McCloskey: “Judah is a potential banana skin for Khan”
Paul McCloskey believes that Amir Khan could come unstuck in Las Vegas on Saturday July 23 if he is taking the threat of Zab Judah lightly.
McCloskey sees Judah as a refreshed force and thinks Amir could be underestimating his powers.
“Judah-Khan depends on circumstances and if Khan’s taking him lightly then Zab could spring a surprise,” opined Paul, who was in Belfast revealing details of his own WBA elimination bout with Breidis Prescott.
“Judah seems to be rejuvenated training under Pernell Whitaker and it will be an interesting contest – a potential banana skin for Khan.”
Inevitably, McCloskey was quizzed at length by the media about his own tussle with the Bolton star and the fight-ending circumstances that are still subject to much debate across the Irish boxing scene. Both Paul and promoter Eddie Hearn appear to be tiring of the fiasco and are keen to push forwards and back into world title contention, starting later this year with big punching Prescott.
Paul claims that all roads do not necessarily lead to Khan and he is pursuing every avenue in a bid for world stardom: “I don’t dream of a Khan return,” he said, “I dream of being a world champion in my own right, beating whoever is in front of me and I’d fight King Kong or Mickey Mouse to achieve that!
"I felt comfortable against Khan and that I belong at that level. I didn’t feel like a beaten fighter when I left the ring and I was fresh and strong when the fight was stopped on the cut.”
If Judah pulls off the upset win this weekend and inflicts a second professional defeat on Khan then further doors could open for McCloskey. At least that is what promoter Eddie Hearn believes and the fast moving Matchroom man wants to pull some strings with his American connections and make an all-southpaw mega fight.
“We have strong relationships with American promoters and we’re already talking to champions in Paul’s weight division. Kathy Duva has been a friend of my father’s for many years and we have a close relationship. If Judah beats Khan then it’s a fight we can definitely make. Khan’s possibly off up to the 147 pound division after he fights Judah and defends against Erik Morales; he’s talking of taking on Floyd Mayweather Jnr up there.”
Both Hearn and McCloskey were present at the Odyssey Arena, Belfast to announcing Paul’s WBA light-welterweight elimination bout with Bredis Prescott when the subject of Khan inevitably raised its head. McCloskey’s manager Francie McNicholl was also seated at top table, in front of some sizeably impressive posters proclaiming Prescott as the perfect opponent. Both men on September 10 will have met Amir Khan in the professional ring and left it experiencing vastly differing emotions.
“There are a lot of unanswered questions from the night of the Khan fight,” said Hearn, looking to put the matter to bed.
“The BBBofC wrote to the WBA and spoke to the doctor and the referee and got the same answers as we did. Sky wanted Khan to fight Prescott again before he accepted McCloskey. We can go over the issues a million times but the fight is over and we have to pursue other options. We need to focus on the next job and make sure we don’t get stuck in the past.”
The immediate future for this thriving partnership is Breidis Prescott and a packed September 10 fight card. Fights with Zab Judah and Marcos Maidana could materialise at some point in the future, but for now all focus moves to a certain Columbian banger.
