Thursday 14 April 2011

Amir Khan - Paul McCloskey: Press Conference Notes

There was simmering tension at today's press conference at Manchester Town Hall for WBA Light-Welterweight Champion Amir Khan's contest with unbeaten Paul McCloskey and it all revolved around one thing - money.

"This will all certainly make good copy," an Irish scribe turned to me and chuckled at the close of play, a glint in his eye.

Khan and McCloskey might have been conducting the stare-down for the cameras but really most of the press wanted to see the fighters' managers Asif Vali and Eddie Hearn square-off after they exchanged furious barbs during the conference.

Perhaps jetlagged, Oscar De La Hoya, who chaired proceedings (his company Golden Boy has a stake in Khan), looked tired and talked tired cliches at the start but he was certainly awoken by Hearn's sharp retort in the middle of the conference.

"I respect you but not your knowledge of the UK TV market," Hearn fired over towards the powerful American promoter.

The argument hinged on this: Amir Khan's fight which takes place this weekend was recently pulled from Sky Pay-Per-View because the promoters' undercard was deemed not good enough, following the withdrawal of several fighters. Khan's team then chose to switch to the unheraled Primetime TV.

It's reckoned this could lose Khan up to a cool £1 million. McCloskey may lose out too - though nowhere near as badly. It's also got fans' backs up with claims the £15 price tage is not worth it in these credit crunch-induced times. Further, a smaller audience will help neither fighters' profile - nor help the sport get the coverage it needs.

Still, De La Hoya tried to put some gloss on proceedings by hyping the link-up with Primetime as a good thing and doing his bit to drum up more support among the assembled media and hanger-ons.

However, tensions erupted when Eddie Hearn was handed the microphone.

The son of long-serving Barry Hearn had a lot to say, starting with an attack on Khan's team - Khan Promotions, driven by Khan's hard-bargaining manager Asif Vali - questioning their professionalism in leading to the fight being pulled by Sky.

Hearn made the claim that he had never known a team to be so unprofessional in all his time involved in boxing.

He then went on to ask of Khan how he would maintain his focus in such circumstances after his big pay cheque had seemingly been shredded down. Meanwhile De La Hoya sat ashen-faced while all this was going on.

Vali hit back by furiously suggesting Hearn was more interested in "lining his own pockets" than his man McCloskey's chances in this contest.

However, he did concede this about the promotion of the fight: "It's been difficult at times, we know that..."

As for McCloskey and Khan, they cut more dignified, restrained figures.

"I stay out of the politics," McCloskey said, looking calm and confident. He spoke clearly and with conviction and really fancies his chances of pulling off an upset.

Khan was somewhat more tense. While McCloskey showed off his trim, whippet-like frame in casual clothes, Khan's shoulders were hunched in his dark suit. He said little but gabbled the usual pre-fight words: preparation great, thanks to the media, it'll be great, let's get it on.

McCloskey was and probably still is a big underdog going into this fight but all this commotion will help his chances that bit more. He has quick hands and great upper-body movement, he can also punch but lacks much in the way of footwork.

But is he ready to step up from European level to the world class standing Amir Khan inhabits? All will be answered this Saturday.


* Both fighters have weighed in at 139lbs.

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