McCloskey European No.1 contender
15 January 2009 – By Mark Doyle
British light-welterweight champion Paul McCloskey is in line for a crack at the European title after being confirmed as the EBUs number one contender.
The unbeaten Dungiven stylist will receive a shot at the title within nine months but it is understood that this could happen much sooner if incumbent champion Gianluca Branco drops the title rather than facing Junior Witter. Indeed both Branco and Witter are believed to be on the cusp of World title fights, which would leave McCloskey free to contest a vacant title fight.
McCloskey, having won the British title against former EBU champion Lynes in December, told irish-boxing.com that the news was “music to my ears.”
An announcement on McCloskey’s next fight is expected in the coming weeks, but he is already back in training at John Breens Gym in Belfast.
McCloskey is expected to be in attendance at the Irish-boxing.com National Boxing Awards on January 24 where he will compete against Bernard Dunne, Brian Magee and Martin Rogan in the Fighter of the Year category.
