By Scott Gilfoid: Number #4 ranked World Boxing Association light welterweight contender Paul McCloskey (22-1, 12 KO’s) is being talked about in a fight against #11 ranked WBA contender Breidis Prescott (24-2, 19 KO’s) for a fight that could be taking place in September. McCloskey recently lost by a 6th round technical decision to Khan last month in April after suffering a minor cut from a head clash. In contrast, Prescott easily destroyed Khan in a 1st by round knockout in 2008. Khan has wanted no part of Prescott since then and seems okay with his knockout loss to him, calling it a gift. Some gift.

McCloskey’s promoter Eddie Hearn wants to match up his fighter with the Colombian knockout artist Prescott, saying in an interview at the Mirror Sport, “A rematch with Khan is unlikely. Paul is in a good position regardless. He put himself in the limelight and proved he is a world level fighter. Khan said in the press conference that Paul should go and defeat every figther he defeated before talking about a rematch, but we will do one better and beat the man that beat Khan: Prescott. We are in talks with his people and a fight between him and Paul this September in Belfast is a real possibility.”

I must say this is a good fight for both, although a very, very risky one for McCloskey. Obviously, Hearn thinks that McCloskey would do well with Prescott because of the Colombian fighters’ previous losses to boxers Kevin Mitchell and Miguel Vazquez. But that was in the past before Prescott changed his fighting style. Prescott is more of a boxer/puncher now and doesn’t just go looking for knockouts liked before. Prescott showed in his recent win over the tough Bayan Jargal that he can both box and slug. And Prescott’s jab is out of this world. It’s literally like a power punch and it reminds me a lot of the jab that heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko possesses. Prescott is going to make life miserable for McCloskey by beating him up and stopping him. And in the process, Prescott is going to be putting even more pressure on Khan to man up and try and avenge the defeat. Khan struggled against McCloskey, but if Prescott makes easy work of McCloskey like I think he will, Khan is going to look silly by trying to avoid Prescott.

I still like the fight for McCloskey as well. It’s a gamble. If he wins, he’s in the position to move into another title shot once Khan moves up in weight to the welterweight division and vacates his WBA belt.