McCloskey determined not to bow to Cesar March 29th

Derry’s own John Duddy may be just one fight away from his dream of a world title bout against middleweight Kingpin Kelly Pavlik but he’s not the only Derryman eyeing World honours this year. Duddy’s former amateur team mate Paul McCloskey is creating a real stir of his own following an impressive 12 months that has seen him emerge from Duddy’s shadow to become a star in his own right.

Paul McCloskey
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McCloskey will look to cement his growing reputation and advance his own title aspirations when he tackles former World Champion, Cesar Bazan of Mexico on the next Hunky Dorys Fight Night, which takes place at the Letterkenny Leisure Complex on Saturday, March 29th. It will be McCloskey’s toughest test to date against the hard punching former champion who has swapped leather with the likes of Miguel Cotto, Jose Luis Castillo and Stevie Johnson

Promoter Brian Peters is already eyeing up a world title challenge for McCloskey so it’s vital that the unbeaten southpaw does not slip up against the power punching Mexican warrior.

Peters said, “I’ve already had preliminary talks with Paulie Malignaggi’s promoter Lou DiBella about Paul challenging him for the world title. Malignaggi is the IBF champ while Paul is now the IBF International champion so he’s certainly going in the right direction for that fight. If Paul can keep impressing in the ring I’m sure it’s a fight we’ll be able to make at some point.

“Malignaggi is based out of New York with Italian heritage and obviously John Duddy has really built up a huge Irish following out there so I think a fight between Paul and Malignaggi would be a natural fight for New York.”

Trainer John Breen believes his charge is ready to take on Europe and the World. “I’ve been saying for years that Paul is our next world champion but nobody believed me. But when Barney Eastwood said the same thing recently that made people sit up and take notice. Trust me Paul is the real deal. Don’t get me wrong both John Duddy and Andy Lee are very good fighters but I believe Paul is a little bit special and he’ll prove that by wining a world title.”

First up though could be an assault on Europe Breen and McCloskey were ringside in London last month to watch European champ Colin Lynes defend his European title against Juho Tolppola and McCloskey didn’t see anything to worry him.

“I thought he boxed well on the night and he impressed me to a degree,” said McCloskey “but I thought he should have stopped Tolppola if I’m honest. I fell I’m ready for a European title fight right now, all I need is the opportunity. Don’t get me wrong, I respect Lynes in the same way that I respect any guy that I get in the ring with. The day you lose respect for your opponent is the day you lose yourself but I’m very confident that I can beat him and hopefully that’s a fight I can get at some point this year.”

McCloskey’s last win in Limerick earlier this month extended his perfect professional record to 15 and 0 following another clinical display against Mexican danger man Manuel Garnica. McCloskey dominated the 10 rounder from start to finish and hardly took a punch in anger all night despite facing a man who had wins over former world champs Carlos Maussa and Gabriel Ruelas.

Despite the plaudits he received after the fight McCloskey wasn’t completely happy with his own performance. “To be honest I felt a little sluggish in there and combined with the fact that I hurt my left hand early in the fight it meant I wasn’t entirely happy. Obviously it was good to get such a clear-cut win over a dangerous opponent like that but I suppose you’re always your own worst critic.

“I probably put on a little too much weight between the weigh in and the fight but you learn from all these little things. My hand isn’t 100% yet but it’s almost there and I’ve been doing a lot of conditioning work. I feel in great shape and I should be ready to start using the hand again next week.”

McCloskey admits he will need to be in the shape of his life for Bazan who has twice as many KO’s as McCloskey has had fights! “All the talk of titles is great but you can only take it one fight at a time and this guy is as tough as they come. He’s given the likes of Cotto, Castillo and Johnson all they can handle and he’s been in 5 world title fights so you have to give him all the respect in the world.
“You can’t afford to take your eye off the ball for a second with guys of this calibre because they’ll punish you. All it takes is one punch in this game for your career to be turned upside down but these are the kind of nights any fighter wants to be involved in.

“I have to hand it to Brian for giving me this opportunity. It will be great to headline my own show and so close to home as well. The way my career has stepped up a gear in the last 12 months has been amazing and I delighted to have the chance now to push on. To be honest I felt I was ready for this level of opposition a year ago but the pieces are falling into place now and hopefully this is just the start of anther big year for me.”

Promoter Brian Peters is delighted to be bringing big time pro boxing to Donegal. "It's a county with a great boxing heritage and I'm delighted to be showcasing Paul so close to his home town. The Letterkenny Leisure Complex is a fantastic new facility, it's state of the art and it should prove to be an excellent venue."

The undercard for Letterkenny features former World title challenger and British champion, Neil Sinclair, rising welterweight Stephen Haughian and Cuban heavyweight sensation Mike “The Rebel” Perez.

Tyrone professional Damian Taggart also features alongside top amateur Luke Wilton from Belfast who will be making his pro debut. Tickets for the Hunky Dorys Fight Night priced from 60 go on sale 9am (Friday, February 22nd) from Ticketmaster.ie and all usual outlets.

Cory Spinks/Verno Phillips and Devon Alexander/Miguel Callist

ST. LOUIS— Spinks will defend his International Boxing Federation junior middleweight championship against former three-time world champion Verno Phillips while Alexander, the World Boxing Council Continental Americas champion, will take on World Boxing Association FEDELATIN champion Miguel Callist.

All boxers were on hand today to discuss the event. Civility ruled the day until Spinks, who had just praised his opponent, asked for “a moment of silence for Verno Phillips’s career because I’m going to put it to rest in St. Louis on March 27.”



An incensed Phillips grabbed a microphone and challenged Spinks. “Nobody’s taken my heart away in my career and Cory Spinks isn’t going to do that. You don’t punch. Don’t run and hide. Come to fight.”

The 21-year-old emerging 140-pounder Alexander spoke confidently. “I’m on the rise. I’m a man on a mission to become undisputed champion of the world.”



Miguel Callist is happy to have an opportunity to display his skills. “I know this is going to be a tough fight but I’m one of the best kept secrets in boxing. I’m glad that Devon Alexander has accepted this challenge. So many people don’t want to fight and I’m glad Devon does.”

Cory Spinks: “I know Verno is a veteran that knows his way around the ring. But I want a moment of silence for Verno Phillips’s career because I’m going to put it to rest in St. Louis on March 27.”

Verno Phillips: “I’m glad to have the opportunity to fight for the IBF 154-pound championship. I will be a red lion on March 27 and very raw.”


Directly to Cory Spinks: “Nobody’s taken my heart away in my career and Cory Spinks isn’t going to do that. You don’t punch. Don’t run and hide. Come to fight.”

Devon Alexander: “I’m on the rise. I’m a man on a mission to become undisputed champion of the world. I train every day for that. I want to unify at 140 pounds before moving up to 147.

“Thanks to my trainer Kevin Cunnigham, the best trainer in the world, Don King and everyone at Scottrade Center.”

Miguel Callist: “I know this is going to be a tough fight but I’m one of the best kept secrets in boxing. I’m glad that Devon Alexander has accepted this challenge. So many people don’t want to fight and I’m glad Devon does.

“I grew up watching Roberto Duran in Panama and now I’m here in St. Louis to make my mark on March 27. I will do my best and I will win.”

Kevin Cunningham (trainer and manager of both Cory Spinks and Devon Alexander): “We’ve got Cory Spinks. He’s the present. We’ve got Devon Alexander. He’s the future. Both are in tough fights.



“Miguel Callist is no joke. He’s a continental champion. Devon’s going to have to be ready. Somebody is going to leave that fight with two championship belts.

“Verno Phillips is a very respected three-time world champion. He’s for real. Cory’s going to have his work cut out for him.

“It’s going to be a great night of boxing on March 27 with two guys from St. Louis risking their titles.”

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Matthew Macklin set to do battle with former World Champion Yori Boy Campas in Dublin

Put the house on it – the next Ladbrokes.com Fight Night looks set to be a sure fire candidate for the 2008 “Fight of the Year” with Irish middleweight champ Matthew Macklin set to do battle with former World Champion Yori Boy Campas at the National Stadium, Dublin on March 22nd.

In 2006 both men were involved in two of the best, if not the best fights of that year – and on the same night. The 29th of September, 2006 is a date neither Macklin or Campas (or indeed any boxing fan) will forget in a hurry.

In Manchester Macklin lost a brave bid for the British light middleweight title against Jamie Moore after 10 torrid rounds of phone booth warfare while just a few hours later on the other side of the Atlantic Campas gave John Duddy the fright of his life losing on a close decision after 12 back and forth rounds of action.

For Macklin this fight represents a major step up in class having moved up a weight in 2007 and successfully recovered from the Moore loss with 3 straight stoppage victories. Campas has shared the ring with some of the modern greats including Oscar De La Hoya and Felix “Tito” Trinidad.

Incredibly his fight with Macklin will be his 103rd outing as a professional with the Mexican warrior having turned pro at the age of 15. In his 20 year pro career he’s compiled an amazing record of 91 wins (73 of them by KO) and just 11 defeats and picked up the World light middleweight title along the way.

Now 36 Campas is determined to prove that he still belongs at the highest level but Macklin who will have new trainer and former two weight world champ Buddy McGirt in his corner in Dublin believes that an impressive win will bring his title ambitions into sharper focus.

“It’s a real step up in class for me and just what I need,” said the Birmingham based Irishman. “Campas is a very seasoned pro, you only need to look at the names on his record to see that.”

It will be the Arizona based Mexican’s second successive trip to Europe and having been beaten by former European champion and world rated Amin Asikainen in Helsinki he’ll be hoping for better luck in Dublin. Macklin has already studied that bout and believes that the seventh round defeat for Campas was not a true reflection of the fight.

“I thought the stoppage was very premature. Campas was still on his feet and firing back and he looked disgusted that it had been stopped. Up until then the last guy to legitimately stop him was Oscar De La Hoya and there was certainly no disgrace in that.

“I won’t really be looking to stop him because when you look for the stoppage it never comes. You have to be patient and anyway I want to get back to boxing a bit more as that side of things was neglected a bit when I was with Billy Graham. People forget that I was a very good amateur boxer and I need to get back to using those boxing skills.

“To be honest it will be difficult to do that with this fight because with the style Campas fights there’s nearly always fireworks and if it does become that kind of fight I won’t be found wanting.”

Macklin flies out to McGirt’s gym in Vero Beach, Florida this weekend to begin a month long training camp in the Sunshine State. “Part of the reasoning behind linking up with Buddy was to get me boxing more again,” explained Macklin.

“Obviously Buddy was a tremendous fighter himself and I’ve been really impressed with him as a trainer. You only have to look at how he turned Arturo Gatti from a brawler to a boxer to see the kind of influence he can have on a fighter so I’ll be hoping for a similar transformation.”

McGirt says he’s excited about working with Macklin. “I’m really looking forward to working with Matthew. I’m currently working with Paul Smith who I took on after working with him on the Contender T.V. series. He trained and sparred with Matthew when they were both in Billy Graham’s gym and Paul highly recommended Matthew to me so I’m excited about it.

“I know all about Campas, he’s a tough, tough veteran who’s been in with everybody and he is still a dangerous guy so it’s a good challenge for Matthew.”

Campas says he won’t be drawn into any trash talking or bold predictions ahead of the fight but promised, “I can only tell the people that they will see a real fight, I can guarantee that.”

His manager Joe Diaz added, “Yori is an incredible guy. He turned pro when he was just 15 and 20 years later he’s still competing at the highest level. He’s ageless and if people think he’s slipping because he got stopped by Asikainen they’re very much mistaken. The fight’s available to watch on YouTube for all to see and anyone can see that It should never have been stopped.

“Yori Boy wasn’t hurt, what happened was that the sponsors logo on the ring came loose and Yori’s feet got caught up in it. He got tagged with a few shots as he was trying to untangle himself and then the referee jumped in and stopped it. It was a crazy decision.

“I don’t make any excuses but in this case people can make their own minds up. After the fight Yori Boy didn’t even have a bruise but the other guy had 28 stitches over his eye and a broken hand. Anyway that’s behind us now. You have to move on and we plan on doing that in Dublin.”

The undercard for the Ladbrokes.com Fight Night is headed by an eagerly anticipated Irish Light Welterweight title rematch between Cavan’s Andrew Murray and Belfast’s James Gorman. The two first met last December at the Kings Hall in Belfast with Murray winning on a technical decision after an accidental clash of heads in the fourth round left Murray unable to continue.

Under Boxing Union of Ireland rules the fight went to the referee’s scorecard and Murray kept his unbeaten record intact courtesy of the early lead he had taken. However even the new champion admitted that the outcome was unsatisfactory and both men are keen to do it all over again and settle affairs more conclusively.

The card will also feature Cuban heavyweight sensation Mike “The Rebel” Perez. Despite only having arrived in his adopted hometown of Cork in mid January the 22-year-old former world Amateur Champion has already racked up two quick fire wins in the pro ranks.

Perez’s manager Gary Hyde believes that with his amateur pedigree the power punching Cuban will bring the world heavyweight title back to Cork.

Another unbeaten heavyweight on the card is unbeaten Belfast banger Martin Rogan. The former Irish Amateur Champion is closing in on a shot at the Irish Professional heavyweight title and will have his first scheduled 8 round contest on next months card.

Irish professional’s Aidan Mooney and Leon Senior will also be in action.

Tickets for the Ladrokes.com Fight Night priced from €60 go on sale from 9am tomorrow morning (Friday, February 15th) from Ticketmaster.ie and all usual outlets.