McCloskey set for third defence of European title

Paul McCloskey will make the third defence of his European light-welterweight title against Italy’s Michele Di Rocco at the King’s Hall in Belfast on 5 March.

The unbeaten Irishman (left, with former opponent Giuseppe Lauri), currently ranked at 5 by the WBA and 4 by the WBC, is chasing a world title shot in 2011 and had been mooted as a potential opponent for Amir Khan whose next fight will be in England on 16 April.

It was expected that McCloskey’s next assignment would be Giuseppe Lauri, the man he defeated via a controversial eleventh round stoppage in June. Following protests by Lauri’s representatives due to the absence of post-fight drug tests, the EBU ordered an immediate rematch between the pair but have allowed McCloskey to make a voluntary defence against fellow Italian Di Rocco in the meantime.

The 28-year-old Di Rocco has built-up an impressive 29-1-1 record. Perhaps tellingly however, the Italian’s solitary career loss came against his compatriot in the shape of the aforementioned Lauri who stopped him in round seven in their clash for the EU light-welterweight crown and vacant WBC international title in 2007.