Boxing champ Wayne McCullough in Beyonce video remake

Bryce McGarel BBC News

Muhammad Ali may have been the one who floated like a butterfly and stung like a bee, but could he dance like Beyonce?

Former world champion Wayne McCullough may not pack the punching power of the great Ali, but as a home video on YouTube shows, the Northern Ireland boxer seems to have the butterfly bit mastered.

The video shows McCullough dressed in a black leotard and gold sequined high heels with matching belt, dancing around his TV room to Beyonce's chart hit Single Ladies.

Before beginning his performance, the Pocket Rocket tells the camera about his latest "challenge", which came about after he lost a bet with his 11-year-old daughter, Wynona Leigh.

"So, here we go again, another challenge," McCullough tells the camera.

"My daughter said she would run a mile in less than 10 minutes.

"I wasn't there to witness it, but she says she did it. So all the single ladies, here we go."

The Pocket Rocket, who won the IBC Bantamweight title in 1995, then slaps his backside and twirls around in a brave attempt to mimic Beyonce's routine.

"Wynona thinks it's funny to throw out challenges to me from her Facebook and Twitter accounts," Wayne said.

"So this time I challenged her to run a mile in less than 10 minutes, thinking it couldn't possibly backfire on me.

"I was wrong. She decided that if she ran the mile I'd have to perform Single Ladies in a leotard and high heels. She ran the mile - or at least said she did - and filmed it to show me.

"So I was kinda forced into doing the dance to keep my word to her. We put Beyonce's music video on and filmed it in my TV room.

Wife's shoes

"I've never really been a fan of Beyonce, but Single Ladies was such a big hit and I had seen the spoof videos by Justin Timberlake and Joe Jonas so I thought I could do it without embarrassing myself too much."

"I had seen the video a dozen times in one form or another so I knew some of the moves. Wynona wanted me to perfect the routine but there was no way that was going to happen.

"The outfit was actually a tank top that said 'Pocket Rocket' in crystals along the front with a silver sequined band along the bottom and a pair of (my wife) Cheryl's black shorts - which she said she'll never wear again!

Wayne McCulllough is a former world champion

"Cheryl also brought out a pair of her shoes that didn't fit me and my heels were hanging over the edge."

The video, which was posted on the site last week, has so far racked up more than 1,600 page views. Opinion is divided amongst those who have watched his performance.

One viewer wrote: "I've never seen a grown man do that, but Wayne has some cojones (sic) to do that dance and in heels too... lol... what a legend."

Another viewer was less impressed.

"This just looks so wrong," they say.

Wayne said his performance has had a mostly positive reaction.

"I'm game for a laugh and thought it was funny and almost everyone else that has seen it thought the same.

"Needless to say, I've had one or two negative comments, but I did it for my daughter and as long as I made her happy that's all that matters to me."

McCullough grew up in the mainly Protestant Shankill Road in west Belfast and won a silver medal in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona where he represented Ireland.

He has changed his name by deed poll to Wayne Pocket Rocket McCullough and now lives in Las Vegas after becoming a US citizen.

McCullough announced his retirement from boxing in June 2008 after losing to Juan Ruiz, but released a press statement in March 2009 saying he was returning to the sport.

However, a comeback fight against WBA super-bantamweight champion Bernard Dunne failed to materialise after the boxer turned down McCullough's open request.

"I am still planning to get back in the ring, but I don't know when that will be," he said.

"Once I'm done with boxing I want to be a trainer and open my own gym.

"I also work as a PR associate for the UFC, which I absolutely love."

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