At just 25 years old
After a short illness: young boxer died
01/01/2026 – 9:24 p.mReading time: 1 min.
His father and grandfather were dedicated to boxing. Paul McCullagh Junior followed in her footsteps. But now the young athlete is dead.
Great sadness in the world of boxing: Paul McCullagh Junior is dead. Several British media report this unanimously. The “Daily Mail”, among others, writes that the Northern Irishman died on New Year’s Day after a short illness. He was only 25 years old.
McCullagh Junior was the son of Paul McCullagh, who had once been an amateur boxing champion. His grandfather, also named Paul, also won an amateur title during his playing days and also trained several well-known boxers – including the former Irish WBA featherweight world champion, Barry McGuigan, and the former IBF featherweight world champion, Anthony Cacace.
McCullagh Junior, born in the Northern Irish capital Belfast, has been a professional boxer since 2020. In 2019 he won a heavyweight amateur title.
The Irish Athletic Boxing Association has already publicly mourned McCullagh Junior. A post on X said: “The IABA expresses its deepest condolences to Paul’s family, his club and his relatives.”