Super Zab Super Bad for McCloskey-Judah won’t come to Belfast
By Jonny Stapleton
PAUL McCloskey’s search for a big boxing name to help him pack out the Odyssey Arena on February 18 continues after Zab Judah was the latest to reject his advances.
A Judah/McCloskey fight is on the cards, but it won’t happen any time soon according to
the former IBF light welterweight world champion’s Promoter Kathy Duval.
Having failed to lure Marcos Maidana to Belfast Team Dudey set their sights on other big American based names such as Timothy Bradley, Eric Morales and new York antive Judah.
McCloskey’s manager Francie McNicholl told Mirror Sport last week that preliminary talks took place with Judah and reports this week suggested the Derry stylist was ready to put pen to paper on a deal to fight the ’Super Zab’ Stateside in March of 2012.
However, Duval revealed finances don’t make the fight viable at present and stressed Judah has chosen an none Irish route for the time being.
“While I had a conversation about Judah and McCloskey with Barry Hearn about a week ago, nothing really came of it. Barry was suggesting that Judah come to Ireland to fight. Based on our discussion, I do not believe that such a bout would make financial or competitive sense for Judah at this time,” Duval told Mirror Sport.
Duval did sing of the same hymn sheet as Marcos Maidana praising Matchroom, Team McCloskey and indeed the former European champion. Indeed although she doesn’t feel the clash can be made anytime soon she does she see it as a viable option down the line.
“We did agreed to hold open the possibility of a Judah-McCloskey fight could be made in the future. I think that Judah and McCloskey would be a terrific fight. And perhaps it will be made at some point in the future, either here in the US or in Northern Ireland. But at the moment, Main Events has decided to go in another direction with Judah’s career. I sincerely hope that our paths will cross with the Hearns and with McCloskey at some point. I consider Barry Hearn to be a dear, longtime friend and it would be great to work with him again.”
