It’ll take ‘MAGIC’ to see McCullough fight tonight

Dean Juipe

Monday, Aug. 30, 1999 | 9:52 a.m.

Despite being a Las Vegas resident since 1994, Wayne McCullough has fought only one time in his adopted hometown and that was five years ago.

Tonight he's fighting once again in Las Vegas but unless you have a credential from the MAGIC Apparel convention that's going on in the city, you have no chance of landing a ticket for the fight card at the Hard Rock hotel-casino.

"That's disgraceful," McCullough said Sunday. "I've got enough friends and have a good enough following here that I could fill that small arena on my own. I don't mind the convention getting some of the tickets, but they shouldn't have more than half."

But the MAGIC organizers purchased all 1,400 tickets from the Hard Rock and will use the boxing card as the first half of a doubleheader that will close with a private concert by the band Blondie.

McCullough isn't impressed.

"I've had 40 people call me who said they called the Hard Rock and were told they couldn't get tickets," he said. "They asked me if I was selling tickets, but the truth is I don't even know if I can get tickets for my family. This just isn't fair."

McCullough, who last fought in town Sept. 15, 1994 at the Silver Nugget, is headlining a card that will be taped by the Fox Sports Net and shown nationally on Sept. 19. He's in a 10-round featherweight bout with Len Martinez.

For McCullough, the idea is to win and not get hurt as he is also scheduled to face World Boxing Council super bantamweight champion Erik Morrales Oct. 22 in Detroit.

"I reckon he'll come out swinging," McCullough said of Martinez. "I think he'll try his luck in the first minute, but I'll be prepared.

"Not having fought in 10 months, what I'd like is to get some work out of him. I'm definitely ready to go after sparring for five weeks."

McCullough, 29, is 22-2 and is ranked No. 2 by the WBC.

Martinez is 17-5-1.

Also scheduled on the six-bout card that opens at 7 p.m.: Hector Camacho Jr., 23-0, vs. Simon Gonzalez, 24-7-2, 10 rounds, junior welterweights; Derrick Harmon, 18-1, vs. Earl Butler, 19-8-2, eight rounds, light heavyweights; Mike Juarez, 21-8-1, vs. Daniel Rodriguez, 18-1-2, eight rounds, featherweights; Mario Ajuiniga, 3-0, vs. Chris Ortiz, 2-1, six rounds, featherweights; and Rudy Martinez, 9-0, vs. Edgar Garcia, 9-9-1, six rounds, super bantamweights.

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