By Scott Gilfoid: I’d love to be a fly on the wall at HBO headquarters as they discuss whether to serve up Amir Khan’s fight against hand-picked unknown Paul McCloskey on April 16th to their loyal HBO subscribers in the United States. Few casual fans in the U.S have even heard of Khan, and now Khan and his promoters are looking to put him in with a fighter that only UK boxing fans are familiar with. That’s not exactly the smartest thing to do if you ask me.
Paul McCloskey
Khan vs. McCloskey: Does anyone actually want to see this fight?
By William Mackay: I always find it interesting to see Amir Khan’s loyal fans saying that Khan deserves to fight an easy tune-up fight against the weak-punching Paul McCloskey (22-0, 12 KO’s) because of Khan’s hard fight with Marcos Maidana in December. Since Khan was nearly knocked out in that fight and took a frightful beating despite running for his life the entire fight, Khan’s fans think it’s okay for him to fight a non-dangerous puncher like McCloskey instead of someone that knocked him out in the past like Breidis Prescott.
Which is the bigger fight? Khan-Prescott II or Khan-McCloskey
By Dan Ambrose: WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan (24-1, 17 KO’s) has been dismissive of his loss to Breidis Prescott, saying that he’s learned from the defeat and he would have nothing to gain from fighting Prescott now due to his lack of success since their fight in 2008. However, since Khan is fighting in the UK in what is effectively nothing more than a tune-up, why then shouldn’t Khan be open to fighting Prescott again? I may be wrong but I would guess that a fight involving Khan and Prescott would be a bigger success than Khan vs. EBU light welterweight champion Paul McCloskey (22-0, 12 KO’s).
Khan vs. McCloskey hinges on HBO and Sky agreeing that Paul is a good opponent
By Scott Gilfoid: WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan (24-1, 17 KO’s) wants to take a fight against the weak punching EBU light welterweight champion Paul McCloskey (22-0, 12 KO’s) next rather than arguably much more dangerous contenders like Breidis Prescott, Lucas Matthysse or Lamont Peterson. However, before Khan can get the safe fight against McCloskey, HBO and Sky Sports have to agree that McCloskey is a good opponent that will attract fan interest before they fall in behind this pick.
McCloskey says “I know I can beat him” [Khan] – News
By William Mackay: EBU light welterweight champion Paul McCloskey (22-0, 12 KO’s) is looking like the one who will be hand picked by WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan (24-1, 17 KO’s) for his next fight on April 16th instead of a better known fighter and one that has the power and talent to actually give Khan a competitive fight. Khan was supposed to be fighting #6 WBA ranked contender Lamont Peterson (28-1, 14 KO’s) next but Khan is now complaining that Peterson wanted too much money and that he had priced himself out of the fight. That may be true or it may be code for Peterson is ‘too dangerous for me.’
Khan to face McCloskey in April
By Allen Hmiel: World Boxing Association (WBA) light welterweight champion Amir Khan (24-1, 17 KO’s) after barely surviving a battering from the above average Marcos Maidana in December, is now planning to be fighting in England for a while. Why? I can tell you why. Khan has severe boxing flaws that have been exposed ever since Prescott stretched the weak Khan out stone cold in their fight, embarrassing the highly thought of Amir and planting the seeds of doubt in the minds of astute boxing minds.
Khan excited about facing McCloskey
By Scott Gilfoid: WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan (24-1, 17 KO’s) is practically tripping over himself in the excitement that he could be facing weak-punching #5 ranked World Boxing Association light welterweight contender Paul McCloskey (22-0, 12 KO’s) next on April 16th rather than the slightly lower ranked #6 ranked contender and much more dangerous Lamont Peterson (28-1-1, 14 KO’s).
Khan says Peterson is pricing himself out, Paul McCloskey a possibility
By Scott Gilfoid: WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan (24-1, 17 KO’s) says that #6 WBA ranked contender Lamont Peterson (28-1-1, 14 KO’s) wants too much money and that could get in the way of Khan fighting him next in April. Khan wants a decent opponent to fight in front of him home fans in the UK in April, but they don’t want someone that’s good enough to really test Khan’s chin and possibly take him out.
McCloskey looks too slow to beat Khan
By Sean McDaniel: After defeating challenger Barry Morrison (18-5, 8 KO’s) on Saturday night by a 7th round stoppage, European Boxing Union (EBU) light welterweight champion Paul McCloskey (22-0, 12 KO’s) called out WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan (23-1, 17 KO’s) for a bout. However, the 31-year-old McCloskey would likely have almost next to no chance at beating Khan if McCloskey was even able to get the fight with him.
McCloskey targeting Khan and Maidana – News
By Sean McDaniel: Number #7 ranked World Boxing Council (WBC) light welterweight contender and current EBU light welterweight champion Paul McCloskey (21-0, 11 KO’s) is reportedly about to start preliminary talks of trying to set up fights with WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan (23-1, 17 KO’s) and WBA light welterweight interim champion Marcos Maidana (28-1, 27 KO’s). The first target is Maidana, the hard hitting Argentinean that has got the imagination of the boxing world with his exciting fights against Victor Ortiz and Victor Cayo in the past year.