McCloskey v Precott write up

Ok. Here is how we had this one guys, hope you enjoy and check us out as ever at www.maineventboxing.wordpress.com

On Saturday evening in Belfast Paul McCloskey (23-1-0 KO12) squared of against the Breidis Prescott (24-3-0 KO19) in what many saw beforehand as a 50-50 fight. Both men were looking for victory and potentially bigger bouts for world honours.

In fights of such as this; where both fighters are only a win away from far greater opportunities you are often presented with a tense and cagey affair. McCloskey versus Prescott was anything but.

Round one was a disaster for McCloskey who looked rigid from the opening bell. Prescott was able to establish his jab from range almost immediately which looked stiff and hurtful in execution. Prescott was also able to land two or three hard rights in the opening stanza and despite being made to miss a little, was getting more than enough shots home to win the round. When McCloskey was counted after going down from what looked like a glancing left forearm, it could hardly have started worse for him. The second almost mirrored the first, McCloskey stood with low guard looking to feint and counter, but failing to get off first. Prescott again hit home with some bruising blows and bloodied the Irishman's nose with stiff left jabs and sharp straight right's. McCloskey landed some single hooks of his own, but again it was Prescott that landed the significant blows.

In the third McCloskey was a little better, however, it was Prescott who continued to club away with the heavier blows and it wasn't until the fourth that we at MEB could give McCloskey a round.Having backed his opponent up more in the fourth McCloskey was finally able to make Prescott miss a little more; landing some lead left hooks of his own which raised the volume of the on looking Irish hopefuls.

In the sixth round disaster nearly struck again for McCloskey. Wobbled badly twice by right hands McCloskey's legs buckled as Prescott looked to fulfil his pre fight promise of knocking the Irishman out in six. With six complete McCloskey looked hurt and far behind on the scorecards. After the sixth the fight changed almost entirely.

From rounds 8-11 it was practically all McCloskey, as almost inexplicably Prescott's pace seemed to die out and along with it his power. Always the one pushing forward McCloskey was now finally able to get his shots off first. Not always clean and sometimes clumsy McCloskey out worked, out hustled and out gunned the Columbian with hooks to the body and head from the right and left. The Irishman's footwork seemed suddenly good whereas the Columbian became flat-footed.

The ninth McCloskey took on pure aggression alone. In the tenth they exchanged but it was McCloskey that punctuated each of them with an exclamation mark and the 11th McCloskey won with relentless winging right and left hands; and always the Irishman kept coming forward.

Despite the excellent surge from McCloskey and despite the dramatic slowdown from Prescott in rounds 6-11, by twelve it was still razor close in rounds. The twelfth itself was tough to score. As it began the Irish crowd screamed on their man. McCloskey ready to go for 3 more agonizing minutes came out the stronger man and was the better of the two over the first 90 seconds of the round. But Prescott wasn't there simply to hand it to the Irishman. With barley sixties seconds to go McCloskey ran out of steam; perhaps punched out he started to fade and at the bell was again wobbled by the Columbian who may have done enough to steal it with his last gasp effort.

The bell sounded and the crowd cheered. Prescott thought he had it and celebrated appropriately. McCloskey too exhausted for a moment to even raise a glove stayed put in the corner, and then did the same as his foe.

The cards were read out and were unanimous with 2 judges scoring it 114-113 and 1 115-113; all in favour of the winner, Paul McCloskey.

At MEB we had it 114-113 to the Columbian Breidis Prescott who was in our eyes, so dominant over the first 6/7 rounds that he had enough of a lead to cling onto. Prescott now facing his third defeat will no doubt cry robbery. Already McCloskey is talking of bigger clashes with the likes of Marcos Maidana. In boxing, when it's close, one thing is certain, it wont be the lesser fancied man fighting thousands of miles away from home that gets the decision. Still a great nights action from both and a rematch further down the line would certainly be well received.

MEB Prediction: McCloskey points win. Result the same. WIN

The Closk is gonna bust up Prescott

Steffan wrote:The Closk is gonna bust up Prescott

I think you will find that they have already fought and it was the other way round

Prescott was robbed, the 115-113 was ridiculous, but credit to him for not making a fuss and just leaving the ring as soon as he could.

Steffan wrote:The Closk is gonna bust up Prescott

I thought this was a home town decision.

I had Prescott 2 ahead, without scoring the knockdown, so couldnt see how he could lose - he was so dominant for 6 rounds, he couldnt lose.

However he was equally bad for the last 4, maybe 5.

I didnt see the McCloskey v Khan fight, but I imagine if he was as bad as that for the first few rounds there, regardless of the cut you could argue for a stoppage!

Neither of these two are World level, and as much as I would like to see Presscott level Khan again, it aint gonna happen¬!

JDandfries wrote:I thought this was a home town decision.

I had Prescott 2 ahead, without scoring the knockdown, so couldnt see how he could lose - he was so dominant for 6 rounds, he couldnt lose.

However he was equally bad for the last 4, maybe 5.

I didnt see the McCloskey v Khan fight, but I imagine if he was as bad as that for the first few rounds there, regardless of the cut you could argue for a stoppage!

Neither of these two are World level, and as much as I would like to see Presscott level Khan again, it aint gonna happen¬!

I also had Prescott winning by two 115-113. But the way was the crowd was cheering for every punch that McCloskey threw you could envisage a hometown decision, especially after Prescott tired in the second half of the fight. Prescott should have taken a few rounds off and the put everything into the last 2 or 3 rounds and he probably would have even the judges no choice.

McCloskey couldn't deal with with Prescott at range, but I can see him having better success against Maidana.

But he did loose this fight in my opinion and a few of me mates and my dad also agree

yeah i had McCloskey losing, even tho it was close, the rounds that prescott won were big big rounds and round six was lamost a 10-8 too. Feel for McCloskey as now a Khan fight seems very distant

Never heard of Precott

But PM got mightily lucky against Prescott as i had him pretty much the same as everyone else - 1 or 2 rounds down.

Can't quite see a way you'd give it to him personally.

Perhaps time for his fans to realise he's euro level at best. Won't get to world level (and i'm talking above a random belt against another undeserving euro level guy who got a lucky shot, talking the elite of the division).

Think it's time for Prescott to move up, don't know how much he's killing himself for 140... 135 must've been bad enough but the guy's fricking huge for the weight. Gassed a bit that let PM back into the fight.

I wouldn't say it was a blatant home decision as it turned into a close fight!! Prescott looked excellent in the first 6 to 7 rounds, but then inexplicably ran out of gas letting Mcloskey back into the fight!! It surprised me as to me Mccloskey didn't look in the greatest of shape. I had prescott winning by 1 round, but it was close, and Mccloskey was the home fighter and aggressor for most of the fight, so wouldn't argue the decision too much.

Another top write up mate.

I had Prescott winning by two but I'm starting to think his power is a bit over rated. He has only had one stoppage since Khan.

I watched him in his fight before the McCloskey one on ESPN and he landed some big shots that his opponent brushed off who was nothing special.

Looking at his record the guys he has KO'd with the exception of Khan have been pretty awful and almost exclusively in Columbia which isn't exactly a hotbed for good boxers. He won his first 8 fights by KO and only one of those guys had ever won a fight!

im with you pretty boy kev and thanks again. I think Prescott gave his best performance in fiorst 7 rounds v McCloskey and altho the scorecards wernt the worst i have ever seen, like you and most others i just couldnt give ti to McCloskey, he just didnt have the rounds to win this. Precott certainly isn't as powerful as we thought when he ko'd khan

Great write-up as per usual - keep up the good work. I had Prescott winning by 2 - wasn't particularly impressed with either - neither are World level imo.

Boxing Fitness Challenges

i honestly scored it even, think the knockdown was more of a slip, and wasnt suprised it went that way. to be fair mccloskey said he was looking to outbox him over 12 rounds whereas precott was saying KO 6, so mccloskey stuck to his plan a little better.

does anybody know if mike perez fought on the undercard for this bout? i can see a result anywhere.

eddyfightfan wrote:does anybody know if mike perez fought on the undercard for this bout? i can see a result anywhere.

He got pulled from the card due to lack of opponent

gutted for him, he should have took the oppertunity against fury when it was offered. i fail to understand why he didnt jump on the interest gained on off the back of his prizefighter win, a promising unbeaten heavy, yet far to inactive