Wayne McCullough is back in training after the defeat last month

Former world bantamweight champion Wayne McCullough could return to the ring after claiming that reports of his retirement were premature.

The 37-year-old Belfast fighter quit on his stool while ahead against Juan Ruiz in the Cayman Islands on 20 June.

"I think this is my last fight," McCullough told the audience after the NABF featherweight contest.

But McCullough said: "Unfortunately everyone assumed I was retiring but I never intended to retire that night."

He added: "One of my problems is that I wear my heart on my sleeve and tend to say what's on my mind.

"Sometimes that gets me in trouble. And that's what happened following my withdrawal from a fight that I was winning against Juan Ruiz.

"After the bout I was being very hard on myself. I want to let you all know that the Pocket Rocket could be back in the ring soon."

McCullough was making a return to the ring after three years and after six rounds he told his corner he could not go on.

He had not fought since losing a WBC super-bantamweight title fight against Oscar Larios in Las Vegas in 2005.