McCloskey secures Euro title shot

09 June 2009 – By Mark Doyle

Paul McCloskey will have to travel to Paris to fight former world champion Souleymane Mbaye for the vacant European light-welterweight title.

Team McCloskey had been hoping to secure home advantage for their man but the Dungiven natives manager and trainer, John Breen, insisted that they will have no trouble in taking on Mbaye in his own backyard.

They made us a very, very good offer to go to France but Pauls one of those guys who has no problems going into the lions den, Breen explained.

They could fight in Mbayes front room as far as Im concerned and Paul would still beat him. Ive said all along hes a World Champion in the making and hell prove that again that winning a European title on the road.

Paul beat Colin Lynes in his back yard to win the British title at a weeks notice and his first defence was on the road too against Dean Harrison in Liverpool and he knocked him out so its not an issue for him.

Hes in good shape because weve known for a while now that the fight was going to happen in early July but now that the venue and an exact date has been set we have something to focus on.