McGuigan: McCullough has the chance to show people he is the real deal

MARCO McCullough has been given the opportunity to prove he is the real deal on September 6, claims promoter Barry McGuigan.

The Belfast featherweight faces former IBF flyweight champion of the World Dmitry Kirillov (31-4-1) on the Titanic Showdown card and Irish boxing legend, McGuigan believes a win over such experienced opposition will make people sit up and take further note of the Irish Prospect of the Year winner. 

Indeed the former featherweight champion of the world believes the current WBO European featherweight champion will get recognition further afield if he beats the Russian in just his 11 fight.

“Last time out Marc had an amazing fight with Martin Parlagi, which was a real acid test. This guy Kirillov is a former world champion, he’s very experienced and it’s going to be another great test. This is the kind of fight that will get him noticed on the world scene, this guy is well known because he has fought at such a high level, a much higher level than Marc has before,” McGuigan told Sunday Life.

“It’s a bit like the way Carl had to come through against fights with Raul Hirales and Steve Molitor before facing Kiko in their European title fight. Marc now has this opportunity to show people that he can be the real deal,”