Australian Light Welterweight Champion and People’s Champion Chris “Little Big Man” McCullen has decided to hang up the gloves. McCullen 12-1-1 has beaten the best in Australia including Brad Hemming and the former WBF World Lightweight Champion Johnny Coterill Jnr on 2 occasions and feels that the time has come to put the gloves on the shelf.
“My body started catching up with me, it's not the fight that is the problem, it's the 10-12 weeks preparation that hurts, each fight I have to loose around 8 or 9kgs and at my age that’s not an easy thing. For a while now I've had a few injuries and have had to take them into the ring come fight night. I never wanted to pull out from a fight, probably on a few occasions I should have but I didn't think that was fair on the Promoter (Angelo Di Carlo) or the boxing fans so I just went through with it. Everything is catching up on me now so I guess my time was up, plus I want to live a normal life with my family.” He said.
McCullen also had amateur fights witch included a Senior Golden Gloves title. Due to the strict rules embodied by the Amateur boxing board here in Australia, Chris was forced to turn Professional back in 2004 when he was banned from having another Amateur fight after cornering one of his friends who was having his professional debut at the time.
“I had around 20 or so amateur fights, nothing special, then I took over coaching at our club as our coach was moving back to England. Then I thought I'll have 1 pro fight so I can see what it's like and the rest is history so to speak. So I've been juggling coaching and fighting since.” “Actually just went to a boxing gym to lose some weight in the football off season around 10 or 11 years ago, from that day I was hooked and have boxed since. I didn't know a thing about boxing, and the challenge was too much to walk away from. I'm glad I stuck with It.” said Chris
Talking about the greatest moment in his pro career he said,
“I would say winning my first Australian Title back in 2006 and also my first fight with Cotterill as I'd had a little break after loosing a tough fight to Dean Byrne and went straight into a tough opponent in Cotterill, a lot of people up here said I was silly for taking him first up but I knew my head was clear again and I always train hard so the ingredients were there to win that fight. Plus I liked the challenge.”
Chris had a lot of great entertaining fights but the one that stands out for a lot of people is the war that ended in a draw with Paul Walberg who was involved in a horrific motor vehicle accident a few months after the fight, he survived but suffered server head and facial injuries from the crash.
“Paul was excellent boxer and along with Dean Byrne the best I'd faced without disrespecting anyone else. I saw fighting someone of Paul’s calibre as a challenge because I knew everyone would have had me the underdog but I like that. He was trained by the great Billy Hussein and I knew Billy wouldn't have sent Paul up here to fight if he didn't think they could win, once again a challenge for me and fuel to train hard.Paul is a huge loss to boxing but I can say I was in the ring with a real champion, person and boxer and I hope he's doing ok.”
Not only an excellent boxer but an outstanding trainer at the Logan Boxing Club in Brisbane, this club has produced a large number of state and National champions and will continue to do so with Chris in charge.
Ask what he plans to do with himself now, he replied. “At the moment I'm enjoying coaching my team of boxers. In the gym we have Omar Shaick just turn pro, and the amateurs have got a busy year ahead of them. Kane Cassells is off to the world Championships; Trent Broadhurst makes his comeback from injury on May 1 so the gym is flowing well. I'm back out working a normal job doing roof restoration and enjoying that too so life is going well for me for now. I'm enjoying my life with my family, my kids keep me very busy, I get married in September so I have some busy times ahead.”
You meet a lot of characters in the boxing game and it would have been a lot more challenging without the help of family, friends, promoters and sponsors would you like to thank anyone? “Yes I've defiantly had a lucky run with the great people I've met through boxing, my trainers Mark Wilson and Gareth Williams were always there for me. They both run their own gyms and made time for me when ever I had training at their gym. Angelo Di Carlo and Brian Kirwan have promoted my fights and have done so much for me in and out of the ring. I rate Angelo as the best promoter in the country. I've had many great sponsors and as all boxers would know we all need help through out our time. Dobbo and Ash out at Madison Sport, Struddys sports at Browns Plains, Butch Buderis, Kenny Hamer, Greg Wallace, Steve Long at Supernova Contracting are just to name a few that have helped me out during my career, Madison Sport still help me out with my gym so I've been very lucky and without all these guys I couldn't have achieved what I did. My family are the best.
I also spoke to Brian Kirwan and Phil Austin about Chris and this is what they had to say;
Chris made his debut on my first professional show. He has been a constant in the events ever since. If any young fighters are looking for the best way to carry themselves in the sport of Professional boxing Chris is the perfect role model.His involvement with Red Corner's TV show has also been a lot of fun. I wish him the best of luck in his future within boxing but he doesn't really need it! Good things happen to good people.Brian KirwanRed Corner & Ace BoxingI have known Chris since refereeing his second pro fight through to his successful defence against John Cotterill Jnr. I guess what sticks out most for me is not his championship qualities inside the ring but his qualities outside of it. Chris is a fantastic father to three very lucky children and gives of himself completely, not just to family but to other boxers and charity. Nothing has ever been too much for Chris and he gives his all with no thought to self.Refereeing Chris has always been a pleasure due to his skill level and sportsmanship and he has given me many memorable moments, especially his fight against Paul Walberg which was a war. Boxing is lucky to have a man such as Chris within it's ranks and I am proud to know him - he is a true gentleman in every sense of the word.
Phil Austin
To finish up I would just like to say I watched Chris fight live on many occasions and always knew he would be in very good shape and super fit because he has a great work ethic he always showed he has a lot of heart and is a very determined person I would like to wish him well in the future.
I would also like to thank Angelo and Nathan Di Carlo who contributed information to this article.
Scott Edwards
“My body started catching up with me, it's not the fight that is the problem, it's the 10-12 weeks preparation that hurts, each fight I have to loose around 8 or 9kgs and at my age that’s not an easy thing. For a while now I've had a few injuries and have had to take them into the ring come fight night. I never wanted to pull out from a fight, probably on a few occasions I should have but I didn't think that was fair on the Promoter (Angelo Di Carlo) or the boxing fans so I just went through with it. Everything is catching up on me now so I guess my time was up, plus I want to live a normal life with my family.” He said.
McCullen also had amateur fights witch included a Senior Golden Gloves title. Due to the strict rules embodied by the Amateur boxing board here in Australia, Chris was forced to turn Professional back in 2004 when he was banned from having another Amateur fight after cornering one of his friends who was having his professional debut at the time.
“I had around 20 or so amateur fights, nothing special, then I took over coaching at our club as our coach was moving back to England. Then I thought I'll have 1 pro fight so I can see what it's like and the rest is history so to speak. So I've been juggling coaching and fighting since.” “Actually just went to a boxing gym to lose some weight in the football off season around 10 or 11 years ago, from that day I was hooked and have boxed since. I didn't know a thing about boxing, and the challenge was too much to walk away from. I'm glad I stuck with It.” said Chris
Talking about the greatest moment in his pro career he said,
“I would say winning my first Australian Title back in 2006 and also my first fight with Cotterill as I'd had a little break after loosing a tough fight to Dean Byrne and went straight into a tough opponent in Cotterill, a lot of people up here said I was silly for taking him first up but I knew my head was clear again and I always train hard so the ingredients were there to win that fight. Plus I liked the challenge.”
Chris had a lot of great entertaining fights but the one that stands out for a lot of people is the war that ended in a draw with Paul Walberg who was involved in a horrific motor vehicle accident a few months after the fight, he survived but suffered server head and facial injuries from the crash.
“Paul was excellent boxer and along with Dean Byrne the best I'd faced without disrespecting anyone else. I saw fighting someone of Paul’s calibre as a challenge because I knew everyone would have had me the underdog but I like that. He was trained by the great Billy Hussein and I knew Billy wouldn't have sent Paul up here to fight if he didn't think they could win, once again a challenge for me and fuel to train hard.Paul is a huge loss to boxing but I can say I was in the ring with a real champion, person and boxer and I hope he's doing ok.”
Not only an excellent boxer but an outstanding trainer at the Logan Boxing Club in Brisbane, this club has produced a large number of state and National champions and will continue to do so with Chris in charge.
Ask what he plans to do with himself now, he replied. “At the moment I'm enjoying coaching my team of boxers. In the gym we have Omar Shaick just turn pro, and the amateurs have got a busy year ahead of them. Kane Cassells is off to the world Championships; Trent Broadhurst makes his comeback from injury on May 1 so the gym is flowing well. I'm back out working a normal job doing roof restoration and enjoying that too so life is going well for me for now. I'm enjoying my life with my family, my kids keep me very busy, I get married in September so I have some busy times ahead.”
You meet a lot of characters in the boxing game and it would have been a lot more challenging without the help of family, friends, promoters and sponsors would you like to thank anyone? “Yes I've defiantly had a lucky run with the great people I've met through boxing, my trainers Mark Wilson and Gareth Williams were always there for me. They both run their own gyms and made time for me when ever I had training at their gym. Angelo Di Carlo and Brian Kirwan have promoted my fights and have done so much for me in and out of the ring. I rate Angelo as the best promoter in the country. I've had many great sponsors and as all boxers would know we all need help through out our time. Dobbo and Ash out at Madison Sport, Struddys sports at Browns Plains, Butch Buderis, Kenny Hamer, Greg Wallace, Steve Long at Supernova Contracting are just to name a few that have helped me out during my career, Madison Sport still help me out with my gym so I've been very lucky and without all these guys I couldn't have achieved what I did. My family are the best.
I also spoke to Brian Kirwan and Phil Austin about Chris and this is what they had to say;
Chris made his debut on my first professional show. He has been a constant in the events ever since. If any young fighters are looking for the best way to carry themselves in the sport of Professional boxing Chris is the perfect role model.His involvement with Red Corner's TV show has also been a lot of fun. I wish him the best of luck in his future within boxing but he doesn't really need it! Good things happen to good people.Brian KirwanRed Corner & Ace BoxingI have known Chris since refereeing his second pro fight through to his successful defence against John Cotterill Jnr. I guess what sticks out most for me is not his championship qualities inside the ring but his qualities outside of it. Chris is a fantastic father to three very lucky children and gives of himself completely, not just to family but to other boxers and charity. Nothing has ever been too much for Chris and he gives his all with no thought to self.Refereeing Chris has always been a pleasure due to his skill level and sportsmanship and he has given me many memorable moments, especially his fight against Paul Walberg which was a war. Boxing is lucky to have a man such as Chris within it's ranks and I am proud to know him - he is a true gentleman in every sense of the word.
Phil Austin
To finish up I would just like to say I watched Chris fight live on many occasions and always knew he would be in very good shape and super fit because he has a great work ethic he always showed he has a lot of heart and is a very determined person I would like to wish him well in the future.
I would also like to thank Angelo and Nathan Di Carlo who contributed information to this article.
Scott Edwards
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