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Amir Khan stayed on course for a world unification fight this year after a controversial night in Manchester that could result in an investigation by the authorities.
There were amazing scenes at the end of the WBA light-welterweight title fight, with promoter Barry Hearn yelling ‘It’s a ****ing disgrace’ after Khan was declared the winner by a unanimous technical points verdict following a clash of heads in the sixth round.
Referee Luis Pabon ruled that Hearn’s fighter, Paul McCloskey, was unable to continue because of a cut above his left eye, ruling the clash was accidental and sending the decision to the three ringside judges, who declared Khan had won all six rounds for a 60-54 victory.
But the McCloskey camp believed that the cut had been caused deliberately and that Khan should have been disqualified instead of successfully defending his title.
‘That was a disgraceful call,’ said Hearn. ‘That was Paul’s dream. Of course it is a cut, but I have seen them 20 times worse, so I’ve no idea why it was stopped. It was shaping up to be a great fight and I can’t understand the decision.
‘If you accept it was an accidental clash of heads, which I do, then the fight should have continued. This is very hard to take. The referee is in charge, the sole arbiter, and he must understand he has discredited boxing. You get cut in boxing and that was not a serious one.
‘We will make a complaint to British Boxing Board of Control. There’s no way this fight should have been stopped. It’s not to say that Amir Khan would have gone on to win the fight? We’ll never know. We were robbed by ineptitude, by very sloppy refereeing.
‘If the doctor said it should be stopped then he shouldn’t be allowed to be a doctor at fights. This is a hard, physical game.’
After the fight was dropped by Sky pay-per-view, it turned into one of the most controversial of recent times in British boxing. The victory will not go down as one of Khan’s finest, watched by anestimated 10,000 on Primetime TV, who had taken the contest as a payper- view event at short notice.
Nonetheless, the MEN Arena was almost sold out, creating a genuine big-fight atmosphere with a large section of Irish supporters roaring on their man against the odds-on favourite.
McCloskey proved himself to be a skilful and elusive fighter and the champion won rounds through his expert aggression and the fact that he was landing more punches
But McCloskey’s ability to slip Khan’s shots kept him in the fight. Just when it seemed that Khan was in for an awkward night the contest reached a dramatic conclusion.
As the boxers came together in a neutral corner, McCloskey reeled back with a big gash above his left eye. Referee Pabon stopped the fight and called the doctor who ruled that the unbeaten European champion’s challenge could not continue and, because the clash of heads was accidental, victory went to the man ahead on points.
Khan believes he would have won even if the fight had continued. ‘I was peppering McCloskey and it was easy,’ he said. ‘The decision was between the doctor and referee, not me. If the fight had carried on, McCloskey would’ve got badly hurt and no one wants to see that.’ His destiny now seems to be a unification fight with Timothy Bradley, the WBO champion.
There were amazing scenes at the end of the WBA light-welterweight title fight, with promoter Barry Hearn yelling ‘It’s a ****ing disgrace’ after Khan was declared the winner by a unanimous technical points verdict following a clash of heads in the sixth round.
Referee Luis Pabon ruled that Hearn’s fighter, Paul McCloskey, was unable to continue because of a cut above his left eye, ruling the clash was accidental and sending the decision to the three ringside judges, who declared Khan had won all six rounds for a 60-54 victory.
But the McCloskey camp believed that the cut had been caused deliberately and that Khan should have been disqualified instead of successfully defending his title.
‘That was a disgraceful call,’ said Hearn. ‘That was Paul’s dream. Of course it is a cut, but I have seen them 20 times worse, so I’ve no idea why it was stopped. It was shaping up to be a great fight and I can’t understand the decision.
‘If you accept it was an accidental clash of heads, which I do, then the fight should have continued. This is very hard to take. The referee is in charge, the sole arbiter, and he must understand he has discredited boxing. You get cut in boxing and that was not a serious one.
‘We will make a complaint to British Boxing Board of Control. There’s no way this fight should have been stopped. It’s not to say that Amir Khan would have gone on to win the fight? We’ll never know. We were robbed by ineptitude, by very sloppy refereeing.
‘If the doctor said it should be stopped then he shouldn’t be allowed to be a doctor at fights. This is a hard, physical game.’
After the fight was dropped by Sky pay-per-view, it turned into one of the most controversial of recent times in British boxing. The victory will not go down as one of Khan’s finest, watched by anestimated 10,000 on Primetime TV, who had taken the contest as a payper- view event at short notice.
Nonetheless, the MEN Arena was almost sold out, creating a genuine big-fight atmosphere with a large section of Irish supporters roaring on their man against the odds-on favourite.
McCloskey proved himself to be a skilful and elusive fighter and the champion won rounds through his expert aggression and the fact that he was landing more punches
But McCloskey’s ability to slip Khan’s shots kept him in the fight. Just when it seemed that Khan was in for an awkward night the contest reached a dramatic conclusion.
As the boxers came together in a neutral corner, McCloskey reeled back with a big gash above his left eye. Referee Pabon stopped the fight and called the doctor who ruled that the unbeaten European champion’s challenge could not continue and, because the clash of heads was accidental, victory went to the man ahead on points.
Khan believes he would have won even if the fight had continued. ‘I was peppering McCloskey and it was easy,’ he said. ‘The decision was between the doctor and referee, not me. If the fight had carried on, McCloskey would’ve got badly hurt and no one wants to see that.’ His destiny now seems to be a unification fight with Timothy Bradley, the WBO champion.
Code:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-1377700/Amir-Khan-beats-Paul-McCloskey-Manchester.html
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