McCloskey should beat Bazan tonight by Steve Wellings Mar 29th 2008

Light-welterweight prospect Paul McCloskey takes another step towards a title shot as he clashes with former world champion Cesar Bazan tonight at the Letterkenny Leisure Complex, Co. Donegal. Classy southpaw McCloskey is from Dungiven, just over the border and holds the IBF Intercontinental light-welterweight bauble, a title he won by stopping faded Tontcho Tontchev in four rounds last December. Since then Paul went ten rounds with tough Mexican Manuel Garnica and used both opportunities to showcase a wide variety of skills. His loose and languid style makes use of unorthodox lead right uppercuts and left hooks to the body as well as conventional jabs and stinging left hands. McCloskey fights strictly at his own pace and has the experienced team of John Breen and Eamonn Magee manning the corner. The 27-year-old has impressed critics and fans alike while building a 15-0 (7 KO's) record against international opposition, under the guidance of Brian Peters' promotional outfit. The long term aim seems to be honing in on a shot at Paulie Malignaggi's IBF world title proper, but Malignaggi seems set on a collision course with Ricky Hatton. My choice would be a top ten EBU ranked opponent next, with a view to a shot at Colin Lynes' European title sometime in the near future. Best laid plans can easily fall apart and McCloskey knows well that experienced ring warrior Bazan can spring a surprise on Saturday night if he is not fully focused. Paul admitted to hand troubles in the press recently and acknowledges that his opponent will be coming to spoil the party. Bazan may only be 33 but has had 56 fights, stopping 30 opponents and once beat Stevie Johnston for the WBC lightweight title. That was ten years ago and since then he has shared the ring -in losing efforts- with Jose Luis Castillo, Miguel Cotto and Carlos Gerena amongst others and is coming off the back of a split decision loss. Cesar is tall and upright but relatively slow with limited head movement. He leans in on opponents and paid for that when Miguel Cotto dropped him in the first round of their encounter with a whipping left hook. He is open to the overhand right and can be a slow starter, although he did drop Henry Bruseles with a cuffing right hand of his own in the second session of their 2006 fight. Bazan also claimed he had the flu on the night Castillo stopped him in six one-sided rounds. I don't doubt he will last the course. Miguel Cotto stopped him, but the Puerto Rican is elite world class and Bazan generally lasts the distance; McCloskey however is the man on the way up. The 27-year-old Irishman is fresher and going places, while the slower Bazan trades on toughness and a career firmly set in the past. The Mexican will have his moments to land punches, as McCloskey often exchanges with hands down. But Paul will have the final say in matters, winning by a handy points margin over the stipulated ten round distance. In an ever changing support card which has seen Stephen Haughian and Mike Perez both withdraw through injury, former British welterweight king Neil Sinclair makes his latest comeback. Sinclair faces rugged Argentine Juan Martinez Bas over eight rounds; Bas is a 35-year-old veteran now based in Spain and his reported 7-6 record shows they are taking no risks with the unpredictable Sinclair, who has knocked out more opponents than Bas has had fights. Even though he is used to losing, Bas has never been halted and is coming off the back of a knockout win, having gone down on points to a local fighter in Germany in his previous contest. He is well travelled, fought in reasonable company and will seemingly provide Sinclair with the rounds needed. Sinclair contested the WBO welterweight title back in 2000, knocking down world class Daniel Santos in the opening round before being stopped himself in the second. He holds wins over Harry Dhami, Derek Roche and Bradley Pryce, but has been inconsistent of late, fighting in America then retiring and returning with confusing regularity. However far his latest venture lasts is unknown, but he should have enough fistic know-how to beat Bas on points. Cavan light-welterweight hope Andrew Murray looks to get over the disappointment of an aborted Irish title rematch with James Gorman last weekend as he faces Juris Ivanovs over 8x3's. Leonard Lothian stepped in at the eleventh hour in Dublin in place of Gorman and a clearly deflated Murray forced him to quit on his stool with a rib injury. Ivanovs is a journeyman who takes fights at short notice but has only been KO'd once in eight defeats, so should extend Murray the distance. Belfast's erratic Ciaran Healy was rumoured to be facing Steve Conway at light-middleweight on this bill but instead it's an eight round rematch with Pavel Lotah on the menu. Novice Lotah upset the odds in Limerick earlier this year when he posted his first pro victory over a lacklustre Healy. Trainer Eamonn Glennon was furious with Healy's lack of sufficient preparation and there should be no such corners cut this time around as Healy aims to amend the blot on his record. Feisty Lotah will fancy his chances again but Healy will have learned from the first bout and is expected to gain revenge with a points win. Light-middleweight Damian Taggart posted a shutout debut win on December's John Duddy-Howard Eastman undercard, but that lopsided score failed to tell the whole story. I was amongst a few at ringside that thought opponent on the night Peter Dunn had claimed a rare victory, but referee Sean Russell favoured the Omagh man's efforts. 25-year-old Taggart meets Latvian Janis Chernouskis over four rounds and will probably have enough to snatch a win on points. Former amateur crowd pleaser Luke Wilton makes his professional debut on this show and the man that has impressed so many in the gym aims to get off to a flying start against Hungarian Istvan Ajtai over 4x2's. Super-bantamweight Luke is only 19 but turned pro under the guidance of father and trainer Alan Wilton. Ajtai won his last contest but knows what it feels like to taste defeat, meaning Wilton can busy himself along towards a points verdict. Fighter's Weights: Paul McCloskey (141.5 lbs) V Cesar Bazan (141.25 lbs) Neil Sinclair (150.5 lbs) V Juan Martinez Bas (151.25 lbs) Andrew Murray (139.25 lbs) V Juris Ivanovs (140.25 lbs) Ciaran Healy (158.25 lbs) V Pavel Lotah (158.25 lbs) Damian Taggart (149 lbs) V Janis Chernouskis (149 lbs) Luke Wilton (120 lbs) V István Ajtai (120.25 lbs) Live coverage of the Hunky Dorys Fight Night begins on RTÉ TWO at 9pm on Saturday. Coverage is also available online on www.rte.ie BBC 1 Northern Ireland will show delayed coverage of the bout at 10:20pm on Sunday night. Doors open at the Letterkenny Leisure Complex at 6pm on Saturday. The first bout is at 6.30pm with McCloskey expected in the ring at 9.30pm.

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NEIL SINCLAIR Mar 29th 2008, 04:19:29 by ardybo If Neil gets his head right, he is more than capable of winning the British title again.