Late change of opponent won't derail Tyrone McCullagh's Golden Contract dream

Tyrone McCullagh pictured at the weigh-in ahead of his Golden Contract quarter-final fight on Friday.

The Derry southpaw had been drawn to face Mexican, Carlos Araujo who pulled out of the competition having failed to make the weight at this afternoon's weigh-in.

WBO European champion, McCullagh will now meet Sheffield's Razaq Najib who was in reserve and due to fight on the undercard against Jacob Robinson and now handed the chance to compete for the lucrative five fight deal with MTK Global.

The fight will be screened live on Sky Sports on Friday night and while the late change of opponent isn't ideal for McCullagh, he isn't fazed.

"Obviously I've been getting ready for Araujo and now I have to quickly reset with Najib my late-notice opponent," he said.

"I've said all along that it doesn't really matter who I fight. I've had that attitude from the very start so from that perspective, I plan to beat Najib the same as I planned to beat Araujo and then go on to claim the whole thing."

TK Global Professional Development Coordinator Jamie Conlan said: "This is obviously disappointing for Araujo and his team but the beneficiary is Najib, who now has a chance to change his life.

"We saw a lot of drama in the draw down at Repton the other day in front of the Sky Sports cameras and now we have some more in this latest twist. Najib will be prepared and ready to seize his chance.

"Of course, it's another twist for Tyrone McCullagh as well. He'll have been preparing for Araujo the last few days, studying him and now he has to adjust his sights again. Who knows what's going to happen."

Najib (25) has had 14 professional fights and has lost three including his EBU European Union Featherweight title shot against Carlos Ramos last June.

Joining McCullagh vs. Najib in the quarter-finals is Leigh Wood vs. Davey Oliver Joyce, Jazza Dickens vs. Carlos Ramos and Hairon Socarras vs. Ryan Walsh.