WAYNE McCULLOUGH could get a re match against Daniel Zaragoza later this year after the veteran Mexican World Boxing Council super bantamweight champion successfully defended his crown in Osaka with a unanimous 12 round decision over challenger Joichiro Tatsuyoshi of Japan.

McCullough, the former WBC bantamweight champion, was beaten on a controversial split decision by Zaragoza last January and afterwards the Mexican accepted McCullough's request for another fight.

There were no knockdowns against the Japanese man as the 39 year old champion, fighting before 6,000 spectators, made his fourth defence of the title.

The champion visibly tired in the last two rounds of the fight after taking command early on and often held on to Tatsuyoshi, throwing him down once in the 12th round and earning a one point penalty.

After claiming the verdict by scores of 115-112, 116-112 and 116-111, Zaragoza said: "I tried to give a good fight, using all my energy as a pro boxer."