WBO European featherweight champion Marco McCullough suffered shock defeat in Germany on Thursday night.

On the anniversary of another McCullough, Wayne’s WBC bantamweight title win, the John Breen trained fighter was set to put behind him a period of inactivity and get back on the World title trail.

However, the popular Cyclone Promotions puncher was stopped in the first round of his clash with Zoltan Kovacs.

McCullough was caught with a left hook around the guard early in the round, before Kovacs, know to Irish fight fans for sharing the ring with Phil Sutcliffe Jr and Daniel McShane, went on the offensive.

McCullough tried to fight fire with fire, was caught again and was out on his feet when experienced trainer Breen threw in the towel.

Team McCullough will look back on the reverse over the coming days and might look to inactivity or the chopping or changing of venue, country and date might have played apart.

Kovacs, who took Mitchell Smith the distance also came into the class on the back of a knock out victory.