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.

Wow! Someone better tell Breidis Prescott then, because I guess he’s already achieved the golden pound-for-pound status in light of his 1st round knockout over Khan in September 2008. Seriously, Roach should back away from pouring those kinds of thoughts into Khan’s impressionable mind, and focus more on trying to fix his glass jaw so he won’t get knocked out again.

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.