Khan-McCloskey & Berto-Ortiz doubleheader on April 16th
February 15th, 2011
By William Mackay: The Amir Khan (24-1, 17 KO’s) vs. Paul McCloskey (22-0, 12 KO’s) fight for the WBA Super World light welterweight title belonging to Khan, will be shown as part of a delayed television doubleheader broadcast on HBO on April 16th. The Khan-McCloskey fight will be shown after the WBC welterweight match-up between champion Andre Berto (27-0, 21 KO’s) and his light welterweight opponent Victor Ortiz (28-2-2, 22 KO’s). The Berto-Ortiz fight will take place at a different location than the Khan-McCloskey fight.
The Berto vs. Ortiz fight likely won’t interest fans other than the hardcore fans because Berto still hasn’t developed a fan base in the U.S. despite HBO ramming him down the throats of viewers by showing Berto’s title defenses, many of them against smaller light welterweights rather than fighters from his own division, on HBO fight after fight. The problem is Berto and his management hasn’t shown much urgency in matching Berto tough since he won the WBC title in 2008, and after five title defenses, boxing fans are still waiting for Berto to face his first interesting opponent.
Ortiz, it’s sad to say, is the closest thing that Berto has gotten to facing an appealing opponent. The problem is Ortiz is a light welterweight, and once again Berto will be facing a smaller fighter in terms of weight class. Berto doesn’t want to fight at light welterweight, but rather he just wants to be able to fight light welterweights. Berto hasn’t shown the same kind of interest in facing slightly bigger fighters from the junior middleweight division, because Berto hasn’t been in a rush to fight guys like Kermit Cintron or Alfredo Angulo.
The Khan vs. McCloskey fight will likely be an ugly mismatch, because McCloskey, though ranked high by the WBA at #5, is painfully slow and has no power. His defense is really his offense. He fights with his hands down by his sides and he gets hit a lot. That kind of fighting style will leave him open to Khan’s flurries and we could see another quick knockout for Khan like the one he had against another WBA contender, who oddly enough was ranked #1, Dmitry Salita. Khan knocked him out in the 1st round in December 2009.
Why the WBA had Salita at number #1 is anyone’s guess, because he had never fought a 1st tier fighter before, and yet he was ranked at the top spot for Khan to defend his title against. McCloskey looks to me to be a 2nd tier fighter and not someone that deserves to be ranked in the top 5. My guess is we’ll be seeing another quick knockout for Khan, and it’s going to make him seem better than he really is. I thought Khan would have been knocked out in his last fight against Marcos Maidana if the referee Joe Cortez hadn’t kept stepping in to pull Maidana off of Khan while he was pounding Khan with power shots against the ropes in the later rounds.
Tags: 12 Responses to “Khan-McCloskey & Berto-Ortiz doubleheader on April 16th”
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why is ortiz always the second main event behind khan? khan’s malignaggi, maidana and now mcloskey fights. are they lovers ?
For those of you that haven’t seen McCloskey fight. Don’t write him off just yet as he is undefeated and has won every fight so far with relative ease. Yes he is untested but we won’t know just how good he is until we see him in with world class. I think he’s going to give Khan hell and at 7-1 I may just have a few quid on him to win it!
I think ortiz can win easily by ko. He has drop all of his African opponents with no trouble at all. And about khan, I dont care. Well if ortiz takes berto belt I hope that he consider ortiz for a fight and he will be ko.
Ortiz Berto I like that one ……Khan will be a bull sh……t fight….Victor Ortiz has skills and he has developed some heart I hope he wins…and fights Maidana again …..although in that one the result will be the same as before
totally agree with the writer.
Yes Ortiz is in a lower weight division but isn’t that small he’s a strong kid has shown lack of heart once but since then has been doing pretty good Im a boxing fan and I’m excited to see how this one plays out berto is also a strong guy maybe his camp is thinkn of going with the small guy instead of facing a guy at 147 like a clottley or a ranked Guy, but this might bite berto camp in there rear, Ortiz will come to fight.. Khan is fun to watch I will be watching this card
Ortiz can win this. Berto will doubt himself when an opponent hasn’t given up after six rounds. Ortiz career is over if he loses
I pick Ortiz and Khan to be winners that night Berto ‘s a joke
Ortiz needs too step it up on this one put relentless pressure on Berto and not let up! If he eases up a little Berto will make him pay,he needs to dig deep. As for Khan stop milking it by fighting weak opposition and clear out the light welterweight div. Before you move up in weight looking for a big money fight so your dad can G it from you ! Sooner or later princess khan will get his block knocked off, can’t wait !
Berto vs Ortiz is the real fight here. Finally a descent matchup in boxing. I hope ortiz destroys berto and looks impressive, he better come out like boxing is all he has, or that will be the end of golden boys next star.
Ortiz has more skills than Khan but he has no heart.
The winner of khan – Bradley should move up and fight the winnrer of this fight which i think will be ortiz