(Photo credit: Hogan Photos) By Dan Ambrose: Amir Khan (31-3, 19 KOs) does not have much of a chance against the bigger WBC middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (46-1-1, 32 KOs) in their fight on Cinco de Mayo in May. Former referee Joe Cortez sees the fight ending quickly with Khan getting stopped by the bigger Canelo.
Cortez thinks that the referee and ringside doctor should be ready to pull the plug on the fight in order to protect Khan from harm. Cortez sees Khan as little more than a little calf facing a big bull in the ring in the form of Canelo.
If Khan chooses to stand in front of Canelo on May 7, then it really will be like Cortez says it will be. Khan doesn’t have the size to stand and trade with Canelo. If Khan does choose to punch with Canelo, then he’s going to get run over quickly by the Mexican fighter. Khan does not have the size and the punching power to trade shots. Khan also doesn’t have the defensive skills to avoid Canelo’s big shots if he stops for any length of time.
“Amir Khan is a complete fighter to your level and your weight, but this fight is like putting a bull facing one calf,” Cortez said via EL Vocero at entornointeligente.com. “Canelo’ has a lot of power, and is much stronger. When he starts hitting him to body, it will be all over. It’s a fight that will end quickly. Khan does not have anything to compete with. He has no opportunity against ‘Canelo’. Doctors and referee should be ready to stop the unnecessary punishment. It’s not a fight for Canelo,” said Cortez.
I think Cortez is making the mistake of putting Khan in the same category as some of Canelo’s limited opposition he’s been fighting lately. After Canelo lost to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2013, he faced Alfredo Angulo and James Kirkland in mismatches. Those were really easy fights for Canelo, and it was like they were baby calf’s fighting an angry bull. Canelo didn’t look so great in his fights against Erislandy Lara and Miguel Cotto. Those were both close fights that could have gone the other way around.
As long as Khan doesn’t fight in a stupid manner like past Canelo opponents, he’ll have a chance of pulling off an upset in this fight. All Khan needs to do is study the Mayweather blue print of Mayweather’s win over Canelo, and then make sure that he doesn’t stand in front of Canelo for too long. Mayweather was able to stay in the pocket against Khan for long stretches of their fight. The reason why Mayweather was able to do that was because he had superb defensive skills. Khan doesn’t have the same defense that Mayweather has, so he can’t stay in front of Canelo without having the risk of being stopped.
I don’t think Canelo is as good as Cortez is describing him to be. To be sure, Canelo is a good fighter, but as we saw in his fights with Mayweather and Erislandy Lara, he has a lot of flaws in his game that Khan can take advantage of.
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