McCloskey-Khan camps get closer to big fight deal

THE Paul McCloskey and Amir Khan camps appeared on the brink of agreeing terms for a mouthwatering WBA light welterweight title contest in Manchester in April, as the Sentinel went to press yesterday.

The Dungiven fighter's manager and father-in-law Francie McNicholl and Amir Khan's father Shah were both optimistic the legal niceties surrounding a fight between the pair could be ironed out when speaking to the paper.

"We are moving in the right direction," said Mr McNicholl. "I've been talking to Shah Khan today (Tuesday) and we would be hopeful we can arrive at an agreement. One or two things need to be ironed out."

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Equally, Shah Khan said the propects for a fight at the MEN arena in Manchester were looking good and that he was hopeful agreement could be reached.

"I think we are getting very close to tell you the truth," said Mr Khan . "Fingers-crossed, I think we can make it happen. I was speaking to Francie today and we had a good chat."

Mr Khan said it was a fight both boxers wanted to happen and that it would be a great boxing occasion for fight fans in the UK and Ireland. "It would be great for both fighters and the general public," he said.

As the Sentinel went to press Mr Khan said paper work outlining "enhanced incentives" had been passed to the McCloskey camp's lawyers for perusal.

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Last week negotiations over the contest stalled badly over the purse and the terms being offered.

A possible scrap betwen the pair was first mooted when Khan's first choice opponent Lamont Peterson pulled out due to the latter apparently demanding "too much money."

It's a fight both the Dungiven and Bolton fighters clearly want to happen.

McCloskey told the Sentinel he rates Khan as a fighter but that he can see chinks in the Bolton fighter's armour.

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"He's been regarded as the golden boy of boxing and - don't get me wrong - he's a good fighter, but I don't think he punches as a hard as his record suggests. He throws a lot of fast punches but I've got very fast reflexes and he's not going to be able to land six or eight punches on me," he said. McCloskey accepts Khan has clearly improved as a boxer under Freddie Roach who has been his trainer since Colombian Breidis Prescott knocked him out in 2008, but reckons there are weaknesses to be worked on.

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