By M. Khan: Before we evaluate Amir Khan’s ability to take a punch we all must note that there is a division in boxing where very few boxer have survived without getting knock down or out in their career. This division is also a division where all boxers are careful because anyone almost anyone can knock each other out.

Sooner or later in this division everyone has been knocked down. BUT still we have champions in this division that defend their titles for a long period of time. This is the heavyweight division.
So this is proof that still we can have World Champions and boxers who all have to learn to box with minimum risk of getting knocked out.

Its also proof that Khan can become one of those fighters who will still make it again to the top and can stay there.

A lot was said about Tommy Hearn’s chin. Still, he became an accomplished boxer after getting knocked out by Marvin Hagler and Sugar Ray Leonard in the prime of his career.

Khan is not Hearns, but he has all the qualifications to be like him.

Let’s talk about the punch that knocked Amir down in the end of the third round in the fight with Danny Garcia last Saturday night.

One we can assume it was a counter punch, a swinging punch, maybe a wide hook from a wide angle, a delayed punch, a punch thrown by Garcia that can also be considered a hay maker or also a punch that was thrown completely with his eyes close from starting to the end of the punch.

I felt like saying to Garcia after the punch “Hey, open your eyes the Pakistani is not there anymore. You HIT him. It’s me your Dad, Angel, open your eyes”

The truth whether it was a trained punch to counter Khan, it became a punch that hit Amir, when Amir did not see it coming nor did Garcia see it going to hit and did hit him.

I compared the punch to two things: One getting hit by a 2 by 4 from behind on the side of my face and naturally I did not see it coming. Two: As boxing spectators, its often that we see boxers throw a so called wild punch that just misses the opponent and we look at each other and say “Whoo thank god that did not hit him.”

Khan got hit with that punch. In the Breidis Prescott fight, Khan got knocked down, got up, and got knocked down again against a strong puncher in Prescott.

Khan didn’t get knocked out cold like a Ricky Hatton did against Manny Pacquiao, but he gets knocked out to where you know he is somewhere else besides in the ring.

After he got hit with the 2 by 4 from Garcia, Khan survived the round, and fought another two and a half minutes being hurt by a dangerous puncher. More so sometimes was still accurate with the punches that he tried to throw. Even more so was NOW TAKING the punches from Garcia that he can see. These punches were definitely hurting him, but it made a big difference that he was seeing the punches coming.

Should the referee have stopped the fight? Definitely a great stop. He probably saved Khan’s career and gave him a chance to fight another day.

Did Khan’s corner do their job to revive him in the corner after the 3rd round? Definitely not. They should have been pouring all the cold water they can find to get him to recover. Massaging the neck to get the blood circulation back to the brain.

Conclusion: Khan is strong enough to take a punch but not strong enough to recover fast. The problem is not taking the punch but he takes too long to recover. It’s an issue that they will have to study. He can take a normal hard punch but not punches from an extremely hard puncher like Manny, but then how many people can?

In the end does it really matter. He has to pick his opponents and fight smart like a heavyweight, because they have to do it every time they fight.

Do not expect any interruptions in Khan’s career maybe a slight delay.

Also expect him never to lose a fight again, unless he gets hit again by a 2 by 4.

I am sure he will be calling out Danny “OPEN YOUR EYES” Garcia by July of 2013.

Expect Khan will be back to delight his fans and teeth grinding for his haters in Nov 2012 against Paulie Malignaggi, then Tim Bradley in March of 2013 after Bradley’s defeat to Pacman. Then Garcia in July of 2013 after Garcia’s lost to Lucas Matthysse.