Boxing News 24/7Alan Dawson – London
Cultured super lightweight Ashley Theophane has picked fellow Brit, Paul McCloskey, to inflict defeat onto rangy Colombian jabber Breidis Prescott on Saturday, September 10 at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast. Theophane, a champion of the British title who is aiming to win his Lonsdale belt outright before challenging the European and international scene, believes the key to the Northern Irishman’s victory will be his ability to box and move.
Credit: ashleytheophane.co.uk
“Paul should be able to outbox Prescott,” Theophane (pictured left) told On The Beak editor Alan Dawson recently.
McCloskey (22-1-0, 12ko) is a former holder of the EBU title who only saw his undefeated record slip away when he challenged Amir Khan for the WBA version of the world championship earlier this year. McCloskey lost every round before the referee and ring physician stopped the fight due to a minor cut above the Dungiven southpaw’s eye, yet he made things awkward for Khan with his defensive game.
Prescott (24-2-0, 19ko) remains the only man to not only beat Khan, but also resoundingly knock him out in a 54 second blowout in 2008. Khan has since gone from strength to strength while Prescott slumped to defeats against Miguel Vazquez and Kevin Mitchell.
Theophane (30-4-1, 8ko) is unimpressed by the level of competition Prescott lost to. He told me: “Since knocking out Khan he hasn’t looked that good and has dropped losses to decent but not spectatular fighters.”
McCloskey and Prescott fight in an official eliminator for the regular WBA world title currently held by tough Argentine, Marcos Maidana.
Theophane, meanwhile, is to headline the Sunday, September 18 card promoted by Left Jab and staged at the iconic York Hall arena in Bethnal Green, east London. Theophane takes on Aleksandrs Radjuks in a stay-busy non-title six-round fight while he waits on mandatory British challenger Nigel Wright and the winner of a domestic eliminator between Steve Williams and Karl Place. For On The Beak‘s full exclusive feature interview with Theophane click here.
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