Following on from the airing of my interview with the Pocket Rocket on Dublin City FM, the interview has now been put up on www.britishboxing.net
Have a listen at the link below as Wayne says some interesting things as always.
http://www.britishboxing.net/news_4463-BBN-Podflash-McCullough-claims-Bernard-is-scared-if-he-doesn-t-fight.html
Enjoy
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Open Letter from the Pocket Rocket to Bernard Dunne
I just received this from Wayne McCullough. Makes for interesting reading.
I will follow this up with an interview tomorrow with Wayne about this issue aswell as other things happening within Irish Boxing.
Enjoy
OPEN LETTER TO BERNARD DUNNE
Bernard,
Congratulations on your great win at the weekend – you deserve it. You’ve worked hard to get where you are today. Being able to come back from the 5th round to pull out the win, while being so far behind on the cards, is an accomplishment in itself.
Doesn’t it feel good to be a World Champion?!? I’m really delighted for you. And being able to fight for the belt in front of your hometown fans is fantastic too.
But let’s get down to business!
When I sat down with you in Dublin in January – while I was there for the UFC fights – I mentioned that we should fight whether you won or lost because this is a match up the fans want to see.
Since the weekend I’ve had dozens of emails from our fans saying we need to fight as it would be the biggest event in Irish history.
So Bernard what do you say? Let’s get this done. I don’t have a promoter so the fight can be made easily – if you and your team want it! I’m an over the hill old man so I’m not going to be much of a threat to you!!!
I know you’ve said in the past that you won’t fight me because I’m your “hero” but Oscar de la Hoya fought Julio Cesar Chavez who was his hero. So that shouldn’t be an excuse.
Not since 1962 when Johnny Caldwell and Freddie Gilroy fought, have 2 guys from the same country fighting in the same weight class at the same time been able to meet at this level.
We don’t have to fight for your belt but that would be a bonus. You’re a world champion and no-one can ever take that away from you, so what do you have to lose? Anyway when I beat you, the belt is going to stay with an Irishman!!!
I have cemented my legacy in boxing and fought the best along the way. Right now, you are the champion and I’m sure you too will want to prove that you are the best. To be the best, you have to beat the best. So fight me!
I believe in my confidence, chin, talent and heart that I have what it takes to defeat you. Can you say the same thing?
Enjoy your success, Bernard. I’m proud of you!!
Your friend, Wayne McCullough
I will follow this up with an interview tomorrow with Wayne about this issue aswell as other things happening within Irish Boxing.
Enjoy
OPEN LETTER TO BERNARD DUNNE
Bernard,
Congratulations on your great win at the weekend – you deserve it. You’ve worked hard to get where you are today. Being able to come back from the 5th round to pull out the win, while being so far behind on the cards, is an accomplishment in itself.
Doesn’t it feel good to be a World Champion?!? I’m really delighted for you. And being able to fight for the belt in front of your hometown fans is fantastic too.
But let’s get down to business!
When I sat down with you in Dublin in January – while I was there for the UFC fights – I mentioned that we should fight whether you won or lost because this is a match up the fans want to see.
Since the weekend I’ve had dozens of emails from our fans saying we need to fight as it would be the biggest event in Irish history.
So Bernard what do you say? Let’s get this done. I don’t have a promoter so the fight can be made easily – if you and your team want it! I’m an over the hill old man so I’m not going to be much of a threat to you!!!
I know you’ve said in the past that you won’t fight me because I’m your “hero” but Oscar de la Hoya fought Julio Cesar Chavez who was his hero. So that shouldn’t be an excuse.
Not since 1962 when Johnny Caldwell and Freddie Gilroy fought, have 2 guys from the same country fighting in the same weight class at the same time been able to meet at this level.
We don’t have to fight for your belt but that would be a bonus. You’re a world champion and no-one can ever take that away from you, so what do you have to lose? Anyway when I beat you, the belt is going to stay with an Irishman!!!
I have cemented my legacy in boxing and fought the best along the way. Right now, you are the champion and I’m sure you too will want to prove that you are the best. To be the best, you have to beat the best. So fight me!
I believe in my confidence, chin, talent and heart that I have what it takes to defeat you. Can you say the same thing?
Enjoy your success, Bernard. I’m proud of you!!
Your friend, Wayne McCullough
Monday, March 23, 2009
Eddie Hyland to fight for European Title.
After last Fridays loss for Ian Napa of his European bantamweight title, it seemed like it wasn’t going to be a good weekend for Dublin boxing brothers, the Hyland’s, as the youngest of the trio Paul, was lined up to face Napa for that title.
Unfortunately for Paul Hyland, Napa lost against Frenchman Malik Bouziane and this loss for Napa has put a huge dent into the big plans that Team-Hyland had for 2009: Step in European Super-Featherweight champion Serguy Gulyakevich.
The Belarusian 26-1 (12KO) has a fantastic record and his only stoppage was against Alex Arthur back in April 2006 in Edinburgh for this very title. A couple of months later and a few hundred miles south of Scotland, Eddie Hyland also had his only loss to date against Stephen Mullin in Liverpool.
That fight for Hyland was only the fifth of his career and after the fight he contemplated his future in the ring but after taking time out and making the decision to stick at the noble sport, he has come back notching up seven straight wins with a career now standing at 11-1 (3KO).
The biggest win so far for Hyland was most certainly his fight against Kevin ‘Sweet Pea’ O’Hara in one of the best fights of 2008 in an Irish ring. After the 10-round war, Hyland emerged victorious and became Irish Super-Featherweight champion in the process.
He has had two wins since that fight last April and was looking forward to fighting in America over the St. Patricks weekend in either Boston or New York. Unfortunately for Hyland, the promoters of the New York card folded and then his opponent was late with his medical details for the Boston card.
However, good things come to those that wait and the announcement today that a fight between Gulyakevich and Hyland has been sanctioned to take place on 29 May in Hyland’s home town of Dublin.
No more news of the other fights on the card but it is believed that the card will be promoted by Frank Maloney and the undercard will feature Irish Olympic bronze medallist Darren Sutherland.
I will post more when I get an update on the situation.
Unfortunately for Paul Hyland, Napa lost against Frenchman Malik Bouziane and this loss for Napa has put a huge dent into the big plans that Team-Hyland had for 2009: Step in European Super-Featherweight champion Serguy Gulyakevich.
The Belarusian 26-1 (12KO) has a fantastic record and his only stoppage was against Alex Arthur back in April 2006 in Edinburgh for this very title. A couple of months later and a few hundred miles south of Scotland, Eddie Hyland also had his only loss to date against Stephen Mullin in Liverpool.
That fight for Hyland was only the fifth of his career and after the fight he contemplated his future in the ring but after taking time out and making the decision to stick at the noble sport, he has come back notching up seven straight wins with a career now standing at 11-1 (3KO).
The biggest win so far for Hyland was most certainly his fight against Kevin ‘Sweet Pea’ O’Hara in one of the best fights of 2008 in an Irish ring. After the 10-round war, Hyland emerged victorious and became Irish Super-Featherweight champion in the process.
He has had two wins since that fight last April and was looking forward to fighting in America over the St. Patricks weekend in either Boston or New York. Unfortunately for Hyland, the promoters of the New York card folded and then his opponent was late with his medical details for the Boston card.
However, good things come to those that wait and the announcement today that a fight between Gulyakevich and Hyland has been sanctioned to take place on 29 May in Hyland’s home town of Dublin.
No more news of the other fights on the card but it is believed that the card will be promoted by Frank Maloney and the undercard will feature Irish Olympic bronze medallist Darren Sutherland.
I will post more when I get an update on the situation.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Dunne Vs Cordoba
We are fast approaching the biggest fight Ireland has seen in more than a decade, when this Saturday, we see Dublin’s Bernard Dunne challenge for the WBA Super-Bantamweight title from Panamanian Ricardo Cordoba.
Since the bout was announced, opinions have been divided, with the majority of boxing fans and the bookmakers believing that this fight is a step to far for Dunne. And to be honest, that is how it looks when you study both of the contender’s records.
Dunne’s (27-1)(14KO) only defeat against Kiko Martinez in August 2007 shook the Irish boxing world to its foundations as Bernard was seen as the shining light, and a leading contender to fight for a world title at some stage in the future.
Many questioned if Dunne would come back after such a devastating loss but come back he did, winning his next three fights against reasonable top-twenty ranked opponents, albeit all ranked at Bantamweight and smaller than Dunne.
These guys were tailor-made for Dunne who had shown before the Martinez fight that anyone with a bit of power could trouble him as his chin seems to be his Achilles. Unlike the Martinez fight, Bernard was able to hold on to the end of the contests and keep his unbeaten record. Then Kiko came along and took advantage of Dunne’s flaw and took his European title as well as Bernard’s O.
Cordoba comes into this fight with an excellent record of 34-1-2(21KO). The only glitches on his record have been when he travels, which could be a good thing for Bernard. In his native Panama, his record is flawless as he has beaten everything put in front of him, including his fellow country man and current world number 1 Super-Bantamweight, Celestino Caballero.
From videos seen of Cordoba, it is clear that he is very much a boxer much like Bernard, although he has decent power as you can see with his respectable K.O percentage. The record as I have said is solid, and for a guy who is only 24, there is a lot of experience there.
The issue that some might take with his record is that when he travels he doesn’t have success. This fight in Dublin will be only his fourth time travelling out of Panama to fight, and on his three previous travels, he hasn’t been successful.
His first trip overseas was against the Thai Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym in Kratingdaenggym’s backyard of Bangkok. He lost by split decision although the scores in the fight were convoluted to say the least. Cordoba has said that he feels he won this fight as well as his two draws against Ukrainian Wladimir Sidorenko, both held in Germany, which has been Sidorenko’s residence, much like the Klitschko’s for the past number of years.
So they are both boxers, with good records (much better in Cordoba’s case) and both have decent power. The main flaw that stands out when you analyse both guys is Dunne’s chin. As already stated, this has been exposed by a number of Dunne’s opponents, although Martinez is the only one up to this point to really take advantage.
Many have argued that Bernard should stay on the outside and box and move, ala Khan V Barrera; try use his boxing skills to beat Cordoba. The reality is that Cordoba has as much boxing skill as Dunne if not more so in my opinion, Dunne needs to try something different.
Bernard has shown, particularly in the earlier part of his career that he can hurt opponents, and he was getting good power into shots, especially into the body. Since he has come back from the Kiko Martinez loss, he has talked about working with a specialist to build up his strength and conditioning and this is the fight to show the fruits of this work, if there is any.
The longer that the fight goes on; the less chance Dunne has of winning. Dunne needs to stop being the matador and become the bull. He has to hunt down Cordoba, make him earn his big pay check and bully him so that he cannot take anymore.
If he does this, Dunne wins the WBA Super-Bantamweight Championship in five rounds. If he doesn’t finish Cordoba off by the fifth, then Ireland will be left waiting a bit longer for a world champion.
Since the bout was announced, opinions have been divided, with the majority of boxing fans and the bookmakers believing that this fight is a step to far for Dunne. And to be honest, that is how it looks when you study both of the contender’s records.
Dunne’s (27-1)(14KO) only defeat against Kiko Martinez in August 2007 shook the Irish boxing world to its foundations as Bernard was seen as the shining light, and a leading contender to fight for a world title at some stage in the future.
Many questioned if Dunne would come back after such a devastating loss but come back he did, winning his next three fights against reasonable top-twenty ranked opponents, albeit all ranked at Bantamweight and smaller than Dunne.
These guys were tailor-made for Dunne who had shown before the Martinez fight that anyone with a bit of power could trouble him as his chin seems to be his Achilles. Unlike the Martinez fight, Bernard was able to hold on to the end of the contests and keep his unbeaten record. Then Kiko came along and took advantage of Dunne’s flaw and took his European title as well as Bernard’s O.
Cordoba comes into this fight with an excellent record of 34-1-2(21KO). The only glitches on his record have been when he travels, which could be a good thing for Bernard. In his native Panama, his record is flawless as he has beaten everything put in front of him, including his fellow country man and current world number 1 Super-Bantamweight, Celestino Caballero.
From videos seen of Cordoba, it is clear that he is very much a boxer much like Bernard, although he has decent power as you can see with his respectable K.O percentage. The record as I have said is solid, and for a guy who is only 24, there is a lot of experience there.
The issue that some might take with his record is that when he travels he doesn’t have success. This fight in Dublin will be only his fourth time travelling out of Panama to fight, and on his three previous travels, he hasn’t been successful.
His first trip overseas was against the Thai Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym in Kratingdaenggym’s backyard of Bangkok. He lost by split decision although the scores in the fight were convoluted to say the least. Cordoba has said that he feels he won this fight as well as his two draws against Ukrainian Wladimir Sidorenko, both held in Germany, which has been Sidorenko’s residence, much like the Klitschko’s for the past number of years.
So they are both boxers, with good records (much better in Cordoba’s case) and both have decent power. The main flaw that stands out when you analyse both guys is Dunne’s chin. As already stated, this has been exposed by a number of Dunne’s opponents, although Martinez is the only one up to this point to really take advantage.
Many have argued that Bernard should stay on the outside and box and move, ala Khan V Barrera; try use his boxing skills to beat Cordoba. The reality is that Cordoba has as much boxing skill as Dunne if not more so in my opinion, Dunne needs to try something different.
Bernard has shown, particularly in the earlier part of his career that he can hurt opponents, and he was getting good power into shots, especially into the body. Since he has come back from the Kiko Martinez loss, he has talked about working with a specialist to build up his strength and conditioning and this is the fight to show the fruits of this work, if there is any.
The longer that the fight goes on; the less chance Dunne has of winning. Dunne needs to stop being the matador and become the bull. He has to hunt down Cordoba, make him earn his big pay check and bully him so that he cannot take anymore.
If he does this, Dunne wins the WBA Super-Bantamweight Championship in five rounds. If he doesn’t finish Cordoba off by the fifth, then Ireland will be left waiting a bit longer for a world champion.
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