Lee McCulloch starts Boxing to stay in shape

LEE McCULLOCH reckons he’s ready for a scrap in the lower leagues after training with boxing star Willie Limond.

The Ibrox hero admits his club’s preparations for the new season haven’t been ideal – with Rangers newco still awaiting their SFA licence.

That should come through next week but Ally McCoist will have just days to prepare his players for a Ramsdens Cup clash with Brechin a week tomorrow.

The team played together for the first time on Tuesday when they beat Airdrie 2-1 in a bounce game.

But McCulloch has no fears about a fight for promotion in Division Three after his work with former Commonwealth champion Limond at the Rob Roy Amateur Boxing Club.

The 34-year-old has been working with the boxer since March and believes he’s in the shape of his life.

McCulloch said: “When I finished last season I felt stronger and better than ever. Everybody’s tired at the end of the season but I felt really strong and that was down to the boxing training.

“I am more disciplined now and working with the boxers is much harder than with footballers.”

McCulloch’s programme involves a weekly run up the Campsie Hills as well as pad work, sprinting and circuit training three times a week.

That’s enough to make you sweat just reading it and Limond said: “We do all the brutal work first before we do the sprints. Boxing training is fiercer than the football variety but Lee has done everything asked of him. He keeps coming back so we haven’t scared him away.”

McCulloch is now heading towards the end of his playing career and has taken a massive pay cut to stay with the club he loves.

Leading Rangers back up the divisions will be hard work but Limond believes the veteran midfielder is up to the task.

And he’s urging McCulloch to stick at it – because he isn’t cut out for a career in the ring.

Limond said: “This training will keep him fit because he puts the shifts in and is not afraid of a bit of hard work. Lee is quite good. He won’t be a boxer but this is helping him to be super fit.”

McCulloch isn’t the only one coming towards the end of his career and Limond is also determined to stay up to speed.

The 33-year-old is considering offers from abroad as he prepares for a November title bout in Glasgow.

But he admits British boxing chiefs could ruin his overseas plans.

He said: “I have been offered fights in Mexico and Malta. I am not sure what I am going to do yet but I am ticking over.

“The deal in Malta is good but the British Boxing Board of Control don’t want me going over there so that could scupper those plans.

“They want to take money off you but when you get a half-decent fight they don’t want you to go over there.

“I am a bit p***ed off with that. They said they don’t think I should go over there to fight because there is a conflict of interest.

“I’ve been offered four fights in Mexico but I have to stay over there for four months. That is still there but I have to be away from the family and kids for four months.

“I am getting older now so I have to put my body through it in training.My fitness is all right but I am not fighting fit.

“I will fight for any title because they are hard to come by. I am still doing the things I did when I was 25 or 26 and I can’t wait to get back into the ring to prove that. I will be ready for battle.

“As soon as I find out the date for my next fight then it’s hammer and tongs. Alex Arthur has offered me a promotional deal as well.

“If there are no fights in Mexico or Malta I am definitely fighting the first week in November. That is going to be in Glasgow for a title, maybe the IBO international.

Limond is still haunted by his last performance when he was outpointed by Anthony Crolla for the British title in November.

He said: “Everything had been great in training and I couldn’t have done it any better.

“After weighing in I put five pounds back on and felt terrible going into the ring. I can’t put my finger on it.

“In my whole career I’ve had two bad nights. I laugh at some of the comments saying I’m done. I ain’t finished yet, that’s a fact.”

Those are words that McCulloch and Rangers would no doubt echo.