Q & A with Paul “Dudey” McCloskey
Posted: 03 Feb 2011, 07:47
Q & A with Paul “Dudey” McCloskey
Will he wont he, that’s been the question for Paul McCloskey over the past few weeks. Finally after a couple of weeks of negotiations his promoter Barry Hearn came out and officially said late last week whom ever Khan faces on 16 April it wont be McCloskey. Hearn was quoted as saying ““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.” So the Dungiven native will look to move on an defend his European title, previously it had been announced he’d fight on the 5 March against Italian Michele Di Rocco, however that looked to be off as he’d fight Khan now that’s not happening it remains to be seen as to whether the Di Rocco match will be rescheduled. At 31, McCloskey is in his prime and fighting as well as ever having stopped his last 5 opponent all in either British or European title fights taking his overall record to a pristine 22-0(12). He hopes to continue that run and get what he’s due in 2011 and not have to take scraps that he believes he was offered by Team Khan. Currently “Dudey” is ranked WBC 4, WBA 5 & The Ring 10.
Hello Paul, welcome to 15 rounds. com
Anson Wainwright – Firstly your last fight was in October when you stopped Barry Morrison in the seventh. Looking back on that fight what are your thoughts on that fight and how happy were you with the performance?
Paul McCloskey – I was happy with the result & performance but I’m always looking to perfect things so I can be my own toughest critic. The aim is always to win & if I do it with class & style it’s always a bonus, but the reality of Boxing is about being Victorious to get to the ultimate stage of fighting for a World Title.
Anson Wainwright – For the past few weeks you have been negotiating to fight Amir Khan in April. That deal fell through at the end of last week. Can you tell us what happened?
Paul McCloskey – Basically negotiations came to a stand still their was little room for improvement and we decided to decline their offer. I’m not going to go into too much detail but my team have decided to move on and hopefully we will meet again not too far down the line.
Anson Wainwright – When can we expect to see you back in the ring next? Who are your possible opponents?
Paul McCloskey – I plan to be back in action very soon but still waiting on final date, opponent & venue information. Possible opponents are being looked at but I’m not sure who they are myself at present.
Anson Wainwright – What are your goals for 2011? Who are you targeting?
Paul McCloskey – My dream is to fight for & become a World Champion I’m world ranked at the minute & hope to challenge for them honours in the next 12 months. I’m willing to fight the Best in the division to achieve that.
Anson Wainwright – Your nickname is Dudey, why is that?
Paul McCloskey – I got that name when I was very young & its stuck with me ever since most people locally only ever call me Dudey. I had a neighbour in my site who was also called Paul McCloskey he was about 9 or 10 years older than me they called him Big Dude & me Wee Dude & it transformed in Dudey somehow & the rest as they say is history.
Anson Wainwright – Who are the members of your team; who is your manager, trainer & promoter? Also what gym do you regularly train at?
Paul McCloskey – Well I’m actually self managed & my trainer is John Breen who is a great trainer, I started my professional career in Breen’s Gym which is in the heart of Belfast City & the list of Top Fighters to have been there is testament to what fighters think of John as a trainer. I’m promoted by Barry Hearn’s Matchroom Sports who are excellent to work with & they have been very helpful to me with my career to date.
Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us about your early years growing up in Dungiven, Northern Ireland? Did you have the hard upbringing many Boxers do?
Paul McCloskey – I’m probably lucky enough to say I had a rather modest upbringing in Dungiven its definitely not the streets of Harlem. Dungiven is a quiet wee town not too much going on there, growing up there I did all the usual stuff most boys my age did played Gaelic & Hurling for St. Canice’s G.A.C & Kevin Lynches Hurling Club respectively. I was quite sporty as I did Boxing, Gaelic & Hurling all together but I always had Boxing top of my list & when I got older & the sport got more demanding I gave up the Gaelic & Hurling to focus on my Boxing ambitions.
Anson Wainwright – How did you first become interested in Boxing and then take it up?
Paul McCloskey – I was about 5 or 6 years old & my older brother Shay boxed & my Father Brendan was second in the corner to Vinney Hargan my amateur trainer so I was introduced to the Sport very early but I took to it like a duck to water as soon as I lifted a pair of gloves.
Anson Wainwright – You had an impressive amateur career, what titles and honours did you win? What was your final record?
Paul McCloskey – I won as boy 3 Irish Title at 13, Youth 2 Irish Title at 16 along with a Gold Medal at the Gaelic Youth Championships that were in Canada that year. At 17 I won Ulster & Irish Intermediate Titles. When I was 18 I won my 1st Ulster Senior Title & Lost in the Irish Senior Final by 1 point, I went on to win 5 Ulster Senior Titles & 3 Irish Senior Titles. I also Boxed in 2 Commonwealth Games the first in Kuala Lumpur in 1998 getting to the 1/4 finals, in 1999 I got Bronze in the European Championship Qualifiers in Liverpool & then in Manchester 2002 losing to Darren Barker in my 1st bout 20-15. I boxed in the European Championships in Croatia 2003 lost my 1st bout to the eventual silver medallist. In 2004 I fought in 3 Qualifiers for the Athens Olympics I missed out on Qualification by 1 victory in Poland I needed Silver & very painfully only got Bronze. My actual record I’m not completely 100% accurate but I had probably over 140 Fights with maybe 15 to 20 defeats.
Anson Wainwright – You were 25 when you turned pro, why did you leave it so long? Did you work a day job before you turned pro, if so what did you do?
Paul McCloskey – To be honest my burning ambition as an Amateur was to be an Olympian so that was why I stayed so long, but the scoring system was tough to crack I felt it was the right time to move on to the Professional scene physically & mentally. At that time I was doing a Construction Course at the Tech.
Anson Wainwright – Have you been able to spar with any of the top guys in your career to date?
Paul McCloskey – I’ve only been away a few times professionally once was with Willie Limond when he was preparing for his Commonwealth Title Fight with Amir Khan. Then I was over Sparring Matthew Hatton in Preparation for his Commonwealth Title Challenge with Craig Watson, it was the same show on which Ricky fought Juan Lazcano, I’d liked to have done some Sparring with Ricky but he was actually quite sick a few weeks before that fight with the cold so it really affected his preparation for that fight.
Anson Wainwright – Several of your fights have taken place at the King’s Hall which is steeped in Boxing history with the likes of Rinty Monaghan, Barry McGuigan & Dave Boy McAuley plus many others fighting there. What was it like for your to fight there?
Paul McCloskey – Well you’ve already mentioned the names to have been there before me so it was a special occasion when I fought there, to date 3 in total, I’d have to say headlining there for my European Title Defence with Giuseppe Lauri was definitely very special for me to be along the list of Irish fighters you mentioned is an Honour.
Anson Wainwright – What do you like to do away from Boxing? What are your hobbies and Interests?
Paul McCloskey – To be honest I’m quite a busy man because I help my wife Emma manage McNicholls Eurospar in Dungiven, its a family business owned by her father & mother Francie & Margaret. When I’m at home I spend as much time with my two boy’s Cian & Oran who keep me on my toes mostly just playing about the house or messing about outside in the garden. I love watching all sport’s I always have, I’ll really enjoy a game of Texas Holdem Poker its something I’ve been doing for a few years now I’d like to try it professionally sometime, I was in Las Vegas a couple of years ago on holiday & it was breath taking, obviously I had a few hours on the Poker Table.
Anson Wainwright – What Boxers were your hero’s growing up & why? Also who do you enjoy watching today?
Paul McCloskey – Irish fighters I looked up to were Charlie Nash, Barry McGuigan & Dave Boy McAuley. Then there were the likes of Pernell Whittaker who I think was an Amazing Boxer, also Roy Jones Junior was something special & presently Floyd Mayweather & Manny Pacquiao are just untouchable. I’m a firm believer that Boxing is as much in the fighters thinking as the physical attributes & fitness as these fighters above show by using their speed & intelligent fighting brains to dominate their opponents. I to try to fight with the same intent when I enter a ring to fight.
Anson Wainwright – What are your thoughts on the current Light welterweight champions WBO/WBC Tim Bradley & WBA Amir Khan &? What did you think of Khan’s fight with Maidana?
Paul McCloskey – I think they are all very good at what they do, they all different as fighters & boxers. Like all boxers they have strengths & weakness. Khan showed a lot of mental strength in that fight as Maidana had him in trouble a few times probably more so in the 10th round when the referee could’ve stepped in towards the end of the round as he was sagging, but to his credit he got himself together & saw it out. It was a lot tougher for him than I had expected but then again Maidana is a real tough fighter probably one of the toughest out there with a lot of power.
Anson Wainwright – Finally do you have a message for your fans?
Paul McCloskey – I’d like to thank all my fans personally for all their support they have shown towards me, it means a lot to me & my family. My aim for 2011 is to fight for & become a World Champion.
Thanks for your time Dudey.
Anson Wainwright
15 rounds. com
If there are any fighters you would like to hear from you can contact me on [email protected]
Will he wont he, that’s been the question for Paul McCloskey over the past few weeks. Finally after a couple of weeks of negotiations his promoter Barry Hearn came out and officially said late last week whom ever Khan faces on 16 April it wont be McCloskey. Hearn was quoted as saying ““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.” So the Dungiven native will look to move on an defend his European title, previously it had been announced he’d fight on the 5 March against Italian Michele Di Rocco, however that looked to be off as he’d fight Khan now that’s not happening it remains to be seen as to whether the Di Rocco match will be rescheduled. At 31, McCloskey is in his prime and fighting as well as ever having stopped his last 5 opponent all in either British or European title fights taking his overall record to a pristine 22-0(12). He hopes to continue that run and get what he’s due in 2011 and not have to take scraps that he believes he was offered by Team Khan. Currently “Dudey” is ranked WBC 4, WBA 5 & The Ring 10.
Hello Paul, welcome to 15 rounds. com
Anson Wainwright – Firstly your last fight was in October when you stopped Barry Morrison in the seventh. Looking back on that fight what are your thoughts on that fight and how happy were you with the performance?
Paul McCloskey – I was happy with the result & performance but I’m always looking to perfect things so I can be my own toughest critic. The aim is always to win & if I do it with class & style it’s always a bonus, but the reality of Boxing is about being Victorious to get to the ultimate stage of fighting for a World Title.
Anson Wainwright – For the past few weeks you have been negotiating to fight Amir Khan in April. That deal fell through at the end of last week. Can you tell us what happened?
Paul McCloskey – Basically negotiations came to a stand still their was little room for improvement and we decided to decline their offer. I’m not going to go into too much detail but my team have decided to move on and hopefully we will meet again not too far down the line.
Anson Wainwright – When can we expect to see you back in the ring next? Who are your possible opponents?
Paul McCloskey – I plan to be back in action very soon but still waiting on final date, opponent & venue information. Possible opponents are being looked at but I’m not sure who they are myself at present.
Anson Wainwright – What are your goals for 2011? Who are you targeting?
Paul McCloskey – My dream is to fight for & become a World Champion I’m world ranked at the minute & hope to challenge for them honours in the next 12 months. I’m willing to fight the Best in the division to achieve that.
Anson Wainwright – Your nickname is Dudey, why is that?
Paul McCloskey – I got that name when I was very young & its stuck with me ever since most people locally only ever call me Dudey. I had a neighbour in my site who was also called Paul McCloskey he was about 9 or 10 years older than me they called him Big Dude & me Wee Dude & it transformed in Dudey somehow & the rest as they say is history.
Anson Wainwright – Who are the members of your team; who is your manager, trainer & promoter? Also what gym do you regularly train at?
Paul McCloskey – Well I’m actually self managed & my trainer is John Breen who is a great trainer, I started my professional career in Breen’s Gym which is in the heart of Belfast City & the list of Top Fighters to have been there is testament to what fighters think of John as a trainer. I’m promoted by Barry Hearn’s Matchroom Sports who are excellent to work with & they have been very helpful to me with my career to date.
Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us about your early years growing up in Dungiven, Northern Ireland? Did you have the hard upbringing many Boxers do?
Paul McCloskey – I’m probably lucky enough to say I had a rather modest upbringing in Dungiven its definitely not the streets of Harlem. Dungiven is a quiet wee town not too much going on there, growing up there I did all the usual stuff most boys my age did played Gaelic & Hurling for St. Canice’s G.A.C & Kevin Lynches Hurling Club respectively. I was quite sporty as I did Boxing, Gaelic & Hurling all together but I always had Boxing top of my list & when I got older & the sport got more demanding I gave up the Gaelic & Hurling to focus on my Boxing ambitions.
Anson Wainwright – How did you first become interested in Boxing and then take it up?
Paul McCloskey – I was about 5 or 6 years old & my older brother Shay boxed & my Father Brendan was second in the corner to Vinney Hargan my amateur trainer so I was introduced to the Sport very early but I took to it like a duck to water as soon as I lifted a pair of gloves.
Anson Wainwright – You had an impressive amateur career, what titles and honours did you win? What was your final record?
Paul McCloskey – I won as boy 3 Irish Title at 13, Youth 2 Irish Title at 16 along with a Gold Medal at the Gaelic Youth Championships that were in Canada that year. At 17 I won Ulster & Irish Intermediate Titles. When I was 18 I won my 1st Ulster Senior Title & Lost in the Irish Senior Final by 1 point, I went on to win 5 Ulster Senior Titles & 3 Irish Senior Titles. I also Boxed in 2 Commonwealth Games the first in Kuala Lumpur in 1998 getting to the 1/4 finals, in 1999 I got Bronze in the European Championship Qualifiers in Liverpool & then in Manchester 2002 losing to Darren Barker in my 1st bout 20-15. I boxed in the European Championships in Croatia 2003 lost my 1st bout to the eventual silver medallist. In 2004 I fought in 3 Qualifiers for the Athens Olympics I missed out on Qualification by 1 victory in Poland I needed Silver & very painfully only got Bronze. My actual record I’m not completely 100% accurate but I had probably over 140 Fights with maybe 15 to 20 defeats.
Anson Wainwright – You were 25 when you turned pro, why did you leave it so long? Did you work a day job before you turned pro, if so what did you do?
Paul McCloskey – To be honest my burning ambition as an Amateur was to be an Olympian so that was why I stayed so long, but the scoring system was tough to crack I felt it was the right time to move on to the Professional scene physically & mentally. At that time I was doing a Construction Course at the Tech.
Anson Wainwright – Have you been able to spar with any of the top guys in your career to date?
Paul McCloskey – I’ve only been away a few times professionally once was with Willie Limond when he was preparing for his Commonwealth Title Fight with Amir Khan. Then I was over Sparring Matthew Hatton in Preparation for his Commonwealth Title Challenge with Craig Watson, it was the same show on which Ricky fought Juan Lazcano, I’d liked to have done some Sparring with Ricky but he was actually quite sick a few weeks before that fight with the cold so it really affected his preparation for that fight.
Anson Wainwright – Several of your fights have taken place at the King’s Hall which is steeped in Boxing history with the likes of Rinty Monaghan, Barry McGuigan & Dave Boy McAuley plus many others fighting there. What was it like for your to fight there?
Paul McCloskey – Well you’ve already mentioned the names to have been there before me so it was a special occasion when I fought there, to date 3 in total, I’d have to say headlining there for my European Title Defence with Giuseppe Lauri was definitely very special for me to be along the list of Irish fighters you mentioned is an Honour.
Anson Wainwright – What do you like to do away from Boxing? What are your hobbies and Interests?
Paul McCloskey – To be honest I’m quite a busy man because I help my wife Emma manage McNicholls Eurospar in Dungiven, its a family business owned by her father & mother Francie & Margaret. When I’m at home I spend as much time with my two boy’s Cian & Oran who keep me on my toes mostly just playing about the house or messing about outside in the garden. I love watching all sport’s I always have, I’ll really enjoy a game of Texas Holdem Poker its something I’ve been doing for a few years now I’d like to try it professionally sometime, I was in Las Vegas a couple of years ago on holiday & it was breath taking, obviously I had a few hours on the Poker Table.
Anson Wainwright – What Boxers were your hero’s growing up & why? Also who do you enjoy watching today?
Paul McCloskey – Irish fighters I looked up to were Charlie Nash, Barry McGuigan & Dave Boy McAuley. Then there were the likes of Pernell Whittaker who I think was an Amazing Boxer, also Roy Jones Junior was something special & presently Floyd Mayweather & Manny Pacquiao are just untouchable. I’m a firm believer that Boxing is as much in the fighters thinking as the physical attributes & fitness as these fighters above show by using their speed & intelligent fighting brains to dominate their opponents. I to try to fight with the same intent when I enter a ring to fight.
Anson Wainwright – What are your thoughts on the current Light welterweight champions WBO/WBC Tim Bradley & WBA Amir Khan &? What did you think of Khan’s fight with Maidana?
Paul McCloskey – I think they are all very good at what they do, they all different as fighters & boxers. Like all boxers they have strengths & weakness. Khan showed a lot of mental strength in that fight as Maidana had him in trouble a few times probably more so in the 10th round when the referee could’ve stepped in towards the end of the round as he was sagging, but to his credit he got himself together & saw it out. It was a lot tougher for him than I had expected but then again Maidana is a real tough fighter probably one of the toughest out there with a lot of power.
Anson Wainwright – Finally do you have a message for your fans?
Paul McCloskey – I’d like to thank all my fans personally for all their support they have shown towards me, it means a lot to me & my family. My aim for 2011 is to fight for & become a World Champion.
Thanks for your time Dudey.
Anson Wainwright
15 rounds. com
If there are any fighters you would like to hear from you can contact me on [email protected]