I didn't think he would but I certainly didn't think he couldn't. I felt the late notice would of been a big factor in McCloskey fading down the stretch and changing an even fight into a Lynes fight as he takes a close decision. But I'm delighted to be wrong. Unfortunately I'm almost certain Paul won't be up to the task at World level but with that said I think he'd make easy work of European champion Gianluca Branco. David Barnes will be a tough test for McCloskey at domestic level and with the likes of Lenny Daws, Barry Morrison, Nigel Wright, Gavin Rees, Ashley Theophane, Scott Haywood, Dean Harrison mean there will be no easy defences for McCloskey but at the same time they are all fighters he should deal with. I think McCloskey could probably beat some other fringe World class fighters and definitely get himself highly ranked, but I just couldn't see him beating any of the current beltholders. Kotelnik would probably be the best chance but he's a very good fighter. A bit like Lyons but several levels above and that would probably be all wrong for Paul. He could beat someone like Souleymane M'Baye, the current version of Vivian Harris or Ajose Olusegun though.
Wasn't directing that at you, I work with a bunch of English lads and they all reckoned like a lot of others that McCloskey had slim to no chance of beating Lynes.Is the light welter devision that tough? McCloskey is so tricky, if he tightened up the defense he would be hard to beat I reckon, but I will bow to your superior knowledge if you know different cos I've read your posts on boards too and you really know your stuff!
Hello Mick, he very much was once he settled. I don't know I far he can go on the world stage as I have big reservations about his hands down style coupled with his lack of punching power, but it was good to see him taking a chance by accepting the fight at short notice in his opponents back yard and still coming away victorious.We could have another British champion next week as Brian Magee would be favoured to defeat McGuire.So good times ahead. MAJESTIC McCLOSKEY DEFEATS LYNES http://www.irish-boxing.com/stories/december08/december08_mccloskey_report.html
was chattin ta Oisin this morning - i'm happy to report he is calm and confident massive task ahead of him but he is as well prepared as he is ever going to be - he also jokingly mentioned that McCloskey win was down to the 70+ rounds of sparring they had together!
Not too bad but he was caught. Lynes isn't the biggest puncher in the world so it didn't have a major bearing on the fight. The question is what happens if a big hitter catches him like that. Paul has a tendency to drop his hands and leave his chin out. Apart from that McCloskey was excellent last night. As a lot of people on this forum say 'he took him to school'. Lynes may have edged the first two rounds but thereafter McCloskey took over. At the end his opponent was withdrawn because McCloskey was making him look cumbersome and clueless. I haven't seen all of Paul's fights but this was the most impressive I have seen him. 2009should be a career-defining year for him.