McCloskey lays down the gauntlet to Khan

PAUL McCLOSKEY challenged British golden boy, Amir Khan, for a shot at his WBA world title after dismissing former British champion, Barry Morrison, inside seven rounds in his second European light middleweight title defence at The Aura in Letterkenny on Saturday night.

The 31-year-old Dungiven man, working safely from behind an accurate and solid southpaw jab, dropped Morrison with a sharp right hook to the temple in the fifth. After taking the count, Morrison came back with all guns blazing but McCloskey slipped his punches and had him on the floor again early in the seventh although London referee, Mark Green, ruled it was from an accidental fall.

Morrison, however, succumbed to McCloskey’s relentless combinations later in the round and Green was forced to stop the contest.