- Ray Close
Infobox_Boxer|name= Ray Close
realname= Ray Close
nickname=
weight=Super Middleweight
nationality=Northern Irish
birth_date= Birth date and age|1969|1|20|mf=y
death_date=-
birth_place=Belfast ,Northern Ireland
home=Chicago , U.S.
style= Orthodox
total= 29
wins= 25
KO= 14
losses= 3
draws= 1
no contests= 0|Ray Close (born
January 20 ,1969 inBelfast ,Northern Ireland ) is a former boxer who fought for most of his career in theSuper Middleweight division, ending his career in theLight Heavyweight division.Professional career
Close turned professional in October 1998, winning his first fight at the
Ulster Hall , Belfast, when he knocked outManchester 's Steve Foster in the second of six rounds on a card that included fellow Northern Irish boxersEammon Loughran andSam Storey .In his seventh bout he beat Rocky McGran to win the vacant Irish Super Middleweight title. He successfully defended the title against
Terry Magee , the older brother of Eamonn and Noel, inDublin in 1991. In 1993, he defeatedVincenzo Nardiello to win the EBU European Super Middleweight title inItaly .Eubank fights
Later the same year Close faced
Chris Eubank for the WBO Super Middleweight title. In what would be the first of his two fights against Eubank, the match was declared a draw. After an October win against Ray Domenge, Close again faced Eubank in a rematch at Belfast'sKing's Hall . Despite having the partisan Belfast crowd behind him, Close lost the match on a split points decision. Both fights with Eubank caused considerable controversy, as Eubank floored Close in the first and had him on the verge of a knockout, yet the fight was declared a draw. The second fight, in which Close performed better, was deemed a points loss. [ [http://www.sundaylife.co.uk/news/article2152678.ece?service=print "Sunday Life"] ] [ [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2003/02/05/sosrup05.xml "The Telegraph"] ] [ [http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/sport.cfm?id=1156172002 "The Scotsman"] ]Revoked licence and retirement
A third fight with Eubank was scheduled in 1995. However shortly before the match the
British Boxing Board of Control revoked Close's licence after he failed anMRI scan. Two lesions were subsequently found on his brain. Although Close had his British licence revoked he obtained a licence to in the U.S. from the Illinois State Boxing Commission. Close generally fought journeyman boxers in theUnited States , and finished his career with a run of five straight victories with his last fight being againstCleveland 's Larry Willis in which Close won by a knockout in the fifth of eight rounds.There was some press speculation in 2002 that Close was going to make a return to the ring in an unlicensed boxing event in Belfast, however the fight did not materialise. [ [http://www.irish-boxing.com/samstorey/sam43.htm irish-boxing.com] ]
References
External links
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