McCullough has lost his last five world title fights

Larios retained his title with a comfortable unanimous points decision but 34-year-old McCullough insisted that the scoring had been "way off".

"I'm not even thinking about retirement," said McCullough, who left Larios with a nasty cut over his eye.

"I showed that I can still take on the very best."

The judges in Calfornia came up with wide margins of 118-109, 118-110 and 116-11.

McCullough's pressure seemed to give him the edge at the halfway mark before Larios gradually took the upper hand but every round was contested with great intensity.

I forced the fight the whole way and I got through with some great body punches," added McCullough, who has now lost his last five world title fights.

I showed in this fight that I am back to where I was Wayne McCullough

"I thought I won the early stages and then from rounds seven to 10 he probably got on top but then I came strong again in the 10th.

"At the end I thought I may have got the decision.

"I could have done with more fights before this but I don't make excuses. I gave it everything."

Many felt that after his severe beating by WBO featherweight champion Scott Harrison two years the time was right for the Belfast man to retire.

But he added: "I think I showed in this fight that the Harrison fight was a one-off. I wasn't right going into the fight and I never got going.

"I showed in this fight that I am back to where I was. I think I proved a point."

Larios is next scheduled to take on WBO champion Joan Guzman on 9 April.