Razaq Najib handed Golden Contract chance after Carlos Araujo pulled out
Razaq Najib has entered the #GoldenContract quarter-finals after Mexico’s Carlos Araujo was forced to withdraw.
Sheffield’s Najib (11-3, 2 KOs) steps up to take on NI's Tyrone McCullagh (13-0, 6 KOs) after Araujo fell ill ahead of the featherweight tournament; resulting in a huge unexpected career opportunity for ‘Lionheart’ Najib.
Two-weight WBC Latino titlist Araujo pulled out only shortly after firing warning shots at Derry southpaw 'White Chocolate', threatenig him with, “I know McCullagh will start running away from me and trying to use all of the ring but he can only do that for so long. If he stops in front of me – whether that’s in the first round or the last – then I’m going to knock him out and he’s not going to get up. I’m sure about it."
MTK Global Professional Development Coordinator Jamie Conlan said: “This is obviously disappointing for Araujo and his team but the beneficiary is Najib, who now has a chance to change his life.
“We saw a lot of drama in the draw down at Repton the other day in front of the Sky Sports cameras and now we have some more in this latest twist. Najib will be prepared and ready to seize his chance.
“Of course, it’s another twist for Tyrone McCullagh as well. He’ll have been preparing for Araujo the last few days, studying him and now he has to adjust his sights again. Who knows what’s going to happen.”
McCullagh said: “Obviously I’ve been getting ready for Araujo and now I have to quickly reset with Najib my late-notice opponent.
“I’ve said all along that it doesn’t really matter who I fight. I’ve had that attitude from the very start so from that perspective, I plan to beat Najib the same as I planned to beat Araujo and then go on to claim the whole thing.”
Joining McCullagh vs. Najib in the quarter-finals is Leigh Wood vs. Davey Oliver Joyce, Jazza Dickens vs. Carlos Ramos and Hairon Socarras vs. Ryan Walsh.
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