• Boxing

McCloskey camp lashes out at Khan 'shambles'

ESPN staff
April 12, 2011
Paul McCloskey puts his unbeaten record on the line against Amir Khan on Saturday © PA Photos
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Amir Khan has "killed" his credibility in England by refusing Sky's offer to show his fight with Paul McCloskey, according to McCloskey's promoter Eddie Hearn.

The Khan camp shunned an offer to show Saturday's bout on Sky Sports 3, meaning the light-welterweight title contest will be available on cable channel Primetime, who reportedly offered more money for the clash.

Ahead of his first domestic fight since 2009, Khan's decision has narrowed his potential audience as he bids to increase his profile ahead of mooted clashes with Timothy Bradley and Floyd Mayweather Jnr.

He also stands to pocket significantly less money than was initially predicted, with Sky opting not to show the fight on Sky Box Office due to concerns about the quality of the undercard.

"This whole thing has been a shambles from start to finish," Hearn said. "It is commercial suicide. Sky is the most important television station in the UK when it comes to boxing, and in my opinion this has killed Khan's credibility here.

"I feel sorry for Amir Khan. It was obviously bad news that he had to take a cut in moving from Sky Box Office to Sky Sports 3. He would probably have got 80-to-100,000 pay-per-view buys on Sky Box Office, but he would probably have had 700,000 watching on Sky Sports 3.

"This was the chance to build him again with a much bigger UK audience. I doubt whether he will even get 5,000 buys on Primetime, which has no marketing budget at all for the event."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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