Columnist Dean Juipe: McCullough upset with British license denial

Dean Juipe

Thursday, June 21, 2001 | 9:12 a.m.

Dean Juipe's boxing notebook appears Thursday. His sports column appears Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Reach him at juipe@lasvegassun.com or 259-4084.

Out of the ring for a year and a half but anxious and feeling physically ready for a return, Wayne McCullough was dealt a blow last week when the British Boxing Board of Control denied him a license.

For the former World Boxing Council bantamweight champion who was born in Ireland and has been living in Las Vegas, the BBBC's decision was unwarranted and merits a legal response on his part.

"I'm going to file a lawsuit," he said this week, back in town after almost four weeks in Ireland. "I'm going to do it for the sake of getting some answers, although I know they're not going to let me fight no matter what."

McCullough, 30, had been hoping to fight Hungary's Sander Koczek in Belfast next month. But that bout was scuttled by the BBBC's edict, which effectively bans McCullough not only from fighting anywhere in Great Britain but from even fighting a man anywhere in the world who is from Great Britain.

"It was like something from the Twilight Zone," McCullough said of being apprised of the BBBC's decision. "I didn't argue with them but I know something political is going on. Their minds are made up and they're not listening to reason."

McCullough, who was out with hand troubles a year ago and then found to have had a cyst on the brain prior to a fight scheduled for last October, says nine different doctors and/or neurologists have cleared him to resume his career.

"I was probably born with the cyst and I have had it all my life," he said. "Now the BBBC is trying to say I'm at a higher risk than any other fighter, even though all the medical tests say I'm fine."

In an effort to regain his license in Nevada, McCullough submitted to extensive testing at the UCLA medical center and was deemed to be OK.

"How can the BBBC say Nevada is wrong and UCLA is wrong and all these other doctors are wrong?" McCullough asked. "I'm not worried about fighting and Nevada's not worried either. (Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director) Marc Ratner is not going to let me fight if there's anything wrong with me."

Upon application, McCullough will likely regain his Nevada license and will then be eligible to fight in America. His revised plans include facing WBC super bantamweight champion Willie Jorrin, perhaps as soon as late August.

"I want to fight Jorrin because he said he beat me in the amateurs in Portland (Ore.) in 1991, but we didn't fight," McCullough said. "Maybe he's just trying to give himself a psychological edge.

"I know I might feel rusty once I get in the ring, but I'm ready to go and when I get a fight I'll be as sharp as I can."

Tyson has left the Golden Gloves Gym to train for a while at Big Bear, Calif. ... A dispute between WBA featherweight champ Derrick Gainer and an old friend, undisputed light heavyweight champ Roy Jones, has resulted in Gainer's fight with Juan Manuel Marquez being dropped from Jones' July 28 card in Los Angeles. ... Local lightweight Adarryl Johnson has taken a short-notice fight and will meet ex-champ Jorge Paez Sunday in Worley, Idaho. Johnson is 13-9-2, Paez 68-14-4. ... Another local lightweight, James Crayton, has picked up a fight with top prospect Julio Diaz that's set for July 15 in San Jaciento, Calif. Crayton, coming off a loss to ex-champ Stevie Johnston, is 32-15-2, Diaz 22-0. ... America Presents has David Reid featured in the main event of a card set for July 8 at the Texas Station.

Local heavyweight Rocky Gannon headlines a July 6 card at the Reno Hilton and may have a fight on his hands with the undefeated Andre Purlett. Gannon, 31, is 30-10 and is coming off a November KO-1 win over Mark Connolly, although he has lost four of his last six fights. Purlett, 27, is 30-0 but has never faced an opponent of any consequence. Las Vegas heavyweight David Defiagabon, 14-0, is also on that card and will take on trial horse Garing Lane, 19-26-2. ... Caesars Palace has picked up a July 20 card -- the night before it hosts Shane Mosley vs. Adrian Stone -- and will offer heavyweights Attila Levin, 19-1, and Ray Austin, 15-2, in the heavyweight main event. Local heavyweights Todd Diggs, 3-2-3, and Mark Tullis, 1-2, are paired in a four-round bout on that same card.