Khan is studying Canelo’s fights against Mayweather and Lara

By Boxing News - 02/13/2016 - Comments

khan5899By Dan Ambrose: Underdog Amir Khan (31-3, 19 KOs) says he’s been watching Saul “Canelo” Alvarez’s past fights against Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Erislandy Lara in order to get a blueprint to use to beat the 25-year-old Mexican fighter on May 7.

Khan says he’s spotted in those fights that Canelo struggled against the speed of Mayweather and Lara. Khan plans on using speed to get the better of Canelo, who he notes is a slower fighter with not too good foot speed. Still, the 29-year-old Khan will be a decided underdog in this fight on HBO PPV, and he’s going to need to use constant movement to keep from getting hammered into the canvas.

Canelo has shown remarkable punching power in his last couple of fights, and he seems to be gaining more punching power as he trains and gets older. Khan cannot afford to be hit by one of Canelo’s best power shots in this fight if he wants to have a chance of winning.

Canelo had Miguel Cotto in trouble in their fight last November. This was with Cotto moving constantly and using his boxing skills. If Cotto had tried to slug with Canelo, he would have been taken out quickly.

“I can win any fight if I’m focused,” Khan said. “If I train hard in the gym and I’m focused the whole time, I can win. I’m going into the fight as the underdog, but that’s what makes it exciting. I’m fighting a guy that is two divisions above my weight. This is going to show how good I am and where I belong. The only advantage he has is the power, the size and the strength. With me, I have the speed. I’ve seen other fighters go up in weight. I’ve seen Sugar Ray Leonard go up and fight Marvin Hagler. I saw when Manny Pacquiao went up in weight against Oscar De La Hoya. These are the names that went up and beat bigger and heavier guys when they’ve been the underdog. I really believe I can do the same thing. I believe I can make history. This is the reason I’m taking this fight,” Khan said.

Khan is motivated by being the underdog in this fight. Some fighters would be intimidated at disappointed at being the underdog, but not Khan. He finds it motivating to know that people don’t believe in him, because it makes him more focused on what he has to do in this fight. Khan has never been an underdog in any of his fights in the past, so this is a new experience for him. Khan was sloppy and overconfident in some of the fights he lost, because he was expected to win. His fight against Canelo is a different story though. Khan is the underdog and there’s nothing going to change that.

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“I’m looking at the blueprint in how to beat Canelo,” Khan said. “Mayweather and another fighter Lara, the Cuban, when he fought against Canelo. I think Canelo has a lot of problems against guys that move well, and who got decent speed,” Khan said,

Erislandy Lara was arguably robbed in his fight against Canelo in 2014 in losing by a 12 round split decision. I thought Lara won the fight, as did many other fight fans. Floyd Mayweather Jr. simply picked Canelo apart in beating him by a 12 round decision in their fight in 2013. Where Lara blew it was he didn’t throw enough punches in the last six rounds. He did a good job in the first six rounds in throwing some nice shots, but in the last six rounds. Lara got too cautious and that coat him the fight.



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