Paul McCloskey

Paul McCloskey

Medal record
Competitor for  Ireland
Men's Boxing
EU Amateur Championships
Silver	2003 Strasbourg	Welterweight

Paul McCloskey (born 3 August 1979 in Dungiven, Northern Ireland) is an Irish Southpaw Professional Boxer who fights in the Light Welterweight division.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

McCloskey is the former Irish Senior Amateur Champion, former British light-welterweight champion and current European light-welterweight champion.^[1][6]

Gaelic games

McCloskey played both Gaelic football and hurling at underage and briefly at senior level for the local clubs in Dungiven - St. Canice's Dungiven and Kevin Lynchs respectively. He was part of the Dungiven side that won the Derry Senior Football Championship and Ulster Senior Club Football Championship in 1997.

Amateur career

McCloskey boxed out of the St. Canices ABC and fought for Ireland at amateur level and was a three-time Irish champion and five-time senior Ulster champion at in the light welterweight division. He failed to qualify for the 2004 Summer Olympics by ending up in third place at the 2nd AIBA European 2004 Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Warsaw, Poland.

Professional career

McCloskey turned professional in March 2005 on the undercard of a bill that included Eamonn Magee and Neil Sinclair at the King's Hall, Belfast. In his debut McCloskey defeated experienced Englishman "Dangerous" David Kehoe with a third round knockout.

In December 2007 he won the IBF International light-welterweight title, stopping Tontcho Tontchev in round four.

After beating Nigel Wright on points in July 2008,^[7] he fought Colin Lynes on 5 December 2008 for the vacant British light-welterweight title. McCloskey won, forcing Lynes to retire after the ninth round.^[8]

Following his British title victory, McCloskey was named Boxer of the Year at the Irish National Boxing Awards in January 2009.

On 13 March, McCloskey retained his British light-welterweight title in emphatic fashion with a fourth-round stoppage of Dean Harrison in Widnes.

McCloskey won the vacant European light welterweight title on 6 November 2009, when he defeated Spanish boxer Daniel Rasilla after original opponent and champion Mbaye withdrew due to injury.

McCloskey defended his European title against Giuseppe Lauri from Italy on 11 June at the Kings Hall, Belfast, with an 11th round knockout.^[9]

McCloskey's next defence of his European title was against Barry Morrison in Letterkenny, County Donegal, on 2 October 2010. McCloskey won the fight with a seventh round stoppage of his Scottish opponent.^[10]

His third defense of the title would've been against second Italian challenger, Michele Di Rocco on March 5, 2011. Michele Di Rocco has a record of (21-1-1) with 12 kos and his only loss was by knockout in the 7th round against Giuseppe Lauri, whom McCloskey knocked out in the 11th round. But this match has been cancelled due to the Khan fight being worked out.

McCloskey vs. Khan

He was defeated by Amir Khan at the Manchester Evening News Arena on Saturday 16 April 2011 when the fight was stopped in the sixth round. This was the result of an accidental head clash which left McCloskey with a cut above his eye.

McCloskey vs. Prescott

McCloskey won his fight against Breidis Prescott in a world title eliminator on 10 September 2011 by unanimous decision, with two judges scoring the bout 114-113, and the third judge scoring it 115-113. During the fight Prescott dominated the early rounds, scoring a knockdown in the first round by clearly pushing his with his forearm and later breaking McCloskey nose which bleed heavily throughout the fight. However, McCloskey rallied in the second half of the fight and won the later rounds. The decision proved to be controversial with many believing Prescott had done enough to win.

Professional boxing record

24 Wins (12 Knockouts), 3 Defeats, 0 Draws[11]
Res.	Record	Opponent	Type	Rd., Time	Date	Location	Notes
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss	24-3	Dave Ryan	PTS	8	2013-12-21	First Direct Arena, Leeds, England
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	24-2	Manuel Pérez	UD	12	2012-09-22	Odyssey Arena, Belfast, Northern Ireland	Won WBA Inter-Continental Light Welterweight title
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss	23-2	DeMarcus Corley	TKO	10 (12), 2:28	2012-05-05	King's Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	23-1	Breidis Prescott	UD	12	2011-09-10	Odyssey Arena, Belfast, Northern Ireland	WBA Light Welterweight title eliminator
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss	22-1	Amir Khan	TD	6 (12), 2:30	2011-04-16	M.E.N. Arena, Manchester, England	For WBA Light Welterweight title
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	22-0	Barry Morrison	TKO	7 (12), 1:28	2010-10-02	Letterkenny Regional Sports and Leisure Complex, Letterkenny	Retained EBU (European) Light Welterweight title
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	21-0	Giuseppe Lauri	KO	11 (12), 0:45	2010-06-11	King's Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland	Retained EBU (European) Light Welterweight title
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	20-0	Daniel Rasilla	TKO	9 (12), 2:15	2009-11-06	Meadowbank Sports Arena, Magherafelt, Northern Ireland	Won vacant EBU (European) Light Welterweight title
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	19-0	Dean Harrison	TKO	4 (12), 1:50	2009-03-13	Kingsway Leisure Centre, Widnes, Cheshire	Retained BBBofC British Light Welterweight title
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	18-0	Colin Lynes	RTD	9 (12)	2008-12-05	Goresbrook Leisure Centre, Dagenham, Cheshire	Won vacant BBBofC British Light Welterweight title
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	17-0	Nigel Wright	PTS	10	2008-07-19	University Arena, Limerick
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	16-0	César Bazán	PTS	10	2008-03-29	Letterkenny Regional Sports and Leisure Complex, Letterkenny
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	15-0	Manuel Garnica	PTS	10	2008-02-02	University Arena, Limerick
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	14-0	Tontcho Tontchev	TKO	4 (12), 2:46	2007-12-08	King's Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland	Won vacant IBF International Light Welterweight title
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	13-0	Dariusz Snarski	RTD	6 (8), 3:00	2007-10-20	National Stadium, Dublin
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	12-0	Alfredo Di Feto	PTS	8	2007-08-25	The Point, Dublin
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	11-0	Ivan Orlando Bustos	KO	4 (10), 2:03	2007-07-14	National Stadium, Dublin
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	10-0	Chill John	PTS	6	2007-02-17	City Hall, Cork
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	9-0	Eugen Stan	PTS	6	2007-02-10	Clanree Hotel, Letterkenny
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	8-0	Silence Saheed	PTS	4	2006-12-09	ExCel Arena, Docklands, London
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	7-0	Daniel Thorpe	RTD	3 (6)	2006-11-04	Kelvin Hall, Glasgow
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	6-0	Surinder Sekhon	KO	1	2006-03-11	Newport Leisure Centre, Newport
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	5-0	Duncan Cottier	PTS	6	2006-02-18	Meadowbank Sports Centre, Edinburgh
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	4-0	Henry Janes	TKO	3 (4), 2:31	2005-11-24	Sports Bar, Lurgan, Northern Ireland
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	3-0	Billy Smith	PTS	4	2005-11-05	Braehead Arena, Glasgow
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	2-0	Oscar Milkitas	PTS	4	2005-06-17	Kelvin Hall, Glasgow
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	1-0	David Kehoe	TKO	3 (4), 0:10	2005-03-18	King's Hall, Belfast, Northern Ireland	Professional Debut

References

External links

• Professional boxing record for Paul McCloskey from BoxRec
• Official Website