Underdog with bite – McCullough backs Jackal to emulate his odds-defying win
Wayne McCullough believes Carl Frampton can emulate him by defying the odds and winning a World title away from home.
‘The Pocket Rocket’ was underdog when he traveled to Japan to fight Yasuei Yakushiji
back in 1995, but proved more like little terrior during the bout and ended up leaving the Far East with the WBC bantamweight World title.
The odds don’t seem as heavily stacked against his fellow Belfast fight legend, but Frampton isn’t the bookies favourite going into his WBA featherweight world title fight with Leo Santa Cruz in New York on July 30th.
However, Olympic silver medal winner McCullough, who is now based in Las Vegas, claims that it might be a positive thing in terms of taking the pressure off Frampton, who bids to become two weight World champion by winning one of the biggest fights in the World this year.
“It is always good to be the underdog. I was the underdog when I went to Japan to fight for the WBC belt and got the job done.
“There is less pressure on you and all he has to do is go out there and perform and produce the goods and get your hand raised,” said McCullough to the BBC.
McCullough is well aware of Santa Cruz’s capabilities as well as Frampton’s and does predict the clash will be the toughest of ‘The Jackal’s’ career.
“Santa Cruz is a tough guy. He is a three weight World champion and the guy can fight. But Carl is going out there with confidence and I hope he wins but it will be tough.”