BOXING: Wayne McCullough has been added to the undercard of the next Bernard Dunne bill in Dublin on June 23rd. As Dunne takes to the Point Depot for the second defence of his European title against Norway's Reidar Walstad in the expectation of again selling out the venue, McCullough arrives for his first professional fight in two years and his first in Dublin for 12 years.

But the attractive package of a Dunne v McCullough fight for super-bantamweight supremacy will not happen between the two friends, at least for the moment. The 1992 Olympic silver medallist, who last fought in the Point when he made the final defence of his world title against Jose Luis Bueno, sees no reason to step into the ring with the Dubliner, who at 27 is almost 10 years younger.

"It's natural people are going to suggest it," said McCullough from his home in Las Vegas. "But I don't see the point of me fighting Bernard unless there is a world title on the line."

McCullough's opponent has not yet been named for the 10-round fight but Dunne's challenger comes to Ireland in the knowledge he has already beaten the title holder as an amateur. Dunne was only 17 at the time but the two met at the European Championships in 1998, where Walstad won on a 9-2 score.

But as a professional Dunne's record is vastly more impressive. He brings a run of 23 wins, 14 knock-outs and no defeats to Walstad's 16 wins, one defeat and a draw. That one defeat arrived in 2004, when he was stopped after sustaining a cut over his left eye from his opponent's elbow. Walstad (30) is also ranked three in Europe and has been waiting for a shot at the title for almost two years as the then title-holder Michael Hunter sought out other opponents.

"There's been a lot of water under the bridge since then. This is a completely different fight, a completely different time and I'm a completely different fighter," quipped Dunne, when the amateur defeat was highlighted.

Walstad naturally disagreed. "If this fight goes to 12 rounds I will lose, so I will knock him out. He's a little taller than me, the type of boxer I like to fight. I'll do a lot of things I did in the last fight," he replied.

Although he faces Walstad, the principal challenger would seem to be Kiko Martinez, the unbeaten Spaniard who is the mandatory challenger for Dunne's title.

"Is Martinez demanding a mandatory fight?" Dunne's promoter Brian Peters was asked. "He's demanding, all right," smiled Peters.