Inevitably the health of former world champion Wayne McCullough took precedence over his boxing career when he was advised to see a top neurosurgeon in America after doctors again looked at his brain scans yesterday in Belfast.
Questions have also arisen over why it took seven days to inform the boxer of the results of the scan, which was carried out on October 12th. McCullough was told on October 19th and continued to fully engage in sparring in the interim.
On Thursday McCullough was informed by the controlling body of the sport, the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBC), who were unavailable for comment on the length of time it took to inform the boxer of his condition, that a two centimetre cyst was found in a scan taken by the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. However, further tests carried out in Tallaght Hospital, Dublin, revealed nothing and the fighter was given a clean bill of health.
Yesterday doctors looked at both the Dublin and Belfast scans and maintained that the cyst still exists. They advised that a third opinion be sought in the US, which McCullough (30) plans to do before he takes any decision about making a return to the ring.
"They had a look again at the scans today (Friday) and they maintain that the cysts do exist," said his wife Cheryl. "The BBBC won't sanction the fight and we have been advised to seek a third opinion in the US. We've been told to go to a top neurosurgeon. Mat Tinley (McCullough's former manager) will hopefully arrange for Wayne to see someone when we get back."
"Now his health is foremost in our minds and even if he is given the all clear it will be up to him whether he wants to get back into the ring or not. He has a life outside of the ring. He has tons of stuff that interests him. People only know Wayne for his boxing but he has a very full life outside boxing. Regardless of what the doctors say he'll take his time before he decides."
Having faced and rattled some of the best fighters of his era including the unbeaten Prince Naseem Hamed and Erik Morales, it has been a frightening conclusion to such a broadly supported and marvellously courageous boxer. Like Barry McGuigan fighters of McCullough's quality come around only once in a generation.
McCullough, who along side gold medallist Michael Carruth won a silver medal in the Barcelona games in 1992, was hoping to use last nights fight as the first step towards another shot at becoming world champion. He held the WBC belt between 1995 and 1997 then challenged unsuccessfully three times to regain titles.
"We always knew that his boxing career would come to an end," said Cheryl. "But we had hoped that it would be our decision. Obviously his health is more important than anything. Wayne wants to stay healthy and he wants to be there when Wynona (their two year daughter) graduates from high school."
Meanwhile the Irish Sports Council announced yesterday that it has restored assistance to the Irish Amateur Boxing Association (IABA) following the IABA's adoption of revised anti doping procedures. Earlier this year the IABA decided not to sanction one of its boxers who tested positive for a banned substance prompting the Sports Council to withdraw funding.
The Sports Council's new stance reflects satisfaction with the procedures the IABA now have in place for bringing doping charges against boxers and for the standard proof to be applied in such situations.
New independent disciplinary and appeals panels are also to be established by the IABA which has restated its commitment to confront drug abuse in sport. The IABA said that it will "offer no protection to an athlete who has brought disgrace on himself and on the association."
