The 32-year-old Irishman was second best throughout the 12 rounds and appears to have a bleak future ahead of him.

Harrison took the decision by scores of 119-109, 119-108 and 120-108.

But the Scot, like many others before him, could not floor the teak-tough Irishman.

Round 12:
The fight ends as it began, with Harrison in control and McCullough on the defensive. The Scot's stone-faced look is finally broken when the final bell rings as he acknowledges McCullough's efforts and the support of the crowd.

Round 11:
Another Harrison round, although he does not appear to hurt McCullough as severely in this three-minute period. The Irishman needs a knockout to win, a result that appears highly unlikely.

Round 10:
McCullough appears to be having problems with his shoes and his balance is quite clearly flawed. But that should not detract from Harrison's performance, which is awesome. The Irishman has been second best since the opening bell and has absorbed a frightful amount of punishment.

Round Nine:
Harrison controls the round behind his jab. McCullough just cannot get close enough to the champion to land any hurtful punches. Towards the end of the round, the Irishman is hit by a stiff jab and shakes his head in frustration, because his ageing reflexes could not help him get out of the way of the blow.

Round Eight:
It is the most one-sided round of the contest, with Harrison landing some stunning punches which raise the possibility of a stoppage. Referee John Coyle seems poised at times to stop the fight with McCullough, brave as ever, in serious trouble.

Round Seven:
McCullough, who had been convinced before the fight that his experience would be too much for Harrison, taps his opponent's gloves at the end of the round in a mark of respect. The Scot controls the round with his superior jab and keeps McCullough at a respectful length because of his right hand power.

Round Six:
Never floored in his long career, McCullough absorbs numerous heavy shots to the chin and appears on his way down to the canvas. But he stays upright and fights back, even though the round is comprehensively won by Harrison.

Round Five:
Harrison reassumes command with some eye-catching combinations and, having boxed on the retreat at the start of the round, has McCullough on the backfoot by the end. The Irishman is marked around the right eye and seems weary at the bell. His wife and manager Cheryl can be heard telling him to keep his hands up.

Round Four:
It is McCullough's best round, as he controls the final 90 second behind a stream of left-right combinations. He does not appear to have the power to hurt Harrison, but his volume of punching may help him steal rounds. Punch statistics reveal that the Irishman threw more than 100 punches in the round.

Round Three:
The round provides the best exchanges of the fight so far, with McCullough willing to trade punches with Harrison. The champion is finally put under pressure, although he still steals the round. Harrison is warned by referee John Coyle for punching with the inside of the glove.

Round Two:
McCullough, never rated as a hard puncher, is struggling to impose himself in this contest. Harrison, still working from the centre of the ring and pumping out a stiff jab, is able to keep the Irishman at bay. Another round for the Scot.