By William Mackay: Trainer/HBO boxing analyst Emanuel Steward doesn’t like the way that former IBF/WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan (26-3, 18 KO’s) has been hurt so many times in such a short period of time in his still young career, and Steward believes that Khan needs to take a nice break to let himself recover from all the punishment he’s taken in his fights.

Khan, who recently blasted out in the 4th round in a particularly nasty beating by WBC light welterweight champion Danny Garcia, is pushing hard for an immediate rematch in December with Garcia instead of letting his head clear from the damage he took in his knockout loss.

Steward told Examiner.com writer Chris Robinson “The fact that he’s been hurt so many times this early in his career. I guess this is about the fourth of fifth time now. I think he should take some time off.”

I agree with Steward. Khan needs to take a good long break of perhaps eight months to let his brain clear, and after that he should be brought along slowly against fodder opposition without any power that could get him into trouble. Khan needs to learn how to box instead of fighting toe-to-toe. The best way to do that is for Khan to fight against weaker opposition after a good long rest. We don’t want Khan slurring his words by the time he’s 28, and that could be the direction he’s heading in if he gets getting his bell rung every time he fights.

Khan would do well to sign on with Steward and have him train Khan, because Steward has done a good job with fighters like Lennox Lewis and Wladimir Klitschko, neither of which had a good chin. Steward taught them to fight on the outside and tie up their opposition when they were pressured. Steward would definitely help Khan’s career if given the chance.