Gary Cully targets big title fights in 2019 following show-stealing Belfast win
Gary Cully [7(4)-0] claimed a big win on Friday night and is sure that he is Ireland’s best lightweight.
The Naas southpaw stopped Tanzanian Muhammed Kambuluta in the first round in Belfast and now wants to move on to big fights in 2019.
Cully has his eye on a number of opponents such as European champion Francesco Patera, rankings title holders Robbie Barrett and Craig Evans, and Mexican Christian Uruzquieta who defeated Mayo’s Ray Moylette on Friday night.
‘The Diva’, however, doesn’t believe that he will have any all-Irish fights, pointing out that he has had offers turned down by Paul Hyland Jr and expressing his disappointment that Karl Kelly and Martin Quinn will be fighting for the BUI Celtic title on ‘Celtic Clash 8’ next year.
Uruzquieta next?
— Gary Cully (@BoxerCully) December 8, 2018
Following the show-stealing stoppage win over Kambuluta on the ‘King of the Celts’ card at the Titanic Exhibition Centre, Cully noted how “they’re all going to go hiding now, aren’t they? Well, they were hiding already but, look, I’m the number one lightweight in the country, I believe that.”
“I’m not here to call out names and not fight. There are people calling out my name and won’t fight me. I’m here for anybody. If an offer is made to me, I promise that I will not turn it down.”
“I want big fights, I want title fights.”
“I want the European title next year and, like I said last week, I want to be ranked in the world next year.”
Cully had Kambuluta down thrice in the opener of their clash, his first eight rounder, but promises that he has plenty more to show.
The awkward African had been stopped before but only against names much further along in their development than the 22-year-old Irishman and rarely that early.
Cully described how “I enjoyed it, I always enjoy it and I’m learning every time I get in the ring.”
“I was in second gear then when I stopped him. We were just trying to work up through the gears.”
“In the first round, Pete [Taylor, trainer] said ‘go out, get the distance, work off the jab, and if a shot comes, take it,’ but we weren’t rushing anything.”
“I would have came on stronger, it was an eight rounder, we were pacing ourselves but, look, I landed the shot in the first round and he didn’t want to know. I’m too big, too strong for all these lightweights.”
“I should probably use the distance more but I’m getting strong in the inside. If a lightweight wants to go inside on me, then we’ll go inside and have a war and I’ll come out on top.”
