McCloskey set to fight TBA for WBA Interim Title on Sep 10th

[johnswan1]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/13811066.stm

Paul McCloskey will make his return to the ring in Belfast on 10 September and the bout could be for the WBA's interim light-welterweight title.

McCloskey's manager Francie McNicholl confirmed to BBC Sport that Belfast's Odyssey Arena will stage the Dungiven man's first fight since his world title defeat by Amir Khan in April.

"We're hopeful that it will be for the WBA's interim title," said McNicholl.

"That will be dependent on a couple of other things falling into place."

That notably includes the possiblity of WBA light-welterweight champion Amir Khan's unification bout with IBF title holder Zab Judah being elevated to the title of super champion for boxers who hold two world titles.

If that happens, it would open the door for the mooted tussle between current WBA interim light-weltweight champion Marcos Maidana and WBO and WBA intermit lightweight champion Robert Guerrero to be for the WBA's light-welterweight title.

Those two pieces falling into place would leave McCloskey's 10 September bout in Belfast as a likely tussle for the WBA's interim light-welterweight title.

Venezuela's Jhoan Perez, who McCloskey sparred with in Belfast in advance of his Khan contest, could be a possible opponent for the Odyssey bout.

[Grays_Dan]

I am really sorry for what is going to be a very silly question - what is the point of a WBA Interim title?

Surely you're not actually the Champion merely 2nd in Line. Is this as "valuable" as the coveted Intercontinental Belts which seem to get handed out in Christmas crackers and taken away as easily?

[smcb80]

what a heap of dung these interim belts are.

[johnswan1]

I am really sorry for what is going to be a very silly question - what is the point of a WBA Interim title?

Surely you're not actually the Champion merely 2nd in Line. Is this as "valuable" as the coveted Intercontinental Belts which seem to get handed out in Christmas crackers and taken away as easily?

Third in line if the winner of Khan/Judah becomes "Super" champion and the winner of Maidana-RG becomes "Regular" champion.

[stujones]

Silly silly silly - so there is going to be an interim title permanently on the line in this devision it would seem and at Super Middleweight. Rediculous, a joke.

Its rediculous enough that Madiana "kept" his interim title after losing to Khan.... okay in a bizarre way if they want to make Khan/Judah the super champion and elevate the Maidana/Guerrero winner to normal champion.... its NOT RIGHT, but can see some logic... but why or why have an interim champion also?

Interim was supposed to mean if someone was injured or unable to fight for a particular fighter for a particular reason.

[dbf]

Talking of super middle Stu, has anyone noticed that Kessler is WBC Champion Emetrius. We've all discussed it before but thats just ridiculous.

[stujones]

Talking of super middle Stu, has anyone noticed that Kessler is WBC Champion Emetrius. We've all discussed it before but thats just ridiculous.

Ummm - well I am not sure what that exactly means this Emetrius status - but I think it should apply to Kessler... He was WBC champion, got injured and his career was potentially on the line. To me he should never have been stripped. He had no mandatories due. For me Froch vs Abraham should have been for the interim title.

Klitchsko being awarded that status some 3 years after retiring was more rediculous IMO.

[dbf]

Talking of super middle Stu, has anyone noticed that Kessler is WBC Champion Emetrius. We've all discussed it before but thats just ridiculous.

Ummm - well I am not sure what that exactly means this Emetrius status - but I think it should apply to Kessler... He was WBC champion, got injured and his career was potentially on the line. To me he should never have been stripped. He had no mandatories due. For me Froch vs Abraham should have been for the interim title.

Klitchsko being awarded that status some 3 years after retiring was more rediculous IMO.

Agreed, that Kessler was unfairly stripped. But it just makes a mockery of everything. Who is the genuine WBC world champ at 12st? Kessler obviously. Doubt Frochy would agree though.

The Klitschko situation was funny. I think it all started with Kostya Tszyu though didn't it?

[stujones]

Talking of super middle Stu, has anyone noticed that Kessler is WBC Champion Emetrius. We've all discussed it before but thats just ridiculous.

Ummm - well I am not sure what that exactly means this Emetrius status - but I think it should apply to Kessler... He was WBC champion, got injured and his career was potentially on the line. To me he should never have been stripped. He had no mandatories due. For me Froch vs Abraham should have been for the interim title.

Klitchsko being awarded that status some 3 years after retiring was more rediculous IMO.

Agreed, that Kessler was unfairly stripped. But it just makes a mockery of everything. Who is the genuine WBC world champ at 12st? Kessler obviously. Doubt Frochy would agree though.

The Klitschko situation was funny. I think it all started with Kostya Tszyu though didn't it?

I'm pretty sure it was Kostya with the champion Emertius - although thinking about it what happened to this title when it came to Ricky vs Tszyu - did he get stripped of it???

Interim champions happend some years before that. The first interim champion I can remember was Robbie Reegan winning the IBF interim flyweight title, before winning the WBO title proper.

[smcb80]

suppose it shouldn't really make any odds to the fans who has what belt, makes the fighters out to be gobshites if they claim themselves world champions for holding one of these trinkets.

the ring title is the one the sensible boxers seem to appreciate

[Coco]

FW would be proud securing hometown advantage against TBA or his sparring partner for the interim belt!
The like of Ryan Rhodes had to wait about then travel to Mexico to fight a potential superstar!
But then that is the business of boxing for you.
If you sell the tickets most of the job is already done!

[leforge]

I am sure Mccloskey will sell out the Arena for this fight.

[T.M.K]

Pathetic, abysmal and worthless.....

Sorry.

"T.M.K"/Col

[smcb80]

i'll be at it no matter who it's against or which trinket its for. would be good to see frampton on the card as well

[Matt W]

This thread title just about sums up everything that is wrong with boxing today (besides Mayweather shamelessly ducking Pacquiao).

[slapbangwhallop]

i'll be at it no matter who it's against or which trinket its for. would be good to see frampton on the card as well

Frampton IS on the card!

[Adamj1987]

I am really sorry for what is going to be a very silly question - what is the point of a WBA Interim title?

Surely you're not actually the Champion merely 2nd in Line. Is this as "valuable" as the coveted Intercontinental Belts which seem to get handed out in Christmas crackers and taken away as easily?

same thing different name

[greenyox3]

Sanctioning bodies are profit-making organisations. Belts = sanctioning fees. Simple as that!

[Johnny Cucumber]

What a croc of shite !!!

Are these idiots for real - if 25 different things fall into place we will fight for a bogus let's con the public title.

Journalists need to expose this sort of bullshite in my opinion.

[smcb80]

i'll be at it no matter who it's against or which trinket its for. would be good to see frampton on the card as well

Frampton IS on the card!

Nice one!

[johnswan1]

McCloskey is not even a top 10 rated fighter at Light Welterweight as per The Ring, whose rankings are the only rankings I take seriously.

1. Bradley
2. Khan
3. Maidana
4. Alexander
5. Kotelnik
6. Judah
7. Peterson
8. Morales
9. Matthysse
10. Garcia

If he's not going to be fighting one of these guys then he's not going to be considered as a serious contender at the weight.

FWIW, Boxrec have him ranked #12.

[Dbear]

What I also don't understand with the stupid WBA is there ruling where if you hold more than one major belt you become a 'super' champion but last time I looked Chris John, Miguel Cotto and Felix Sturm all just held the WBA title but are 'super' champions! They even bend there own rules to milk more sanctioning fees, disgraceful!

[iamasadlittleboy]

Ummm - well I am not sure what that exactly means this Emetrius status - but I think it should apply to Kessler... He was WBC champion, got injured and his career was potentially on the line. To me he should never have been stripped. He had no mandatories due. For me Froch vs Abraham should have been for the interim title.

Klitchsko being awarded that status some 3 years after retiring was more rediculous IMO.

Agreed, that Kessler was unfairly stripped. But it just makes a mockery of everything. Who is the genuine WBC world champ at 12st? Kessler obviously. Doubt Frochy would agree though.

The Klitschko situation was funny. I think it all started with Kostya Tszyu though didn't it?

I'm pretty sure it was Kostya with the champion Emertius - although thinking about it what happened to this title when it came to Ricky vs Tszyu - did he get stripped of it???

Interim champions happend some years before that. The first interim champion I can remember was Robbie Reegan winning the IBF interim flyweight title, before winning the WBO title proper.

I always thought first interim was Chcatchai Sasakul after Yuri Arbachakov got injured. Funny that the IBF don't do any interims now a days yet they were the first (Reegan fight was 1995, Sasakul's was 1997)

[iamasadlittleboy]

What I also don't understand with the stupid WBA is there ruling where if you hold more than one major belt you become a 'super' champion but last time I looked Chris John, Miguel Cotto and Felix Sturm all just held the WBA title but are 'super' champions! They even bend there own rules to milk more sanctioning fees, disgraceful!

Andre Ward is another with that distinction

[Bobbyptsd]

Ummm - well I am not sure what that exactly means this Emetrius status - but I think it should apply to Kessler... He was WBC champion, got injured and his career was potentially on the line. To me he should never have been stripped. He had no mandatories due. For me Froch vs Abraham should have been for the interim title.

Klitchsko being awarded that status some 3 years after retiring was more rediculous IMO.

Agreed, that Kessler was unfairly stripped. But it just makes a mockery of everything. Who is the genuine WBC world champ at 12st? Kessler obviously. Doubt Frochy would agree though.

The Klitschko situation was funny. I think it all started with Kostya Tszyu though didn't it?

I'm pretty sure it was Kostya with the champion Emertius - although thinking about it what happened to this title when it came to Ricky vs Tszyu - did he get stripped of it???

Interim champions happend some years before that. The first interim champion I can remember was Robbie Reegan winning the IBF interim flyweight title, before winning the WBO title proper.

i could be wrong,but i thought one of the "honours" bestowed by the wbc for "earning " emeritus status is that they could never be stripped or lose it?

didnt morales get an emeritus belt too at some point?

anyway. it seems to me i remember reading that it was a permanent thing. i remember people joking about how vitali could go away for a decade and come back as champion.

but that would explain Hatton not getting the emeritus title after beating KT. it cant be passed back and forth,it is only "bestowed upon true greatness".

or,some tripe like that. as i said,i could be remembering it wrong.