| 18 June 2010
Inarguably, the most important trait inherent to a great fighter is an uncanny level of discipline. Discipline, it is what keeps a fighter from succumbing to vices that would otherwise be counterproductive to a career where top physical conditioning is not only the difference between a win and a loss, but also paramount to ones safety in the ring. The history of boxing is littered with stories of fighters who had all the potential in the world, but a lack of discipline inevitably doomed their career.
Few fighters exhibit the level of discipline and respect for the sweet science quite like undefeated prospect Yvette McCullar (2-0, 2 KOs) of Killeen. The California born-Alaska raised undefeated mother of three has long exhibited the discipline and work ethic so important to the sport of boxing. It is a trait McCullar honed as a competitor in the ultra competitive world of professional bodybuilding.
“I did do bodybuilding and I did well with that,” explains McCullar. “I was all natural so, I went to Nationals and went as far as I could, but all natural you can’t win. I switched to [figure competition] and I was trying to drop down, drop the muscle, so I picked up on the boxing as another form of cardio to try and get lean.”
McCullar, who works as a personal trainer at Gym X in Killeen, began working out with the gym’s boxing instructor Roland Cager. But a funny thing happened as McCullar began to get familiar with the nuances of the “Sweet Science,” she quickly realized that she had a newfound passion for the sport.
“Roland came from New Orleans and he was the boxing instructor, they had hired him because of the hurricane,” McCullar explains. “So, we just kind of clicked and hit it off and I got hooked on it, so pretty much I did two competitions and realized I loved boxing. I sort of got obsessed with boxing and got really good at it. I kind of just fell into it with the timing, the right time and right place. I’m looking to do a lot of big things with it.”
At 2-0 with both victories coming by way of knockout, McCullar’s career began in impressive fashion. Unfortunately, the momentum slowed when McCullar began to find it increasingly difficult to find a fight. Lack of competition has long been a problem in women’s boxing, and with promoters and managers unwilling to risk their fighter’s records in taking on stiff competition, fighters like McCullar find just getting a fight a daunting ordeal. Of course, the fact that McCullar is a former bodybuilder with an impressive physique to match doesn’t exactly make her an attractive opponent.
“Yeah, I think it could be that,” McCullar confesses. “First I thought it was because maybe, if they wanted to do some research, they would look me up and a bodybuilding picture would pop up, and that can be intermediating. I think so, with the knockouts, or for whatever reason, but I have gone so long without a fight, because I’ve just had a really hard time getting one.”
McCullar continues, “I haven’t had a fight in over a year but I have two fights, both by knockout, so I think I just need to get some more rounds, get some more experience. I mean the training was much harder than my actual fights. It’s not always going to be like that but I feel real good with the training.”
Nearing the age of 40, McCullar finds herself beginning a career in a sport when most of its participants have retired. But age is of no concern to McCullar and in listening to her explain the passion she has for the sport the exuberance exhibited is of youthful wonderment.
“Not too much,” McCullar states on if she worries that Father Time will play a factor in her career. “I feel really good, feel healthy, and feel that I’m in better shape now than I was a couple years ago. I take good care of my body, I’m just very aware that I am older so I have to take care of my body. It hasn’t affected me so far, so I’m not putting a timeline on what I do. I just want to keep moving forward and winning. With our training, I’m an offensive fighter, so we work on our defense and being smart about it. I feel like I stay pretty safe and I’m not really going to get hurt. I’m not underestimating anybody, I give everybody all the credit in the world, but I do feel safe and I take confidence in my defense.”
McCullar is quick to point out that her success in the ring would not be had if not for the support of her family, most importantly, her three daughters.
Definitely my family,” McCullar points out as her biggest supporters. “My girls, Malia, Sara, and Loren. My kids are so very supportive. They love it! They’re so excited, and my 10-year old Sara, and my 7-year old Loren, who is just very energetic and they just want to be just like their mom. I have an older daughter too, Malia, she’s 20, they support me. It makes me feel good. They brag about my biceps and my muscles all the time (laughs) to their friends, like, ‘come see my mom,’ it’s great.”
McCullar is modest when it comes to her career goals within the sport of boxing. Though she is supremely confident in her pugilistic ability, she makes a point to take each fight as they come.
“Really, I just want to keep winning and fight as much as I can,” McCullar explains. “Hopefully, I can get a belt and defend it. I just want to go to the top with it, and see where this takes me.”
McCullar Returns to the Ring
While fights have been hard to come by, this Friday McCullar makes a triumphant return to the ring when she faces Maria Rodriguez at the Convention Center in McAllen, Texas. The fight will be on the undercard of the Golden Boy Promotions/Cavazos Promotion fight card being broadcast on Telefutura. For McCullar, this fight represents not only her first fight in over a year, but more importantly, a chance to showcase her talents on a high profile card.
“I’m real hopeful,” explains McCullar. “I’m looking forward to it. I had a great time at the weigh-ins and met a lot of people and have done a lot of networking. So I’m going to do my best to put on a good show that’s real exciting so I can get a couple of real good looks and hopefully something will come out of it.”
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