By Mark Vester
According to a report in the Belfast Telegraph, a proposed fight between WBA junior welterweight champion Amir Khan, and undefeated British champion Paul McCloskey, is a dead issue. McCloskey's promoter Barry Hearn told the paper that Khan's financial offer for a main event showdown on an April 16 pay-per-view - "was a joke." Hearn would not reveal the number, but he says the offer is so low that no credible boxer would possibly accept it.
“The offer was a joke. There’s no way I’m letting Paul fight for peanuts. They made the offer, I rejected it and as far as I can see the fight is dead. We’ll certainly not be going back to them to negotiate. If they were to come back with a proper offer then of course we would listen but as I expected they wanted to get Paul on the cheap," Hearn said.
“I’m just not interested in that. Paul’s got a better record than Khan — he’s undefeated and he’s never been knocked out like Khan has. Nobody has done Paul any favours, he has done everything that has been asked of him and he deserves to be well paid for a fight like this.
“Frankly, I don’t know who Khan is going to get to fight for the money he was offering Paul. Certainly Victor Ortiz wouldn’t and I don’t think any quality fighter would allow themselves to box for the money Paul was offered.”
