Wayne McCullough's sterling performance in Atlantic City last Saturday restored much faith in the dignity and decency of boxing. In the lead-up to the fight the behaviour of Prince Naseem Hamed had brought the reputation to a new low. The fight game has become accustomed to the hype which surrounds the game at the heavier weights, but the lighter men, to a large extent, allow their speed and skill to do the talking.
Along came Naseem. At first, we were amused if only slightly annoyed with his brash, loud promotion of himself. It was frowned upon but accepted, although reluctantly. In Atlantic City he plumbed the depths and succeeded in making himself the most unpopular boy in town.
His undoubted ability was completely overtaken by his arrogance. Hardened observers refused to be charmed by it. A feeling grew over the days before the fight that in the event of McCullough pulling off an unlikely victory, few would be upset and thousands delighted. This reading of the situation was very clear in the Convention Centre in the hours before the fight and was emphasised when McCullough came to the ring and was given an ecstatic welcome.
A very big proportion of the crowd of some 8,000 were Irish, but it was clear as well that among the American boxing fans present there was a sincere hope that Naseem would be beaten.
His entrance through a corridor of tombstones, through smoke bombs and fire crackers, failed to impress any more than his somersaulting back-flip over the ropes. The antagonism was palpable. At the end his victory was greeted with prolonged booing and, however much one must condemn that, on this occasion it was to some extent understandable. In Ireland we are well used to moral victories, but this was one that had its own award. Wayne McCullough endeared himself to everyone. His performance was of the highest calibre, his demeanour both before and afterwards was exemplary and his place in boxing history is assured, not only in Ireland but throughout the boxing world. A brief incident on the Saturday afternoon before the fight illustrates clearly the nature of the young Belfastman. Taking the bracing air along the Atlantic City boardwalk he spotted a notice in a bar near the sea front. It proclaimed him as the Number One and wished him luck.
He might have passed by and continued his stroll with his wife Cheryl and baby daughter Wynona and a friend, but he stopped and walked into the bar to say thanks to the staff for the poster display.
What he didn't know was that three intrepid Irish boxing reporters, including this one, were having a tipple and that the barman was from his own town of Belfast and was thrilled to meet his unexpected visitor, albeit that they were clearly from either side of Belfast divide.
McCullough now faces the rest of his boxing career knowing that he has earned the respect of the world boxing fraternity. He is 28years-old, a former world champion, a man who knows where he is going and where he has come from. In short, he has proved that he can take on the best and stand his ground. He has earned the kind of respect that Naseem, for all his flamboyance, cannot claim. While talk of a re-match may not be entirely realistic just now, it can be taken for granted that McCullough will fight again. Immediately after Saturday night's defeat (much narrower than some might think), he was in an upbeat mood and spoke of another appearance in the ring in the spring. He was careful to pay tribute to the people who travelled from far and wide to support him. From Clonakilty to Cushendun, they were there in presence and voice and he was grateful for it.
"It was like the King's Hall there tonight," he said with pride in his voice, and he went on to talk of a huge crowd at a re-match in Ireland. If it happens, nobody will have deserved it more. Some reservations about a continuation of his career as a boxer have been expressed. Those reservations would have been valid were he to have been badly beaten or stopped last Saturday night. He wasn't.
He showed courage, of course, in taking on Naseem. In doing so, and in taking him the distance, he showed great maturity and tactical awareness - and in doing so he also sowed a harvest of doubt in the champion's mind. McCullough has devoted his life to boxing and has won much credit and fame. He is now in a position where he can solidify that fame into a strong bank balance. There are risks in every career and none more potent than in boxing. Wayne McCullough knows what those risks are more than many. It would be foolish now for him to retire. He finds himself in a position where many would wish to avoid him. When he does go into the ring again, he can be assured of substantial financial rewards. He is good box office material and he can reap what he has sown, knowing that the risks are minimal.
He has sent out the message: "Don't mess with McCullough" and another two or three fights before his 30th birthday can leave him and his family comfortable for the rest of their lives.
He has shown what can be done with dedication and decency and he deserves whatever he earns. He has brought great credit to boxing in Ireland both as an amateur and a professional. We can all be proud of his achievements.
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