Headline News

Tyrone McCullagh apologises to fans following farcical fight


Tyrone McCullagh was quite glum following his first headline appearance on Saturday.

The Derry super bantamweight was hoping to have a break-out fight on the Ginley Promotions ‘Danger at The Devenish’ card in Belfast – however numerous fight-week opponent changes and a moment of madness from eventual foe Craig Derbyshire left him feeling dissatisfied.

McCullagh [8(4)-0] won his fight with the BBBoC Central Area super flyweight champion via second round disqualification, with Derbyshire seeing red and being thrown out for a succession of fouls.

Afterwards McCullagh lamented to Irish-Boxing.com how “it just seems to sum up this week. We have had three different opponents in a week.”

“It is disappointing but a win’s a win at the end of the day and we move on. I think he just wanted out and what can you do when he does something like that?”

The fan-favourite had brought a massive support with him across Ulster and stated that “I would like to apologise to my fans, they bought tickets expecting an eight rounder and a title fight, but it got changed three times in the last week and I just want to take the chance to say sorry and thank them for the support.”

“Although saying that they looked like they were enjoying themselves out there anyway.”

Giving his view on the the four and a half minutes of action that did take place, southpaw McCullagh noted that “I was frustrated this week, but I honestly felt focused in there and was ready to put on a performance, but he wasn’t up to much to be honest.”

“I was hitting him and he stumbled a bit, the ref didn’t rule it a knockdown and said fight on so I kept hitting him.”

“He seemed to go mad then and he pulled the referee out of the way to get at me, there is nothing I can do about that.”

Turning 27 earlier in the month, McCullagh is eager to push on, however it seems as though he is a victim of his own talents.

‘White Chocolate’ explained how “I have been saying for the last three or four fights that I want done with these journeymen, but in fairness to MTK they have a tough time trying to match me.”

“Fighters either pull out like this week or don’t want to fight me. I just have to keep my head down and hopefully I am out again before the end of the year.”

“I was delighted MTK made me top of the bill and there was a bit more atmosphere out there, but then you have that fight and it takes a bit away from it.”

One potential mooted opponent was the winner of the super bantamweight clash between Carl McDonald and Regan Buckley last month in Dublin.

Bray’s Buckley won that bout, but it would seem unlikely that the natural flyweight will be sticking around at 122lbs.

McCullagh isn’t hopeful and described how “I watched a round or two, but I don’t think either of them want to fight me. It’s been offered before.”

“I hear Buckley is moving back down, maybe McDonald would take it, but I don’t think so.”

Photo Credit: Ricardo Guglielminotti – The Fighting Irish (@ThefIrish)

gym trition

frayne carpentry

irishboxing

Integral part of the Irish boxing community for over 13 years

x