Highly rated and tipped for potential stardom, he suffered his first defeat in September 1989 to Tony Wilson in an eliminator for the English title at Southampton Guildhall, in one of boxing's most unusual fights.
McCarthy believed he had won and left the ring, but bizarrely referee Adrian Morgan insisted that the fight should continue.
[2][3] A BBBofC enquiry upheld the result but ordered a rematch, but McCarthy pulled out, suffering from flu.
McCarthy suffered his first defeat at the hands of another boxer in April 1992 when he was disqualified in the ninth round against German Olympic gold medallist Henry Maske in Düsseldorf.
In April 1993 he was stopped by Simon Harris in the fifth round,[6] and he finished his career in February 1994 with a points win over Karl Barwise.