Khan Not Interested in Fighting Barrera Again
April 8th, 2009
By Jim Dower: In news that doesn’t shock me one bit, British lightweight Amir Khan (20-1, 15 KOs) isn’t interested in fighting Marco Antonio Barrera (65-7, 43 KOs) again. This after beating the former super featherweight champion Barrera by a 5th round technical decision on March 14th, a fight in which Barrera was cut badly on the upper forehead in the 1st round. The fight was allowed to continue by the ringside doctor until the 5th, at which point it was stopped, giving Khan, 22, the victory.
Even if Khan wanted to give Barrera a rematch, the interest isn’t there for the boxing public after watching how easily Khan was dominating Barrera through the five rounds of the fight. Many people predicted that Khan would have an easy time because the thirty-five year-old Barrera hasn’t looked really good since 2005, and he appears to be on the decline as a fighter.
Instead of facing Barrera again, the word is that Khan may be facing former World Boxing Council lightweight champion David Diaz (34-2-1, 17 KOs). If that does turn out to be the case, it would be another safe fight for Khan, much like the fight against Barrera.
Diaz, 32, is only 5’6” and is small for lightweight. He briefly held into the WBC lightweight title until being stopped in the 9th round by Manny Pacquiao in June 2008, a fight which was totally one-sided with Pacquiao wiping the deck with Diaz for nine rounds before putting him away. Diaz, in a lot of ways, is very similar to Barrera in terms of the lack of size, power and speed – In other words, a perfect opponent for Khan to fight.
Another option for Khan would be Michael Katsidis (25-2, 21 KOs), who mentioned after his 7th round stoppage win over Jesus Chavez last Saturday night that he’d be interested in fighting Khan. However, Katsidis wants to fight a rematch first with 37-year-old Joel Casamayor (36-4-1, 22 KOs) before fighting Khan.
Katsidis was stopped in the 10th round by Casamayor in March 2008. At the time of the stoppage, Katsidis had a narrow lead. It’s doubtful that Katsidis will beat Casamayor in a rematch, though, so that effectively takes Katsidis off the table as any kind of future opponent for Khan.
Katsidis would be too dangerous of an opponent for Khan to fight with his history of having a glass jaw. Khan might be better off looking in a different direction rather than risking another knockout loss on his record.
Khan has said that he’s interested in getting a rematch with Colombian Breidis Prescott, but that’s not a fight that Amir will be allowed to take by his management. Although Khan might want to take the fight to try and restore some of his lost credibility as a fighter, I can’t see his promoter allowing him to take such a risky fight given that he was knocked out in the 2nd round by Prescott last time.
Tags: 11 Responses to “Khan Not Interested in Fighting Barrera Again”
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The decision on the cut was criminal Adam, definatly, surely we all agree.
Also theres not many people fooled by the fight, we all know Barrera is the legend and not Khan.
But cut or no cut, we could see how the fight was guna pan out, Khan was too big for Barrera, he was guna stay at a healty distance all night jabbing from his defence, pushin Barrera back all night long without hurting him.
It was either guna be Khan on points easy but without causing Barrera any trouble or Barrera was guna land sometihng and knock Khan out.
Im not sure what that would really prove, either Khan had been given an opponant who couldnt cope with the reach advantage and work rate or his dodgy chin was there to haunt him again.
We would of learnt nothing. But i have to admit it doesnt deserve as it stands to be a win on Khans record and a loss on Barreras.
The crock of chit that happened in England is borderline on criminal.The cut in the first round was the same cut in the 5th round.Why didnt that crook of a doctor stop the fight when it was supposed to be stopped.Fkn coward give Berrera a rematch.He’s a legend and your shit.Show some repect for the Champion your sorry ass will never be.
Khan’s ability to beat top class fighter will be questioned until he beats one. He was floored too many times, by guys with cotton wool in their gloves.
There is no interest – from the financial point of view – for Khan’s management, to make this fight happen. I don’t thing networks are interested in this again. But Don King should do anything in his power to force this rematch. So it don’t make no sense for Khan, and probably British fans (most of them), but makes a lot of sense for Barrera and his management to make this happen.
Fights don’t happen because it’s “fair play” or “he deserved it”, but because there is money in it. There is probably not enough money in this bout.
The days of getting the fights you deserve have sadly long gone in this sport, so many fighters not getting the chance, so many super fights not happenin, so many contenders just staying contenders cuz a lesser fighter brings more purse or the champs go for super money catchweight nothing fights.
but while the authorities allow this to continue and let the protions teams treat it like some entertainment business instead of a pro sport people like Khan and Haye and many others may aswell take advantage of the lack of fairness. After all its not their fault.
Poor Khan is always guna have to have something to prove, he spoke too much ealy on in his career by claiming how good he is, and the whole boxing world turned round and replied with “go on then” and were still waiting.
He may well beat Kotelnik cuz hes absolute shite, far from good enough to hold a belt, but then what? he will have to face a real lightwelter like Bradley, Holt, Torres, Campbell, Guzman, Ortiz and even witter. Can he beat any of them,??? Not 1 surely.
Notice how i didnt mention Hatton, wouldnt last a round, Warren wouldnt dare, infact i dont think hed have the balls to put him in with any of those names above
Amir Khan vs Andreas Kotelnik is on june 27th for kotelnik’s title. Personally i dont think that khan deserves this shot at the title because if he wins hes going to be more overated then he already is but at the same time khans moving up 1 weight so hes going to have trouble there.
How come just because it’s khan fighting in Diaz it’s the easy option, I never heard any of this when the pac man fought and bet him, oh wait it’s because hes british, what a load of c**p.
Fighting David Diaz would be a step in the right direction for Khan. Diaz is a former world champion. I believe khan could make it look an easy nights work. Roach knows how to beat Diaz as hes worked with manny when he beat diaz.
Diaz, then a world title shot.
Make or Bust. Simple
This rematch is no good for Khan, but good for Barrera.
I know for some here it means a bit of a delay for your boy, but truth is, the fight should’ve been a no-contest, and that means it’s inconclusive.
If you watched it you definitely saw that this should have been stopped.
But what is against it, is marketability and the money… From the “fair play” point of view this is what Barrera should definitely and without any question get…. So it should be a priority for his management to get this fight.
On the other hand, it’s on Khans management, to avoid it, by buidling a natural financial wall.
The bottom line is, if Barrera’s people (King) will come up with a good offer I can see it happening. Problem might be, that US and British public doesn’t want to pay for a fight like this (it’s obvious that Khan’s manager will ask very good money for this match). So it probably won’t happen
im glad theres guna be no re-match, its pointless. Barrera is 10 times the boxer and legend Khan can ever be but Barreras not the same at his age and at this weight.
Khan can slip his way up the rankings whether earnt or not but when hes a step off the top there is nowhere to hide.
Once at that level he will get what he deserves, whether thats a world title or an embarrasing beating, who knows but fighting an old Barrera is 1 thing, fighting prime hard punching lightweight top 10 contenders is another.
not much of a khan fan myself..he’s a nice kid with bags of ability but he’ll never be a dominant lightweight with that chin of his…kastidis wud absolutely blow him away… oh and prescott ko’d him in round1 by de way u idiot
Khan again is taking the easy option in fighting David Diaz, I agree. When I first saw the headline, I thought he was taking his first real risk as it just said Khan to face Diaz, until i read on and saw the David in front of Diaz.
Arguably, David Diaz will be Khans hardest opponent up until now, a former title holder. But it has been said that it was a dodgy decision that got him the title.
My problem with this is Khans comment in Boxing Monthly, “i will fight Marquez in my prime, not in his” (or quite close to that!!!), which says to me he is ducking a serious challenge for a title. This form the guy who wants to fight the best and is constantly going “to be a Lightweight champion”.
Where is the title shot he was going for after Barrera? That idea has been shelved because Marquez hasnt relinquished the WBO and WBA titles, Valero is now holding the WBC. Khan doesnt have the balls to face either of them so will continue to fight mediocre fights until an easy shot arises.
Id have more respect for him if he were to give Barrera a rematch, but Khan feels he won that fight fair and square!!!! Odd that, he can beat a blind man!!!
As long as Khan continues to run his mouth about being the best without facing the best, I will criticise him heavily. Im seriously tired of hearing it now. Slate Haye as much as you want, but he is manning up and taking the steps to fight the best. Whats Khan doing? Khan is becoming 135s answer to Audley Harrison.
Alistair McGowans impression of Naseem Hamed seems to fit Khan also.
Im the best, im the best at saying best, never mind George Best, hes just G Best, im THE BEST!!!!