As Manny Pacquiao trains diligently at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles for his date against Shane Mosley, his trainer Freddie Roach is in England helping Amir Khan for his April 16th defense of his WBA junior welterweight title against unbeaten Irishman Paul McCloskey. Khan and Roach participated in an open media workout earlier today in front of the Bolton star’s adoring fans.
The fight with McCloskey, who is a relative anomaly in the boxing world outside of his native land, isn’t look at as a huge danger for Khan yet every fight on this level should be taken seriously. I had asked Roach about the fight a few months back in Las Vegas during the Pacquiao-Mosley press stop and he is far from smitten by the 31-year old.
<--- Slideshow: Amir Khan, Freddie Roach spotted in England training for McCloskey
“McCloskey is a southpaw who is right-handed and has a real good right hook. He rolls his shoulder a little bit like Mayweather, to try to be like Mayweather, but he’s not near as fast. I’m not overly impressed with McCloskey. I think Amir will knock him out,” Roach said resoundingly.
The big fight for Khan, and the most ideal contest to make at this point, is a clash with fellow champion Timothy Bradley, as dogged and determined of a pug as you will see out there. There have been rumors circulating that the two may be on course for a July 23rd collision in Las Vegas but those reports seem premature as Bradley was less than thrilled with his purse for the fight.
If the fight can come off however, it would be pretty huge, making a win over McCloskey all the more crucial.
