‘YOU KHAN’T BE SERIOUS?’ HEARN SLAMS AMIR’S “INSULTING” OFFER TO MCCLOSKEY

Posted on | January 27, 2011 | No Comments

Irishman set for super-fight in Belfast as Khan contest falls through
Paul McCloskey’s promoter Barry Hearn accused Amir Khan of using his fighter to get a cheap World title defence after closing the book on their deal to fight in Manchester.

McCloskey and Khan were in negotiations to fight for Amir’s WBA Light-Welterweight belt at the MEN Arena on April 16 but with both parties failing to agree on terms for the fight, the 31 year-old will now turn his attention to his next fight.

McCloskey’s promoter Barry Hearn believes that Khan’s offer was “totally derisory” to his fighter, after the 24 year-old Bolton man and his people refused to budge on ticket sales commission and pay-per-view revenue shares. Hearn said that McCloskey would be a big ticket seller for the fight and he would also push pay-per-view sales in Northern Ireland and Ireland, but that Khan was unwilling to offer a fair share of money largely driven by McCloskey’s presence.

“Amir Khan lives in America and wants to earn a living popping over here
and underpaying British fighters,” said Hearn. “The deals placed on the table were an insult to Paul, an undefeated fighter and a European champion. Amir cannot fight himself, and I’m afraid you have to pay opponents to step in the ring with you, and pay them fairly.”

McCloskey claimed the European belt in November 2009 with a ninth round stoppage of Daniel Rasilla in County Londonderry and defended the title twice last year – an 11th round knockout of Giuseppe Lauri in June in Belfast followed by a seventh round stoppage of Barry Morrison in November in County Donegal.

The Morrison victory took McCloskey’s record to 22-0 with 12 knockouts and he is due to defend his European title soon. Hearn also said that he has a big night planned for the Northern Irishman in Belfast before warning Khan that they could one day fight on an even footing.

“We have a huge fight lined up for Paul at King’s Hall in the spring and who knows, not long down the line he could face Amir as a World Champion himself in a 50-50 split fight,” said Hearn.