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© Click Image for more photos by Jane Warburton
At the MEN Arena, Manchester, Saturday night – Amir Khan retained his WBA Light Welterweight Title by a Technical Unanimous Decision after Challenger – Paul McCloskey was (controversially) stopped with a cut to the left eyebrow.
It was a fantastic atmosphere inside the MEN Arena as the 18,000 fans eagerly awaited the main event.
Legendary Michael Buffer announced the boxers and as fighting got under way, little did we know that the fight would be remembered – not for the performance of either man or the excitement of a thrilling fight – but for the angry scenes following a premature end.
Khan came out fast and busy as round one began, while calm McCloskey – with gloves dropped low – kept centre of ring. Khan whipped out the long-reaching lefts and rights with lightening speed but McCloskey looks unfazed as he fends off the Champion. ‘Dudey’ lands a decent swinging right hook mid-way through the second round but is less busy than ‘King’ Khan – seemingly ‘waiting’.
Mid-way through the third McCloskey gets in with a right, but continues to ‘wait’ while Khan has moments of frenzied cluster punches (a bit cat-like I thought!)
Just before the closing bell of the third frame, Referee Luis Pabon calls both men together after Khan hits ‘back of head’. Luis Pabon though would be far more notable for other reasons tonight!
In the fourth, as McCloskey throws the left, Khan counters and the man from Dungiven ends up on the canvas as he appears to trip over his opponents feet. It’s waved off as a no-knockdown.
Khan keeps up the pace but although he regularly lands punches – McCloskey doesn’t seem to notice them too much and he continues with the low guard.
Mid-way through the sixth Khan lands a right and McCloskey is under pressure as Khan ‘goes for him’ landing a left to the head followed by a left to the body. The crowd erupts and yet McCloskey returns with a shot of his own – as if the flurry of shots wasn’t anything to worry about. Moments later and there’s an accidental clash of heads. Both men put a glove to their foreheads acknowledging the ‘knock’. Seeing Khan’s gestures – Referee Pabon immediately calls time then he turns to see McCloskey whose head has started to bleed. Pabon calls for a ringside Doctor straight away and the crowds begin to ‘boo’. McCloskey has sustained a vertical cut to the corner of the left brow above the nose. The Doctor (who is inside the ring now) speaks to Pabon and McCloskey. Pabon then waves to signal an end to the contest. McCloskey looks dumb-founded as he wanders back to his corner and moments later there is chaos in the ring as Team Khan celebrates while Promoter Barry Hearn is left furious! The cut has already stopped bleeding and McCloskey now realises it isn’t a bad cut afterall. ‘You are a disgrace!’ Hearn points at Referee Pabon.
Michael Buffer revealed the decision as being a ‘Technical Unanimous Decision’. The judges scorecards were counted and all three were in favour of the Champion 60-54.
Afterwards, Barry Hearn told Primetime TV that ‘it wasn’t a serious cut’. He confirmed he had no qualms with Khan himself, but was angry with the Referee and Doctor. ‘I think he (McCloskey) has been robbed – by very bad decisions’ said Hearn, while McCloskey said he was still ‘in shock’. He felt that Khan was tiring and he knew that he himself would get stronger as the rounds notched up.
Khan wasn’t fazed and felt it had been easy against McCloskey citing that another two rounds and he’d have knocked him out anyway.
Oscar De La Hoya wouldn’t be pushed on Khan’s next move, but did say ‘right now Amir has a lot of options’.
Amir Khan retains his WBA Light Welterweight Title and improves to 25 wins (17 by KO) and 1 loss (1 by KO) , while McCloskey drops to 22 wins (12 by KO) and 1 loss.
The ‘King Khan Returns’ Bill was promoted by Khan Promotions / Hatton Promotions and Golden Boy, and was screened live on Primetime TV PPV and HBO.
Also on the ‘King Khan Returns’ Bill, Boxing Binman – Rendall Munroe of Leicester, won the vacant WBA International Super-Bantamweight Title by Unanimous Points Decision over Andrei Isaeu of Belarus.
Lee ‘Lights Out’ Purdy of Colchester, won the British Welterweight Title by TKO over Craig Watson of Manchester , in the 5th round. This was Watson’s first defence of the title he won in February.
Martin Murray of St.Helens, won the WBA International Middleweight Title by fourth round TKO over John Anderson Carvalho of Brazil.
