McCloskey Plans M'Baye Win, Then Amir Khan Showdown
By Mark Vester
British junior welterweight Paul McCloskey (19-0, 9KOs) is another name on a long list of fighters who want a showdown with WBA junior welterweight champion Amir Khan. McCloskey challenges veteran Souleymane M'Baye for the EBU junior welterweight title at the 6,000 seat Meadowbank Sports Arena in Magherafelt, Northern Ireland on November 6.
McCloskey’s trainer John Breen doesn't think M'Baye will be able to deal with his fighter's slick boxing style.
“It’s great that the fight is confirmed and Paul has home advantage but frankly I wouldn’t care where the fight was staged because Paul is going to be too good for him. Once Paul wins the European title he then automatically goes into the top ten or top five in the world governing bodies and of course Khan is the one we want," Breen said to The Belfast Telegraph.
Khan defends against mandatory Dmitriy Salita on December 5. Breen is hoping the two winners can meet in the early part of 2010 in huge European showdown.
“If Frank Warren is prepared to allow Paul to fight him then we would jump at the fight. It’s a fight that we’ve been wanting for Paul for a couple of years. And if Paul wins the European title then it’s the obvious fight for Britain — a European champion against a World champion," Breen said.
“You can’t take anything away from Khan because he has won the WBA title but I’m very confident that Paul would take him to school. I’ve always said that the better the opponent Paul boxes, the better he fights and that’s why I believe he can be European and then a world champion. People have said to me how impressed they are with Paul but believe me the best is yet to come. I think the next couple of years can be very big for Paul.”
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