Retirement rumours have dogged Wayne McCullough since his crushing loss to WBO featherweight champion Scott Harrison in March 2003.
The Belfast-born fighter, it was said, would never be able to rebuild a career that brought him 26 wins in 30 contests, including the WBC bantamweight belt.
Almost one year on, McCullough, 33, refuses to lie down.
But, following a split with promoter Frank Warren, the "Pocket Rocket" is finding it difficult to find an opponent.
"It's frustrating at the moment," McCullough told BBC Sport.
"I was down to fight Johnny Tapia in January, but that didn't happen.
 |  Any promoter knows that I can fill arenas, but people have short memories |
"Tapia's interested, I'm interested and US sports network Showtime is interested, so I hope we can get it on in the next two or three months."
Tapia v McCullough would have been a box-office smash a few years back, when both fighters were in their prime.
And, even now, the pair would attract interest.
But McCullough, one suspects, is being held back by his health record.
The British Boxing Board of Control refused to give him a license in 2000 when a cyst was found on his brain.
 Tapia has fought the best |
And the manner of McCullough's defeat to Harrison - and his subsequent three-day stay in hospital - will not have helped.
But McCullough is urging fight-makers to cast aside their doubts and look beyond his last outing.
"Any promoter knows that I can fill arenas, but people have short memories. They only look at the last fight.
"It shouldn't work that way. Kostya Tszyu was knocked out by Vince Phillips, and Marco Antonio Barrera was destroyed back-to-back by Junior Jones, but look what they went on to achieve.
"Nobody gives me a chance and I wasn't beaten up as badly as they were.
"I just want another opportunity to show that I'm a much better boxer this year than last."
McCullough admits that he had planned to quit boxing by now.
| The featherweight division is in flux with Erik Morales moving up and Barrera finishing up |
But he says he keeps going because he trusts those closest to him - in particularly wife and manager Cheryl - to tell him when he starts to slip.
"I did think I'd retire at 30, but inactivity has changed that. I've only had 30 fights in 11 years and that's not much in the professional game.
"The featherweight division is in flux with Erik Morales moving up and Barrera finishing up. I still have something to offer."
Many who have seen McCullough box would not doubt him.
He has valiantly gone the distance with Morales and Prince Naseem Hamed, has risen to every challenge thrown at him and has carried with dignity the title of "best chin in boxing", as voted by Ring Magazine.
If McCullough is really healthy and hungry enough, he deserves another chance.
If not, he should hang up his gloves and look back on his classy career with pride.
MMIX
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