Paul McCloskey produced a strong comeback to beat Breidis Prescott on a unanimous points decision in the WBA light-welterweight title eliminator. Prescott dominated the early rounds in Belfast but Dungiven fighter McCloskey seized control as the Colombian tired. Two judges scored the fight 114-113 with the other going for 115-113.
Prescott, who knocked out Amir Khan inside one minute in 2008, had McCloskey taking a count in the first round for a knockdown although it appeared to be a push. McCloskey shuddered after taking a strong right in the sixth round but by now Prescott was beginning to tire.
"I'm happy with the way I won that fight," said McCloskey, who suffered a points defeat on cuts by Khan in a world title challenge in April. "I started off terrible - he was outjabbing me in the first couple of rounds and I just had to find a way around it.
"Early on he hit hard but from the fourth or fifth round the power seemed to dip and I felt that. "I'm a skilful fighter but I've got a big heart and I dug deep against world class opposition."
