Martinez failed to make the stipulated weight of 8st 12lb for this non-title fight scheduled for this evening, weighing a pound and three-quarters over the agreed limit.

McCullough, who had surprisingly scaled three pounds under the weight agreed, immediately demanded that the European super-bantamweight champion lose the weight within the hour stipulated by the British Boxing Board of Control.

Instead, the Spaniard stepped off the scales and refused to even try and lose the pounds.

Promoter Pat Magee said: "I was told by his manager that he couldn't take any more weight off and that he wouldn't be asking him to take it off."

McCullough subsequently refused to fight but Magee says that he tried to negotiate and offered the Belfast man more money, which would have come out of Martinez's purse, in order for the fight to go ahead.

McCullough refused and wife/ manager Cheryl was adamant that it was not about money and pointed the finger of blame firmly in the direction of Martinez.

" It's not about money. Wayne is a professional and he made the weight, Martinez didn't," said Cheryl, who was embroiled in a row with colleague Jack Magowan during the heated situation. "Pat Magee has an email from me saying that we would agree to the fight at 8st 12lb because initially we wanted it at the championship weight of 8st 10lb. We were doing them a favour and I made it clear that if Martinez was an ounce over that the fight wasn't happening."

Promoter Magee said: "I thought we could have come to some agreement but they didn't want to consider anything."

McCullough believed that victory over Martinez would have pushed him towards another world title fight but it seems he will have to wait until 2008 for his next fight.

He said: "It's a joke. To be honest I don't know what I'm thinking right now but I'll tell you this, I'll fight Kiko any time, anywhere if he makes weight.

"I'm just so disgusted because I was in great shape. People say I was too light but that's up to me how I come in for a fight."