Can Khan Be a Pound-for-Pound Fighter in Two Years?
May 5th, 2009
By Sean McDaniel: If you were to ask me which fighter would least likely be a future pound-for-pound top fighter, without missing a beat I would have to choose Amir Khan (20-1, 15 KOs) as one of the many that I can’t see every attaining that lofty status, which is why I found it hilarious that Khan, 22, told Reuters that he felt that his trainer Freddie Roach is in the belief that Khan will be at that point in two years by the time that Khan reaches 24.
It’s nice that Roach has confidence in Khan, but the chances of Khan ever being a pound for pound candidate would seem to be slim and none regardless of what Roach does with him. Maybe if Khan brought Roach in the ring with him each time he fought and held Roach in front of him like a mannequin, maybe Khan could be a pound for pound fighter.
But as far as going out and beating a bunch of top fighters with Khan’s weak chin, I can’t see it happening in two years, four or ten years. If anything, I can see Khan being faced with retirement well before he reaches 24, and likely by June 27th if Khan gets stretched by World Boxing Association light welterweight champion Andriy Kotelnik. A knockout loss to Breidis Prescott is one thing, but getting knocked out by the weak-punching Kotelnik would be an almost certain finisher for Khan.
Amir is coming off a 5th round technical decision victory over Marco Antonio Barrera in March 2009, a fight that was effectively over after Barrera sustained a horrible cut on his forehead in the first round. The fight was allowed to continue despite the blood dripping down into Barrera’s face, obscuring his vision out of his left eye.
Still, even with one eye, Barrera, not a hard puncher at lightweight, was able to stagger Khan with a left hook in the 2nd round. If Roach really thinks that Khan can be a pound for pound fighter in two years, he’s going to need to make drastic changes to Khan’s fighting style, because Amir doesn’t seem to be able to take big shots without his legs going weak on him.
It doesn’t matter how fast Khan’s hand speed is or how well he throws combinations, if he can’t take a big shot he isn’t going to be able to beat fighters like Marcos Rene Maidana, Victor Ortiz and Nate Campbell, fighters that Khan would have to one day fight if Khan is able to beat Kotelnik to capture his WBA light welterweight title in June.
Tags: 49 Responses to “Can Khan Be a Pound-for-Pound Fighter in Two Years?”
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look guys its simple look at DAVAID HAYE look who he is going after the BEST althou he will lose he still wants the best he has shut mosyt of his critics up. Amir khan is a BUM simple had the fight against barrea gone on without the cut barrera would have lost but on points he too khans best shots n stood still. OK ill shut up he beat barrera well done IF HE IS AS GOOD AS U SAY WHY THE HELL HAS HE NOT MENTIONED PRESCOTT WHY IS THERE NO REMATCH TALK BECAUSE HE KNOW HE WILL GET KNOCKED OUT AGAIN TO BE THE BEST FIGHT THE BEST NOT TWO BIT BUMMS LIKE THIS NEXT GUY. SIMPLE
For the love of God, can we please stop banging on about that left hook. Some people are making it sound like shot of the year. It wasn’t. It wasn’t even close to that. The shots Manny Pacquiao hit Ricky Hatton with were far more devastating and worth far more column inches.
Yes, Khan got caught by a left hook. He also got caught by a couple of shots when they exchanged in the first (prior to the cut) and a couple more as Barrera desperately went searching for the KO he wasn’t going to get. Big deal. Khan was not going to get knocked down (or knocked out) unless he hung his chin out and walked straight onto Barrera’s most powerful punch. I hate to say it, but the old warrior was facing a tough task, even without his January cut and the far worse one he received against Khan, which was ultimately beyond him. Khan faced him at a good time.
As has been pointed out, no, Khan won’t be P4P #1 material, because hasn’t got the chin for it. To be P4P #1 you have to fight and beat the best. Khan’s chin will probably hinder him from doing that. Unless he becomes a wizz defensively he won’t be P4P #1, because his offensive skills alone can only take him so far.
Pacquaio deserves to be P4P #1 at the moment, but the winner of Mayweather-Marquez goes to the top of the tree IMHO. Marquez because he’ll have triumphed against the former P4P king – a younger, bigger, stronger fighter with a reach advantage over him. Mayweather because he’ll have comeback from well over 18 months out (not easy)to beat one of the top fighters in the sport – a slick, stylish, speedy fighter who can counterpunch and/or be the aggressor – thereby reclaiming a crown that hasn’t been taken from him in the ring. Whoever wins must then fight Manny Pacquiao to settle any remaining doubts over who is the P4P #1/king.
khani… seriously! clueless.. khan khant! it’s as simple as that.. and what on earth is all this talk about me saying something about hatton? pretty sure that all i said was as good khan is technically and as skilled as he is as a boxer, the chin thing will let him down time after time… it’s not a persopnal slight, it’s just a fact
Simple answer at the moment No. He has great ability I just cant see past the chin problem. If he had a good chin I could really see him going far. But as for now No.
Having read so many different opinions my conclusion is that amir can certainly box ,but is unable to mix it unless he is frequently floored. So he will always be a boxer on his bike until the chain breaks then its KO time again.
I think Khan will be up there soon, he’s got everything a top fighter needs.
Khan is a top quality boxer with his 1 handicap.
Hes also got the best trainer in the world and im sure Khan will go as far as he can under Roach.
Roach is also very happy with him, hes talented enough to be one of Mannys main sparring partners and clearly listens and learns off his trainers advice.l
If he didnt have such a bad chin hed become one of the best on the planet. A pound for pounder.
But this brings me to the actual headline. No he cant become a pound for pounder. No matter how technically and physically gifted he can be he will always have the chin.
He can defend it to the max but you get hit sooner or later., and if you have a quick glance at Pacman, hes P4P king, thats the standard, could Khans chin even with the best of defences cope and live with that for 12 rounds?
khani why the f**k are u makin statements khans the best boxer britains had since nasseem ,he schooled barrera wtf barrera is a 35 yr pumped up featherweight an quite clearly calzaghe has been the outstandin british boxer of all time so pick ur crayons up an go think of sumit senseible to say u lego eatin bastar*
Dringo has it right.
However smart any writer or any one of us think we are on the subject of boxing, Mr Freddy Roach knows a damn site more than any one of us. This is the man who trains the current pound for pound number one, and therefore has the perfect benchmark to compare Khan against
If Roach says Khan will one day achieve pound for pound status, then its going to happen.
kh
an will never be pound for pound king..in 3-4 years i predict valero will be, the guys a machine!! I was looking at the p4p rankings and to my horror i found pavlik in the top 10, im not being funny, but he is too overrated for my liking!
wow… wayedy, that made so much sense that i didn’t undrstand a thing that you said, i’ll bet it was really interesting and full of insightfull boxing knowlegde that u gained from your days as a promising young ameture… fantastic
well it takes a genius to recognise 1 guapo. lmao
Big tony d,you are 100% right including that bit about your gran.Top man.
Taz if u look at the comment from a guy called jav u see all he is writin is hate implyin that he aint liked because hes asian that isn’t right an also a khan might have sum skill but his chin an heart are very questionable if he had a heart he would have stayed light-weight an tried to make his mark there but hes moved up to fight a lesser champ than any of the lightweight champs
i just re read some of the replies to this article and taz i’m sorry m8 but wtf? “khan has a huge heart”? that’s really sweet but so wrong!!!
i love it… someone says something about an asian that other asians dont like and all of a sudden it’s a racist comment. get a life loosers! credit where it’s due, yes khan is a skilled technically gifted fighter who could give alot of the top fighters in the world a realy good fight “as long as he doesn’t get hit”… now that’s a big problem right there because sooner or later in the wieght catagory that khan is in… he’s gonna git hit! lots!
he just has no chin… it’s a shame because it’s a very big let down to someone who otherwise could have gone very far…
but the again, if my nan had balls… she’d be my grandad
yeah 2 right.i agree with all ov these comments.roach predicted that manny out in 3 and look wot happend!although i didnt want manny 2 win roach wos bang on!kahn will b up there with the best but not sure how long he will b world champion 4?
and how would khan go about getting the cement to set on his face. Iv heards some crazy things in my times but putting cement on his face duffy you guys are crazy I dont think that would be allowed duffy. Khan should concentrate on doing sit ups to improve his determination and always make sure he goes into the ring looking presentable
he he he ha ha ha what a comedian!!!!!
I SHALL QUOTE YOU
I can’t see it happening in two years, four or ten years. If anything, I can see Khan being faced with retirement well before he reaches 24, and likely by June 27th if Khan gets stretched by World Boxing Association light welterweight champion Andriy Kotelnik
I HOPE YOU CAN MAKE A PAPER BOWL OF YOUR WORD AND EAT IT …. ACTUALLY DO ME A BIGGER FAVOUR STOP BLOGGING AFTER June 27th
No chance, until he gets a cement jaw. Hatton would still knock out khan as hatton is in a different league to khan
perhaps amir khan should try harder if wants to be big and strong like mike tysons. i hope one day he can be as strong as tysons but he must stick to strickt training of at least 25 star jumps a day and always listen to what his sensie tells him.
amir khan has got no back bone. i seen him in traing and it always looks as if he is really tired he must train harder and improve on speed if he wants to beat great fighters like roberto durans
lol as long as bredies prescott is still around he wont! There is a sea full of young boxing talent. and khan isnt the best.
Barerra never rocked khan at any point in the fight, you must have seen a different fight.
Khan took a big left hook in round 3 and threw shots straight back.
Bias article.
khan p4p thats just made my day lol. suppose if mcdonalds bring out a p4p big mac khan could allways endorse that.
Booooring…. Kahn will NEVER be P4P king. Pacquiao will still be around in 2 years, so will Cotto, Mayweather, Margharito, bradley, witter, etc etc – all in and around the weight class he will be then. I can’t see him beating any of them or getting anywhere near close….. Kahn is a good boxer, will no doubt win world title, make plenty of money and end with a good record. P4P is just a joke though…
i do like Kahn and i hope he proves me wrong but i cant see him goin his whole career without takin another hit to that glass jaw of his, under freddy roach tho he can only do good things!
Wow this guy has to be the most hated boxer in the world. WIll someone tell me why?
drem = dream
Everyone can drem of one day become top 10 pound for pound fighter in the world. Lets see how this will end up in two years. He has a good trainer who will show him how to become a multi talented boxer. I remember when Manny Pacquiao was regarded as a one dimensional fighter. When Freddie Roach took Amir Khan as his student, he is more talented than Manny when Manny became Freddies student.
The bottom line is that lets give the kid some time to become what he wants to become. If after two years and his still not listed as one of the top 10, then we should withraw all the support for him.
Bazman no one used the race card on this page, it was used on the article which was asking why is Khan so hated, so let’s not bring that back up because everyone is entitled to their opinion. One thing is for sure this kid has a huge heart and will always entertain and i feel as though he could become britains greatest boxer and maybe even fingers crossed one of the best, may sound like a bold statement but with his heart and Roach’s skills he can go far!
Khan pound4pound champ? Not if the boy cant take a punch and there is no training regime Roach or no Roach that can sort a glass jaw wether youre black,asian or white.SIMPLE
I feel sorry for khan am by no means a fan of his but the guy gets attacked from every angle a defo think hes got a weak jaw thats been know since he was in the amatuers but let the guy develop an also if freddie roach talks we should all bloody listen a honestly dont know if khan will have wot it takes to reach the top my instincts tell me if he reachs the top level he’ll get taken out but let him develop an also sick of all these f**kin asians claimin the RACE CARD get a grip people are entitled to there opinion an there aint no need for ur bullsh*t in this so GO AWAY
If freddy roach says its gonna happen then u can pretty much stick ur house on it, the amount of times he makes a bold statement that i think is ridiculous he then proves all the doubters wrong. As the man trains the current best p4p champ then he is the most quliaified to make that call.
why not khans the next big thing
Khan is an incredibly exciting boxer hes not had one dull fight in all his career so far. Yes he doesnt have the best chin, hes probably gonna get knocked out again in his career but i also believe that he can be a multi time world champ if he is nurtured correctly. Khan has the raw ability to out box many lightweights and light welters. Its just unfortunate that when he gets hit it seems he may go down. If he can master a defence then he will be a top fighter.
You’re all aware of his nickname, right? “Amir Khan’t-take-a-punch”?
Listen, I’ve nothing against Khan. He’s quick, he powerful, and he’s bound to develop under Roach’s tutelage. But the kid’s got a glass jaw and that ain’t easy to fix, especially one that’s as brittle as his.
So, until that’s sorted, Amir Khan’t ever be P4P#1.
wtf! this was what writers and the so called experts labeled pacquiao some 5 or 6 yrs ago and pac proved them all wrong.. Khan’s gotta be p4p soon
Say wot u want da manz a wikid entertainer!
lol i cant help but laugh at these Brits they still love Hatton even though the boy has been dropped 5 times in his last 2 major fights. Amir seems to get soo much attention for a 22 year old, i only see one fight and that was against Barrera he looks like a good fighter and will definatly achieve more than Hatton has. Ricky’s highlight of his life would be beating an over the hill Kosta Tzyu and Castillo? Open your eyes you blind idiots Hatton was a terrible fighter who made a career out of beating soft oponents.
Ricky Fatton would beat Khan? Hatton is 30 SHOULD be around his peak and you matching him with a 22 year old Khan give Khan a year he would run rings around Hatton, alright Khan got knocked out by Prescott who he never saw fight before got caughht with stupid shot, Khan was too big on upper body and had amateur coach that’s why he got beat. Under Roach he has thicker legs and biger kneck he would take Hattons shots anyday. So why did Hatton loose even though he had one of the best trainers behind him aswell and studied Manny’s fights for weeks. I remember Hatton saying Pacman does the same move well that’s the move that dropped Hatton, Ricky was and always will be an overhyped piece of trash he got batterd of Mayweather, Pacman, Lazcano, Collazo. Although i think Hatton would put up a fight against Khan right now give Amir a year and mark my words he would run rings around Hatton for jokez!
cotto khan big danger there for khan in the future, hatton would smash khan FACT.
Every great fighter is in great fights… great fights where there is give and take up to the final blow, or down to the wire! Unfortunately for Khan when that test comes along, Roach won’t be there to take the punches for him!!
You have to love Amir though! I agree, when you look at the division and just above and below, you only have to see the Hatton KO one more time (and the Breidis fight) to see it is not going to happen. However, Amir has a good team behind him and will go far. You dont see Prescott getting the fight Khan has. Good luck to Khan, will support all the way but when class comes, its over!
Agree with Andy and the rest just another hate filled article, when Freddie predicts that Khan will be a legend you know it’s gonna happen
some times I wonder why people like you are let loose to write such biased and one sided columns?
U r a f….g biased and racist writer.
Khan will prove everyone wrong and become the best pound for pound fighter in 2 years, laugh if you all want but watch, under Roach he keeps improving and fighting better oponents, he will slap all that criticism back in your faces.
Barrera staggered Khan? Did i miss the fight or something because Khan pretty much schooled Barrera, alright he had a cut but Barrera wanted to continue in the 4th round. Roach has said Khan will go on and achieve great things, NEVER question the opinion of Freddie Roach, in 2 years time Khan will become the best, tune in next month to see a future legend win his first world championship!