WAYNE McCULLOUGH will officially surrender his WBC bantamweight title when he steps into the ring here tomorrow night, but he hopes to emerge with the WBC super bantamweight belt around his waist.

For that to happen, he must dispose of one of the most experienced boxers around, Daniel Zaragoza, from Mexico City, now in his fourth reign as a world champion, having won both the super bantamweight and bantamweight titles on three occasions. This will, in fact, be his 20th world title bout.

That kind of record would normally represent a huge challenge for McCullough, but Zaragoza has just passed his 39th birthday and is, according to some shrewd judges around here, well past his best.

Nevertheless, McCullough will approach the fight with a great deal of caution. In his last defence of the bantamweight title at the Point in Dublin last March, McCullough took a heavy hammering from another Mexican, Jose Lu is Bueno, before emerging a narrow winner on points.

On that occasion we were told that McCullough had trouble making the weight, that to beat the scales he had to train and diet quite severely, and that this regime weakened him. Whatever the reason for that less than impressive display, McCullough now has an opportunity not only to redeem his lost status but also to win a second world title.

McCullough won the admiration of the boxing world nearly two years ago by going to Japan to take on the then champion, Yasuei Yakushiji. After 12 fierce rounds, McCullough won a split decision. It was regarded at the time as ridiculous that one of the judges, a Korean, felt that McCullough had lost by as many as four points.

McCullough made his first title defence back home in Belfast, where he faced the Dane, Johnny Bredhall, who talked a good fight until he got into the ring, when his lack of class showed badly.

McCullough's second defence was against Bueno in Dublin, and the morning after McCullough looked a sorry sight indeed. He spoke about his weight problems and his determination to go up a weight and win another title. He is now delivering on part of that promise.

Yesterday he had no problems. "I am dead on the 122 lb mark (8st 10lb) without any problem. I am eating quite normally, and although I'm training hard, I feel very strong, much stronger than I did in Dublin. I am confident that I will win.

"I realise that Zaragoza has been around for a long time and that he is vastly experienced. But I am 13 years younger, and I know that his style will suit me. He likes to come forward all the time and I will be well able to handle that.

"I am not making any predictions about rounds or anything like that, but his age must be against him at this stage," he said.

Zaragoza naturally dismisses this outcome. "Age has nothing to do with it. I am as fit now as I was 20 years ago and I have much more experience, as I am stronger. I am not giving up my title easily," he said.

"Maybe I'm not the best fighter in the world, but I am the most stubborn," said Zaragoza.

McCullough's manager Matt Tinley admitted: "Zaragoza is a great fighter and Wayne has to be careful but I look for Wayne to take him to an aerobic level that's too high for Zaragoza and raise it every round - burn the guy out.

McCullough said: "He's a tough guy and a very good champion, but he's had a lot of tough fights. I've watched tapes of him and he throws an average of 60 to 65 punches a round - I'll throw 110 a round.

"He likes to control the pace but I'll be stepping it up with each round."

It is also a golden opportunity for the Las Vegas based Ulsterman, aiming to pick up his second world title, to impress the American public with his first appearance on cable giant Home Box Office, coast to coast across the States.

Manager Tinley added: "HBO has the biggest bank in boxing and I have done a lucrative deal for Wayne.

"This is the chance we've been waiting for and I've no doubt HBO will like what they see - it should be a great fight."

The Boston Irish are expected to turn out in big numbers to see the fight at the Hynes Convention Centre, in the city's Back Bay. It will be remembered that it was here that Steve Collins put up a fine performance against the then world middleweight champion, Mike McCallum.

McCullough's father, Drew, his brother Alan, and his former trainer, Harry Robinson, are among a strong Belfast contingent gathering here.

All now seems to be well in the McCullough training camp, where Thel Torrance and Eddie Futch are looking after McCullough's interests. Some months ago it was reported that there were tensions in the camp and that McCullough was unhappy because he felt isolated and alone in Las Vegas. But McCullough has been training for this fight in Denver, and the tensions between himself and his handlers seem to have disappeared.

Futch believes that Zaragoza is tailor made for his fighter. "Wayne's persistence, that dogged attack, is what usually wears them down," said Futch.

"His attack becomes his defence because his opponent is busy defending himself."