Maurice Cullen (boxer)
| Maurice Cullen | |
|---|---|
| Statistics | |
| Real name | Maurice Cullen |
| Rated at | Lightweight |
| Nationality |
 British
|
| Born |
30 December 1937 Wheatley Hill, County Durham, England
|
| Died | November 2001 County Durham, England |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 55 |
| Wins | 45 |
| Wins by KO | 10 |
| Losses | 8 |
| Draws | 2 |
| No contests | 0 |
Maurice Cullen (30 December 1937 – November 2001) was an English lightweight boxer, who held the British Lightweight Title, defending it four times.
Cullen had a style that very much centred round his left jab. He had problems with his right hand during his early amateur days and this made him depend more on his left hand. He had large reserves of stamina due to an abnormally slow heart rate, known as bradycardia, and he would use his left jab to score points whilst using his mobility to keep away from his opponent’s punches. This did not always lead to an attractive contest earning him the nickname the one armed bandit, and Cullen was not as popular outside his native North-East as his talent would seem to merit.
He grew up in Wheatley Hill, County Durham, beginning work as an apprentice pipe fitter at the local colliery. He later move to nearby Shotton. He fought in National Coal Board boxing championships winning the featherweight title and later the lightweight title.
In 1959 he turned professional with his brother Terry as his manager. In his first professional fight, in November 1959 against Ricky Mcmasters, he won on points over six rounds.
For the next three years Cullen built up a record of 24 wins, 2 defeats and 2 draws. Of his wins in this period only one was by knockout and four by technical knockout.
Cullen’s record put him in line for a title challenge against the British lightweight champion, Dave Charnley. Charnley was a southpaw, who had held the British title since 1957, and had twice unsuccessfully fought for the world title. The fight took place on 20 May 1963 at Belle Vue, Manchester, and Charnley retained his title after fifteen rounds with a points decision. Cullen reportedly did not like fighting southpaws, but pushed Charnley all the way.
In October of the same year Carlos Ortiz, the Puerto Rican world lightweight champion, came to England for a ten-round non-title fight against Cullen at the Empire Pool, Wembley. Although Cullen was knocked down in the last round he hung on to lose on points, having given the world champion a hard fight.
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