BoxRec

http://www.britishboxing.net/news_3295- ... night.html

As discussed on a previous thread, Paul McCloskey steps up again with Cesar Bazan in the opposite corner. Rte website have it on as do BBC1 NI, Sunday evening. It's in Letterkenny, Donegal and should be a good one.

Any thoughts?

The question is how much has Bazan got left?

Is he in Ireland for a holiday, or to win a fight?

His general lack of activity would point towards the former, although he has competed in true world class and you could argue the point that this level of experience alone will hold him in good stead against the Irish up start.

Interesting, brave fight from McCloskey's managemen team, especially in the light of recent results for other touted Irish prospects.

Exactly. I fished out a couple of old Bazan fights on DVD before writing the preview (you don't think i actually remember him knocking down Henry Bruseles with a right hand in the second round ) and i noticed how static and slow he was, even then.

But just as you write him off he comes on as the fight progresses and takes shots but walks you down. McCloskey will do well to post a solid victory tonight.

Tiny bit disappointed about how the undercard has panned out although i can't really complain. Healy-Lotah is a job Ciaran should have got done the first time round and Taggart was uninspiring on his debut. Should be good seeing Wilton make his debut mind you and Murray and Sinclair getting runouts.

Is there any such thing as a 'run out' in the career of Sinclair anymore?

He is up and down (in terms of motivation) like a whore's draws..

I hope he is back in love with fighting again because when on song he is a devastating puncher.

Good recap on Bazan's style in your preview Steve - as you say, its a long while since many of us have seen him actually fight!

Strong southpaw Paul McCloskey steps up against grizzled former WBC lightweight champion Cesar Bazan in a light-welterweight 10-rounder in Southern Ireland tonight.
McCloskey, from across the border in Dungiven, is unbeaten in 15 fights in the wake of a glittering amateur career that saw him win Four Nations gold in 2003. Big for the weight, quick-handed, good to the body, McCloskey has prospered amid the current boom in Irish boxing (after an early pro career largely on the road).
The latter explains how Bazan is lured across the pond for the first time in 15 years. A pro since 1992, the rangy Mexican fought three times in France in his first paid year but then stayed at home and put together a staggering winning run which culminated in the WBC belt with a shock decision over Denver's previously unbeaten Stevie Johnston (a southpaw like McCloskey, and a pretty good one) in El Paso, Texas, in June 1998. Bazan, who lives in the States, crammed in two defences before Johnston won the title back eight months later in Miami on a split decision.
Since then, the 33-year-old ex-champion has boxed sporadically with mixed success, winning a few, losing a big one, winning a few more, losing another big one... Jose Luis Castillo stopped him in six rounds in 2001, while Miguel Cotto stopped him in 11 in 2003. Last time out in September, Bazan dropped a split 12-round decision to 14-0 fellow Mexican Cristian Bejarano.
McCloskey is 15-0, of course.
This fight is similar to Matthew Macklin's 10-rounder with Mexican veteran Yory Boy Campas in Dublin's National Stadium just last week, which Macklin came though on points. Bazan is tough and hard-bitten enough to prove competitive all the way. The busier, hungrier McCloskey, however, comes through.

link to the stream for all those interested

http://www.rte.ie/live/

starts at 21:00

I thought McCloskey put in a quality performance. Excellent display of timing the distance and countering mistakes. Report to follow.

Well Done to McCloskey, nice scalp, even though Bazan is seriously
past it.

Gonna catch the BBC NI replay tonight

McCloskey looked a bit overweight, was it fought at catchweight? or can he go down another weight in the future.

Ted wrote:McCloskey looked a bit overweight, was it fought at catchweight? or can he go down another weight in the future.

McCloskey fought at 141.5 so just above Light-Welterweight . From the looks of things he could easily make Lightweight .

Report up now lads at BBN:

http://www.britishboxing.net/news_3304- ... Bazan.html