Steve Collins, is tipping Paul McCloskey to shock Amir Khan and become world champion.
It's the right time for McCloskey, says Celtic Warrior
Steve Collins believes Paul McCloskey can shock the world and beat Amir Khan.
The Celtic Warrior, the scourge of British world champions in the nineties, says the man from Dungiven can become Ireland's latest sporting success when he challenges for the WBA light-welterweight title, live on
Sky Box Office HD.
Khan is the clear favourite to retain his title at the MEN Arena on April 16 and move onto a unfication showdown with WBO boss Timothy Bradley in the summer.
But Collins has warned the boy from Bolton not to overlook McCloskey, who has not lost in 22 fights.
"I think this is the right fight at the right time for Paul McCloskey," he told
skysports.com.
"He's been cast as the underdog, but to me that's to his advantage. He's 31 years old, he's got an undefeated record, he's coming off a number of stoppage wins, so he has got the confidence - and his punching power is good.
"Amir Khan may look past him. He's already talking about a unification bout, which could be a big mistake. I just have a good feeling about this, I just think there could well be an upset.
"Having said all that, Amir Khan's a super athlete and a super fighter, so can McCloskey catch up with him and land the big shot? We don't know, but I'm confident."
Collins of course knows a thing or two about dethroning world champions.
In two halycon years between 1994 and 1996 he took the WBO middleweight title from Leicester's Chris Pyatt, the super-middleweight version from Chris Eubank and retired Nigel Benn with back-to-back wins.
Collins, now 47, was not as flamboyant as his big-name victims but was known for his sheer will as much as his skill - and he sees that trait in McCloskey.
"What I like about him is he has dedication, he has heart and he has belief," he said.
"Whether he has the experience and the knowledge to beat Amir Khan and what he has picked up fighting all over the world with different trainers and different opponents, remains to be seen.
"The big advantage Amir Khan is that skill and knowledge, but what McCloskey has is the most important thing in boxing - heart.
"He has heart, he has detirmination and he's coming to win."
