By Edward Chaykovsky
Golden Boy Promotions President Oscar De La Hoya admitted that Paul McCloskey deserves another shot at WBA 140-pound champion Amir Khan. Last Saturday at the MEN Arena in Manchester, the fight was stopped in the sixth round after a clash of heads opened up a cut above the left eye of McCloskey. The ringside doctor stopped the fight and Khan won a six round technical decision.
De La Hoya says the rematch is not going to happen in the immediate future. Instead, he plans to focus on making a unification between Khan and WBO/WBC champion Timothy Bradley. He says Khan-Bradley was already in their plans before the bout with McCloskey was ever set.
“Paul gave a good performance and showed why he is undefeated. He is talented and I feel he has a bright future ahead of him. The fight was stopped. Amir is not a doctor I am not a doctor, but that doctor that stopped the fight did his job. He is the expert. I have no idea why he was in the ring but again I am not a doctor. Obviously everyone is going to want a rematch, of course they will, but right now I have plans to bring Amir Khan back to the States to unify the titles. Does Paul deserve a rematch, yes he does," De La Hoya told irish-boxing.com.
Yes Paul deserves a rematch, but we have plans. Paul will continue and do well, but we are going to Ameirca next. We are going to have the fight the whole world wants to see Timothy Bradley versus Amir Khan."