Wayne McCullough: David Haye Could Be UFC Champ

The world cruiserweight boxing champion, David Haye, caused a stir recently when he suggested he may like to try his hand at Mixed Martial Arts one day. Someone ideally qualified to give an opinion on the possible switch is former boxer turned UFC employee Wayne McCullough.

He told UFC.com:

“First and foremost it’s good to see another world champion boxer, like myself, appreciate the sport of MMA. Hopefully Haye will get a fight with heavyweight boxing champ Wladimir Klitschko and win the heavyweight belt as well.

He’s not a fool like a lot of boxers who think they can just step into the Octagon and win fights purely with punches. Learning the ins and outs of MMA before stepping in there is the smart thing to do. Haye can already punch and he has natural strength, so he’d fit nicely into the MMA heavyweight division and, who knows, maybe become a UFC Champion in time.

I think the difference in an MMA and a boxing jab is that an MMA fighter uses his jab as a range finder, keeping it in his opponent’s face to set up a kick, takedown or a knee. Whereas in boxing, a jab can be a good hard scoring shot or sometimes a knockout punch. It can also be used to set up a combination of punches. In MMA the jab is more like a pawing shot but in boxing it’s used more accurately.”

David Haye raised the subject of a switch to Mixed Martial Arts recently. In an interview with the combat sports and fitness site www.ironlife.com, the Hayemaker insisted he is serious:

“In an ideal world, this is what my plan would be - I’ve accomplished one part of my plan, which was to be undisputed cruiserweight champion of the world, once I’m at heavyweight, I’m not going to box into my 31st year. You know, I’ve been boxing since the age of 10 years old, 20 years in the game is enough for me. But what I’d like to do then, I’d like to challenge whoever’s regarded as the number one mixed martial arts fighter.

I’d probably have to train for a year and try and make that fight because I definitely feel that my reactions are good enough.”

Wayne “The Pocket Rocket” McCullough won the WBC Bantam weight title by beating the Japanese Champion, Yaseui Yakushiji, in his hometown of Nagoya, Japan. Even though Wayne fought Prince Naseem Hamed and Erik Morales, when the were at the height of their powers, he was able to take both boxers the distance in Championship fights, giving the performances of his life and living up to his Ring Magazine title of "Best Chin in Boxing" as neither boxer was able to stop him.

McCullough is now employed as a public relations associate with the UFC. Last December, McCullough was due to make a ring comeback against the big hitting Spaniard Kiko Martinez. The fight was scheduled for the Kings Hall, Belfast; but was called off at the last minute due to problems at the weigh in.