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Earlier today at the Lowery Hotel in Manchester, England, WBA junior welterweight champion Amir Khan officially announced his next ring contest, an April 16th defense against unbeaten Irish challenger Paul McCloskey. Flanked by co-promoter Ricky Hatton, the two pugs spoke out about the challenge that each of them face and the respect they have for one another. Khan is coming off of a December 11th victory over interim champion Marcos Maidana in Las Vegas, a bout in which he had to dig down deep in weathering a late storm, and there was much speculation as to his next opponent in the ring. British lightweight champion John Murray and contender Lamont Peterson were both considered but it is the southpaw McCloskey who will be getting the assignment at the M.E.N. Arena in Manchester.
This is what Khan, McCloskey, and Hatton had to say at today’s presser…
WBA junior welterweight Amir Khan
Thrilled to be back… “I’m thrilled to be coming home to England to defend my title on April 16th and I promise my fans that I will give them a performance they won’t forget. McCloskey is a tough contender, so I expect him to be in his best form. I’m in my prime now and I want to make a statement in this fight and show that I am the best super lightweight in the world.”
What drives me… “Paul McCloskey is an unbeaten fighter with a lot of skill. Also, he’s a southpaw, and I’ve been watching him fight. I like his style; he’s very sharp, he’s got a good punch. So it’s going to be a tough fight but this is what I like about what drives me. It only brings the best out of me.”
Challenger Paul Mccloskey
A dream come true…”Fighting for a world championship is a dream come true for me and I’m not about to let it go to waste,” said McCloskey. “Khan is a very good fighter and I respect him, but he is beatable and I plan to do just that. I’ve sacrificed a lot to get here and this is my time.”
No doubts… “This opportunity has come on the back of what I’ve done in the ring and I’ve got no doubts in my mind that I can beat Amir. Amir has improved dramatically and proved in his last fight against Marcos Maidana the heart he has. That fight was amazing to watch. It will be the biggest night of my life.”
Former champion Ricky Hatton
Khan’s resurgance… “Since losing to Breidis Prescott in 2008 he’s turned his career around and more. He’s not sat back on his laurels. He’s gone from strength to strength. If he continues ticking all the boxes and progressing and improving as he is, I don’t think it will be long before he’s on top of that pound-for-pound list. I really do strongly believe that.”
Amir’s story… “When you see the story of where Amir’s come from in his career it is a massive success story. He was written off in many ways and how he has rammed it down his critics’ throats by turning his career around is a credit to him. British boxing fans should be very proud of him.”
Special thanks to our friends at BoxingScene.com for photos and quotes…
Chris Robinson is based out of Las Vegas, Nevada. He can be reached at [email protected]
