McCullough isn’t ready to walk away

Wayne McCullough’s return from retirement didn’t go the way he had planned. But that doesn’t mean the former world bantamweight champion is giving up.

McCullough, 38, last fought regularly in 2005. The Northern Ireland fighter retired, only to come back in June to fight Juan Ruiz in the Cayman Islands, where the featherweight bout was stopped in the sixth round when McCullough could not continue.

Grabbing the ring microphone after the fight, McCullough told fans: “I think this could be my last fight, and I want to thank you all for coming. I am disappointed with the way things went, but I just felt I could not go on.”

Eight months later, the “Pocket Rocket” is looking to be licensed in Nevada. He will go before the Nevada Athletic Commission on Tuesday in an attempt to resume his boxing career March 16 in New York.

“To be honest, I never really retired,” said McCullough (27-7, 18 knockouts). “I just fizzled out a little bit.”

McCullough, who works for the Ultimate Fighting Championship as a public relations associate, said he thinks he can be competitive at his advanced age despite the fact he has lost four of his last five fights.

“I’ve stayed in training,” McCullough said. “… I’m in excellent shape. I’m an Irishman who doesn’t drink. All my medical tests came back fine, and if they want to give me a one-fight license, that’s fine.”

If Nevada re-licenses McCullough, New York is expected to honor the license.

McCullough said his opponent for the featherweight bout hasn’t been determined.

“I’m not going to be fighting any world-beaters,” he said. “… It’s not about the money. Financially, I’m fine. I have a great job with the UFC, and I’m passionate about it. But I still love boxing.”

• BUSINESS PICKS UP — The economic downturn isn’t stopping promoters from coming to Southern Nevada to stage fight cards.

Tuesday’s commission meeting has action items to approve dates for eight cards, including the big one May 2 with Manny Pacquiao meeting Ricky Hatton at the MGM Grand. Other dates include:

— March 14 for the Chad Dawson-Antonio Tarver rematch at the Palms, promoted by Gary Shaw.

— March 21 for a fight between Ron Johnson and John Johnson at Planet Hollywood, promoted by Roy Englebrecht.

— April 11 for a fight between Winky Wright and Paul Williams at Mandalay Bay, staged by Golden Boy Productions.

— April 17 for a fight, promoted by Englebrecht, featuring Yuriorkis Gamboa.

— May 1 for a card at South Point, promoted by Platinum Entertainment.

— March 6 and 22 for cards at The Orleans, promoted by Crown Boxing.

• BUDGET CUTS — NAC executive director Keith Kizer spent Thursday in Carson City fighting to keep his operating budget of approximately $550,000 from being slashed.

With state agencies being told to trim back, the NAC hopes to contain its cuts to a minimum.

“For the first half of fiscal year 2009, we’re on track to exceed revenues from 2008,” Kizer said. “We brought in $4.2 million last year, and this year we’re looking at close to $5 million. Hopefully that will help our case.”

Kizer said he wouldn’t expect a decrease in services provided by the NAC even if his budget is cut.

“We’ll find a way,” he said. “We really have no choice.”

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@ reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.