Barry McGuigan: ‘McCullough was fantastic on Friday night’

Promoter Barry McGuigan knows a good featherweight rumble when he sees one. The former world champion was, after all, involved in a few enticing scraps during his own ring career. On Friday, June 20 his young prospect Marc ‘Marco’ McCullough engaged in a throwback small hall brawl. McCullough possessed the tools necessary to avoid trench warfare and looked in control of the bout whenever he stood off and dictated behind his more considered jab. It was only when the Shankill Road man stepped inside and tried to slug it out with Czech opponent Martin Parlagi that his defence began to leak.

“I thought he was fantastic tonight. Rounds eight and nine were fabulous rounds,” buzzed Barry shortly after the dust settled on the main event.

“John (Breen) decides who he fights but he needs a rest now. That win has given us a number of options. Warrington’s out of the question, especially after tonight but he didn’t want anything to do with [Marc] so we have to look elsewhere. Martin Lindsay’s gone, he’s out of the equation. Parlagi would definitely beat Warrington.”

McGuigan also has his eye on another new signing or two, making no secret of the fact he is an admirer of the talent that finds its way through the Irish amateur system. The crowd at the Waterfront Hall venue fluctuated from bout-to-bout but by the time McCullough entered the ring there was a fervent aura developing. Even though there weren’t as many people inside as for the Eamonn Magee-Shea Neary contest that took place in the Waterfront in 2000, veteran trainer John Breen said that the atmosphere was more intense on Friday night.

“The crowd will be twice as much next time because of that fight,” continued McGuigan. “Marc wasn’t always using the full length of his jab, he was only three-quarter jabbing because he wanted to have a fight all the time. We’ve got a small show planned for November as well and if Carl does what we believe he can do then we might be out again before the end of the year; not that we want to get too far ahead of ourselves.”