McCloskey to swat Mosquera then Maidana?
June 13 by Jonny Stapleton
He certainly isn’t an Amir Khan fan, but Paul McCloskey will be cheering on the English fighter in his world title unification fight with Zab Judah on July 23.
Victory for McCloskey’s former foe in Los Vegas latter this month will spark a sequence of events that should see the Derry stylist secure a second WBA light welterweight world title shot and a mega money bout with Marcus Maidana.
If Khan defeats the American and unifies the IBF and WBA straps he will promoted to Super Champion by the WBA.
The South American governing body then plan to pair the winner of McCloskey’s September 10 Belfast fight with the victor of Maidana and Roberto Guerrero for the vacated title.
McCloskey’s manager and father in law Francie McNicholl claims Team McCloskey pay no attention to rumour and are solely focused on the Dungiven man’s September 10 WBA interim title fight in the Odyssey Arena.
And it seems McCloskey will have to swat world number three Alberto Mosquera if he is to return to winning way on top of a bill that could host a Carl Frampton/Kiko Martinez fight as well as a rumoured bout between Andy Murray and former WBO World champ Michael Katsidis.
The Panamanian has stole McCloskey pole position ahead of preferred choice Brunet Zamora of Italy, who is extremely doubtful due to a hand injury suffered last weekend, and the only man to beat Khan Bredias Prescott.
Prescott sensationally knocked out Khan in a round back in 2008 and as a result would seem to be the more palatable option, but McNicholl revealed they are more interesting in world rankings than Amir Khan bragging rights.
“Paul McCloskey will make his come back on September 10 in the Odessy against Mosquera, Zomora or Prescott. At the moment it looks like Mosquera will be fighting Paul,“ McNicholl told Mirror Sport.
“Zomora being the WBA number two would be the preferred choice, but he hurt his hand winning via TKO recently and it looks like he won‘t make it. We would have preferred Zomora because of his ranking. We want to fight the highest ranked and best fighters. Mosquera at number three would be next option. Prescott is interested, but to be honest he doesn’t offer us what the others can. The only thing he has going for himself is he beat Amir Khan. He could give us bragging rights, but we are more interested in the rankings and establishing Paul as a world renowned fighter.”
Meanwhile Martin Rogan’s on off EU title fight appears to be back on again.
Confusion has reigned over the ‘Iron Man’s’ proposed EU title tilt with Kurbet Pulev.
However, after a disagreement over what date the pair would do battle for the vacated belt the European Boxing Union have rescheduled the fight, which will take place in Germany, for October 22 giving all parties enough time to prepare.
Elsewhere another inactive Belfast fighter Martin Lindsay revealed he was offered a fight on the September 10 Odyssey under card but turned it down as he is getting married the following week.
