On the night of Monday the 11th I asked my wife if the guy was confirmed. We were flying that Wednesday morning from my home here in Las Vegas and I heard the guy had got into trouble with the law, this was someone who had never fought out of Mexico much so there might have been passport troubles with immigration in America being so tough. We hadn't heard anything by Wednesday and there was no way I was taking my wife and daughter if nothing was confirmed.

Thursday morning and we were still here in Las Vegas and Brian Peters calls to say my opponent is going to be there. It's amazing how 24 hours later the guy was suddenly appearing. Brian is a good guy, I've known him for a long time and it's not his fault that guys turned the fight down. So my last fight in Dublin remains my world championship defence against Jose Luis Bueno. I fought most of my amateur career there and I get that different kind of following from families there. Not everyone is a boxing fan but everyone watched the Olympics.

I was actually very ill with the stress of the fight being called off. It really got to me, I thought I was choking, my throat, eyes and lips were all swollen up. I've been stressed before but it never got anywhere near this point. I was so disappointed because my weight was down, the sparring was done and I didn't want to let people down. But my wife kept saying that it wasn't my fault and I hoped people would understand. I still hope they do. She even took pictures and I looked like I was after coming through a fight, it was that bad.

People who say I am now finished are way off the mark.

My wife is my manager and the closest person to me and she will know when I have slipped. My last fight was for a legitimate belt, the WBC Super Bantamweight title, I fought the top guy in the division [Oscar Larios] and there was no embarrassment. Why should I retire when I know I still have it and I love it. I've been here 14 years as an amateur and 14 years as a pro. I'm not going to keep going forever so I'm just answering my own questions as to whether I can still do it.

But the last three fights should not have happened. If anyone read my book, before the Scott Harrison fight I had a problem with a virus in the heart and was in hospital. The first Larios fight I won, there was no question, the commentators had me winning, that's why he came back and fought me a second time. People don't look at the controversial losses.

The last Larios fight could have gone 12 rounds, but I had a trainer in my corner that didn't care and spent just three days in my camp before the fight. I had the camp for five weeks, that's the only time he came and that's my fault because I let someone come in like that and change everything.

I know I said a long time ago I would retire before 30 but that was at a stage when things were going comfortably. Once I had my first loss 10 years ago, everything changed. I get the big fights but I've been used as an opponent and I want to change that again. As long as I feel good in the gym, I'll keep going. It's not the money, it is terrible. The money I was making 10 years ago was 10 times more. But, at the same time, I have not fought in two years and have to feed my daughter.

So I still want to keep going and I still want to get back to Ireland and fight in front of my home fans. I told Brian if they could confirm someone for his fight card in August I will be there. I always go if I have someone confirmed, although I'll now have to wait and see if they still want me.

Wayne McCullough is a former WBC Bantamweight champion In conversation with Ewan MacKenna