Looks like it's going to be McCloskey-Witter for the vacant Euro belt

[ishy]

This is from the EBU site:


SUPER-LIGHT Chall. Junior WITTER - Chall. Paul McCLOSKEY VACANT TITLE
Deadline for purses and agreements: Thursday 23rd April 09 h 12.00


This will be one for the purists :lol:

[LHL]

Good match up but the styles are going to go together like dog shit and bread.

[D-MAC]

Good match up but the styles are going to go together like dog shit and bread.

Yummy:good

[pathmanc1986]

Good match up but the styles are going to go together like dog shit and bread.



:lol:

belter, il be stealing that one for future use. i dont think this fight could be as bad as made out. if its in belfast mccloskey will have the crowd on his back and maybe go after witter a little more than he usually does

[EireFightFan]

Has the look of a crossroads fight about it. Stylistically, I would have preferred to see McCloskey vs Brook, but this could prove an easier fight and a victory over Witter for the European title would propel him towards a World Title fight, so for that reason I'm really looking forward to seeing this fight.

[theboyandrews]

Will not be pretty but i think if both at their best, Witter will have too much for him

[mryeags]

Witter will have way too much for McCloskey at this moment in time ..... huge gamble for McClo to take ..... but Witter to stop him mid rounds IMO ....

[TFFP]

I think McCloskey will win a messy fight with a lot of falling in, over balancing, clinching, posing.

I expect his youth and extra work-rate to make the difference on points.

Strangely enough I'd still look forward to this...it would be ugly yet intriguing.

[brown bomber]

Great match up..... Mccloskey is manged so well. Trestimony to his camps self belief. I've got a funny feeling he'll win this unless he walks onto one. It will be huuuge if its in Ireland.

[LHL]

McCloskeys chin will definitely be tested in this fight. Hope he actually gets K'D so he will protect it more.

[BigEars]

Great match up..... Mccloskey is manged so well. Trestimony to his camps self belief. I've got a funny feeling he'll win this unless he walks onto one. It will be huuuge if its in Ireland.

To be honest Jeff it'd be quite big in Ireland but not quite huge.
McCloskey's last two fights have seen him become recognised a lot more in Britain, but since they haven't appeared on RTÉ(with Sky having sole rights to 3 McCloskey fights since the Lynes win) they have gone unnoticed by the general Irish person. Yes boxing fans have certainly noticed but boxing fans make up a small % of the population, and a small % of the population that actujally watch the shows on RTÉ.

He headlined an RTÉ show when he fought Cesar Bazan, and was the main undercard fight for 3 other cards when he fought Nigel Wright(on Lee v Gibbs card), Manuel Garnica(on Lee v Falliga card) and Tontcho Tonchev(on Duddy v Eastman card) so had built a bit of a profile in Ireland despite going unnoticed here and now it seems the opposite has happened.
If Brian Peters can convince RTÉ to pay Sky enough to let them show the fight in Ireland(presumely Sky would retain UK and International rights), then it could be quite big.

However if it's not on RTÉ then even though it'll get a very good crowd, and get good coverage in the Northern press it'll make very little impact in the majority of the country and be pretty much unnoticed. Which you'd think is pretty odd considering most of the people that will have watched McCloskey in the past either have Sky or easy access to Sky, but that's the truth.


So potentially a huge fight(if picked up by RTÉ), or potentially an average fight in this country. It will be a huge fight for us Irish boxing fans though, it'd be great to have a European champion to complement the man in my avatar and his WBA title.

[brown bomber]

To be honest Jeff it'd be quite big in Ireland but not quite huge.
McCloskey's last two fights have seen him become recognised a lot more in Britain, but since they haven't appeared on RTÉ(with Sky having sole rights to 3 McCloskey fights since the Lynes win) they have gone unnoticed by the general Irish person. Yes boxing fans have certainly noticed but boxing fans make up a small % of the population, and a small % of the population that actujally watch the shows on RTÉ.

He headlined an RTÉ show when he fought Cesar Bazan, and was the main undercard fight for 3 other cards when he fought Nigel Wright(on Lee v Gibbs card), Manuel Garnica(on Lee v Falliga card) and Tontcho Tonchev(on Duddy v Eastman card) so had built a bit of a profile in Ireland despite going unnoticed here and now it seems the opposite has happened.
If Brian Peters can convince RTÉ to pay Sky enough to let them show the fight in Ireland(presumely Sky would retain UK and International rights), then it could be quite big.

However if it's not on RTÉ then even though it'll get a very good crowd, and get good coverage in the Northern press it'll make very little impact in the majority of the country and be pretty much unnoticed. Which you'd think is pretty odd considering most of the people that will have watched McCloskey in the past either have Sky or easy access to Sky, but that's the truth.


So potentially a huge fight(if picked up by RTÉ), or potentially an average fight in this country. It will be a huge fight for us Irish boxing fans though, it'd be great to have a European champion to complement the man in my avatar and his WBA title. What a shame.... Its got all the ingrediants for a classic purist match up.... plus with the former world champion angle I thought Brian Peters would love to promote this one on a large scale over there.

[Beeston Brawler]

I'd think it would be a far better sell in Ireland as well....... Witter cannot sell tickets to his immediate family never mind the 'casual' fan......

I'd go with McCloskey to steal a points win, in a snoozer.

[BigEars]

What a shame.... Its got all the ingrediants for a classic purist match up.... plus with the former world champion angle I thought Brian Peters would love to promote this one on a large scale over there.

Peters will be eager but it'll be all down to what RTÉ say and if they don't think it's worth paying SKY for the rights(and with the economic climate the way it is they certainly mightn't) then it just won't be that big unfortunately.

Regardless of national and tv coverage you can expect a big attendance at the actual fight though, Northern Irish fans are great at supporting their boxers and you can expect them to turn up in big numbers no matter what.

With or without RTÉ it'll still be a bigger fight if it's staged in Ireland.


Actually what I never considered is that ITV have rights on Witter(as a Hennessey fighter), so possibly ITV and Sky will have to come to some arrangement and if it were to be ITV showing it I reckon RTÉ would pick up the rights alright.

The thing is this would probably be a Friday Fight Night on Sky and really the fight is so much more than that. Peters wouldn't want it on a Friday either, Saturday is the normal day for big boxing cards here in Ireland and it'd be unusual to have it on a Friday.

[achillesthegreat]

Branco can be a weirdo sometimes. I think Branco was a decent comeback fight for Witter. Witter v McCloskey is a true cross roads fight. One wants to prove he still has it, the other wants to prove he is it! I like.

[brown bomber]

Peters will be eager but it'll be all down to what RTÉ say and if they don't think it's worth paying SKY for the rights(and with the economic climate the way it is they certainly mightn't) then it just won't be that big unfortunately.

Regardless of national and tv coverage you can expect a big attendance at the actual fight though, Northern Irish fans are great at supporting their boxers and you can expect them to turn up in big numbers no matter what.

With or without RTÉ it'll still be a bigger fight if it's staged in Ireland.


Actually what I never considered is that ITV have rights on Witter(as a Hennessey fighter), so possibly ITV and Sky will have to come to some arrangement and if it were to be ITV showing it I reckon RTÉ would pick up the rights alright.

The thing is this would probably be a Friday Fight Night on Sky and really the fight is so much more than that. Peters wouldn't want it on a Friday either, Saturday is the normal day for big boxing cards here in Ireland and it'd be unusual to have it on a Friday.I can't remember Irish boxing been this succesful before.... at least while i'm in the sport. We've had a lot of decent scots come through after a horrendous period in the mid-late nineties, the welsh had a good run with Calzaghe and co and now the Irish seem to be on route to a similer run of success. I've heard Andy Murray is the one to watch?

[pathmanc1986]

Yeah he's pretty good. Good amateur and in the right place now with John Breen to improve no doubt. He can be a little upright sometimes and he didnt have a great fight in his last effort but hes rated highly by people who know him. Guy called Gary o'Sullivan from Cork is apparently pretty good. Havent seen much of him but the people that post on the Irish thread rave about him and say he hits seriously hard.

[DON1]

Witter will have far too much for this fella.

["TKO"]

I can't remember Irish boxing been this succesful before.... at least while i'm in the sport. We've had a lot of decent scots come through after a horrendous period in the mid-late nineties, the welsh had a good run with Calzaghe and co and now the Irish seem to be on route to a similer run of success. I've heard Andy Murray is the one to watch?

I thought he was Scottish! And besides, spitting your dummy out on court every now and then is no substitute for stepping into the ring ;)

[pathmanc1986]

Peters will be eager but it'll be all down to what RTÉ say and if they don't think it's worth paying SKY for the rights(and with the economic climate the way it is they certainly mightn't) then it just won't be that big unfortunately.

Regardless of national and tv coverage you can expect a big attendance at the actual fight though, Northern Irish fans are great at supporting their boxers and you can expect them to turn up in big numbers no matter what.

With or without RTÉ it'll still be a bigger fight if it's staged in Ireland.


Actually what I never considered is that ITV have rights on Witter(as a Hennessey fighter), so possibly ITV and Sky will have to come to some arrangement and if it were to be ITV showing it I reckon RTÉ would pick up the rights alright.

The thing is this would probably be a Friday Fight Night on Sky and really the fight is so much more than that. Peters wouldn't want it on a Friday either, Saturday is the normal day for big boxing cards here in Ireland and it'd be unusual to have it on a Friday.


why would they have to pay sky? mccloskey isnt signed to a promoter, hes a free agent so why couldnt it be on itv with a good co-main

[Olu G. Rotimi]

If McCloskey is for real then he should be able to retire Witter. Anyone who is consistently busy can take Witter.

[Olu G. Rotimi]

Witter will have far too much for this fella.

I hope you are wrong Godfather.

[billy nelson]

paul will beat any light welter at european level, then move on to world honours,the guy is class

[BigEars]

why would they have to pay sky? mccloskey isnt signed to a promoter, hes a free agent so why couldnt it be on itv with a good co-main

The word is Paul signed a 3 fight deal with Sky to get the Lynes fight at short notice. It's why his last fight was on SKY and in Liverpool(as Sky needed it to be close to where the KHan fight was taking place) rather than Northern Ireland.

He might not have a promoter but he's managed by Brian Peters and it doesn't take a promoter to sign with a tv company. Afterall if you look to America HBO sign fighters not promoters like they do over here.

Andrew Murray is a very good technical fighter but I'm not sure how he'd cope in a tough war and he's missing something for me(other than than obvious answer of more power). He can get to European level but nothing above imo.

Gary O'Sullivan I've seen once, looks a very big puncher alright, but is a bit too much of a come forward brawler who's open to have thoughts about him achieving anything major yet. I'll keep a close eye on him but I at the moment I'd see him making the equivalent of British title standard.

[icemax]

If McCloskey is for real then he should be able to retire Witter. Anyone who is consistently busy can take Witter.

Olu, with respect, shut the fuck up :good

[TFFP]

Olu, with respect, shut the fuck up :good
For once, I wholeheartedly concur :deal

[pathmanc1986]

The word is Paul signed a 3 fight deal with Sky to get the Lynes fight at short notice. It's why his last fight was on SKY and in Liverpool(as Sky needed it to be close to where the KHan fight was taking place) rather than Northern Ireland.

He might not have a promoter but he's managed by Brian Peters and it doesn't take a promoter to sign with a tv company. Afterall if you look to America HBO sign fighters not promoters like they do over here.

Andrew Murray is a very good technical fighter but I'm not sure how he'd cope in a tough war and he's missing something for me(other than than obvious answer of more power). He can get to European level but nothing above imo.

Gary O'Sullivan I've seen once, looks a very big puncher alright, but is a bit too much of a come forward brawler who's open to have thoughts about him achieving anything major yet. I'll keep a close eye on him but I at the moment I'd see him making the equivalent of British title standard.



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that article says he has no promoter, signed to no deals

[BigEars]

[Only registered and activated users can see links]

that article says he has no promoter, signed to no deals

I never said he was signed to any promoter, merely that Brian Peters is his manager.

It doesn't mention tv deals there at all, only deals involving potential promoters, and no matter who he signed with it with make no difference as regards previous deals signed with any tv company by Paul himself.

Now if I'm wrong about this I apologise but I've seen it posted in here among other forums and I'd be glad if RTÉ could just negotiate a deal with whoever decides to promote the event.

However McCloskey fighting his recent voluntary in Liverpool(which was Sky's idea), rather than making a defence back home, when RTÉ probably would of paid out more money for McCloskey to fight in Ireland on a Saturday night, than Sky would of to have him on Friday Fight Night leads me to believe it's very true.

[Olu G. Rotimi]

Olu, with respect, shut the fuck up :good

Try and make me sonny.

[Beeston Brawler]

:gayfight

[pathmanc1986]

I never said he was signed to any promoter, merely that Brian Peters is his manager.

It doesn't mention tv deals there at all, only deals involving potential promoters, and no matter who he signed with it with make no difference as regards previous deals signed with any tv company by Paul himself.

Now if I'm wrong about this I apologise but I've seen it posted in here among other forums and I'd be glad if RTÉ could just negotiate a deal with whoever decides to promote the event.

However McCloskey fighting his recent voluntary in Liverpool(which was Sky's idea), rather than making a defence back home, when RTÉ probably would of paid out more money for McCloskey to fight in Ireland on a Saturday night, than Sky would of to have him on Friday Fight Night leads me to believe it's very true.


maybe your right but why does it have to be on RTE? Hennessy has a deal with itv so why not have it in the kings hall with a good support card, o'donnel haughian (if he wins) put it on channel 3 or worse itv4. My understanding was that Sky basically own the rights to that british title friday night spot, and the BBBoC dont like british title fights happening outside britain for good reason. Adam Smith told me at the Khan weigh in that Paul only fought in liverpool because of logistics, ie the sky production team having to go to ireland on friday night then back in manchester for khan on saturday. As for the promotions I'l bet it will be a joint henessey peters bill with henessey name on it and peters doing all the ground work in belfast

hell im even boring myself here, all that matters is that he is gona fight witter for the euro belt! and win!