening guys

Wayne McCullough has kindly taken some time out to do a small Q&A session with us via Twitter. Questions below in bold, with Wayne's responses beneath. Enjoy.

What was the personal highlight of your boxing career?
Beating Yasuei Yakushiji in his own backyard of Nagoya, Japan to win my WBC bantamweight title.

What do you attribute your seemingly granite chin to? Is this something you did particular exercises to work on improving?
I can't give away my secrets! LOL I think some people are born with a good chin. I was taught techniques to use in a fight by Eddie Futch that takes the impact off the shots. But I'm also a little crazy so that could be part of it!

What were your thoughts as you stood in the ring watching Hamed's bizarre entrance?
"Ah cool "Thriller"! I'm gonna dance too"

Strangest training technique you have tried?
Shadow boxing in the ring without lights on. Pitch black!!!

Favourite fight of all time?
Sitting at ringside live - Diego Corrales v Jose Luis Castillo I
Watched on TV - Marvin Hagler v Tommy Hearns

Favourite fighter currently active, and favourite fighter of all time?
Active - Sergio Martinez and Nonito Donaire
Of all time - Henry Armstrong

Wladimir Klitschko or David Haye - expert prediction?
I'm going with David Haye because I know him.

Which fighters, one past, and one present, would you have liked to face given the chance?
Past - Orlando Canizales
Present - one of the Klitschko's but I'm 100 too light and 6 inches too short!

You were in alot of memorable crowd pleasing fights, would you have swapped your style if it meant more success or longevity at the top of your game at the cost of being a bit of a boring fighter?
I've had longevity having been pro for 18 years. But when fighters found out they couldn't knock me out the fights started dwindling. I've only had 34 fights in my career. My first 7 fights were in 15 weeks!
But to answer your question NO I wouldn't give up my style for anything.

Any regrets from your boxing career?
That some of the judges scored against me in the Daniel Zaragoza fight and my first Oscar Larios fight! I should've been a 3 time world champ!!!

What occupies your time since your retirement from boxing? Are you still heavily involved in the sport?
Retirement???? I've never officially retired! Just stepped away because of injuries but may return if the right fight comes along.

I write a weekly column for SKYsports and I've trained a few fighters as well. Concentrating on my daughter Wynona right now since she's starting her own career as a singer, dancer, actor.

People you faced:

Best overall fighter: Yaseui Yakushiji
Best boxer: Erik Morales
Fastest hands: Yasuei Yakushiji
Hardest hitter: Victor Rabanales because of my inexperience but Erik Morales over 12 rounds
Strongest: Scott Harrison
Smartest: Naseem Hamed
Best chin: Victor Rabanales
Best defence: Naseem Hamed

Many thanks to Wayne for agreeing to this session, and I think you'll agree it is interesting to get the thoughts of someone who has been there and done it with regard to boxing at the top level.

Sounds a good lad, but by god he should have retired a long time ago.Let us hope he doesn't fight again as hinted.I agree he can feel hard done by though as he was champion level and did not have the fights he deserved-belonged to the "Who Needs Em" club.

Must admit I'd be surprised if he returned, nothing left to prove now, and it is always the boxers with the best chins that I worry about most when they fight on well into their 30's.

Interesting to see that Wayne doesn't regard Naz as the biggest puncher he faced, I thought that'd be a given. Suppose the accuracy of Morales would have made the punches seem very hard after absorbing 12 rounds worth of them.

Cheers for this fists, excellent work confirms my long held suspiscion that Wayne is indeed one of the nicest blokes in the sport, top man.

Indeed Jeff, not too many are willing to take the time out to take part in something like this. Real top bloke, almost always responds to any messages you send to him vis Twitter, and was more than happy to do this Q&A.

Shame not all are like him, it'd be nice to get such sessions with a few others too. Will keep on trying.

Great work Fists and great of Wayne to take the time out to answer them.

Good work Fists,Some good questions and answers in there. Hopefully Wayne doesn't come back he's gave all he can to boxing and it's time now to step away from the game.

Well done, Fists. Something of a coup, that one.

What are your thoughts on the 'people he faced' section? Thought Naz being the smartest fighter was an interesting one, a lot of people seem to view Naz as a bit of a show pony, but he obviously had a lot of ring savvy judging by that comment.

Both that and the best defence one for Naz surprised me, would guess like everyone would have fancied Naz to get the biggest puncher nod and not much else. Have seen a few other fighters speak well of Naz's carftiness so as you say does suggest he was not quite the show pony some like to re-invent him as.

Yeah I agree Jeff, the accolade of best defence going to Naz pays tribute to his reflexes and elusiveness, must have been one hell of a slippery customer.

Must admit I fancied Naz for biggest puncher, and nothing else, as you say.

Wouldn't it be nice to get a Q&A with the Prince himself? Could put Wayne's claims to him and get his thoughts! Unfortunately, I don't believe Naz is on Twitter, and not too sure he would be quite as approachable as Wayne was!

He lives down near Wentworth golf course apparently. Sure if we have any members down there if they are willing to stalk the local kebab shops for a couple of days they will bump into him soon enough

Most likely! Such a shame, I'd still be willing to pay top dollar to go and watch Naz were he to make a comeback! He did threaten to a few times...but it was always a bit of hot air to keep his name out there, it would appear!

On the subject of Wayne McCullough, how would you have felt if it were you standing in the ring waiting for Naz to complete that fantastic (but outrageously long) entrance? Must have been a good mind game tool for Naz.

Fists living in sheffield the rumours of him coming back were obviously pretty well covered and from what I can gather he gave it serious consideration and may have even returned to the gym in around 2005 but think the realities of what it would have taken hit home. Think the other thing bearing in mind to be cynical is these rumours often re-surfaced when Barry Hearn's contract was up for renewal with Sky, as he had an association with Sky have to think throwing these rumours about may have smoothed negotations along.

That's a shame that he found the return to the gym too much of a struggle (if those rumours are true), like I say above I would have given anything to attend a Naz fight, unfortunately I was too young when he was in his pomp, so had to make do with watching on TV.

I've said this so many times, but the issue just won't go away, and that is that I wish he had the mental drive to make right his defeat to Barrera, take things as seriously as he once had, and really made himself an all time great, which I think he had the potential to do. Him and Morales would have been all out war.

I always fancied Naz's chances with Morales. Much as I love Morales apdaptability was never exactly his strong points, he is going to come forward and fight you and he is going to ship some leather. With Naz being the one landing could see that as even a tough ask for even someone with Erik's chin, as you rightly say though not a fight you would want to miss

Yeah I thought along the same lines, always fancied Naz more against Morales than Barrera. Then again, I thought Naz would have too much power for Barrera. Credit to Marco though, he fought the perfect fight against Naz, avoiding the toe to toe war style he had gone with against Morales.

Actually when you look back, it shows the level that McCullough was at when you see he went the distance with both Naz and Erik, and whilst losing fairly wide UD's they were by no means shut outs.

Seems like a nice guy. He said 'lol' though...

Haha, I wondered if anyone would point that out, Rowley must have been apoplectic.

Fists of Fury wrote:Haha, I wondered if anyone would point that out, Rowley must have been apoplectic.

Yeah that's who I was specifically thinking of. Those three letters are as good as a death sentence.

Interesting to see some of the answers given, as others have already mentioned.

Nice work Fists - finally had a chance to catch up with this.

Seems like a good guy who is not full of himself like some former heavyweight champs are, naming no names of course.

Can you try and get Eubank next?

Shall do my best, mate!

Have been a bit quiet on the Twitter front of late, shall have a go at getting some more Q&A's in.

Well done for organising this Fists and good luck to Wayne in training up the next generation of boxers .