By Michael Williams: Amir Khan’s victory over Andreas Kotelnik at the MEN Arena in Manchester on Saturday night brought a dream to reality for the Bolton born boxer. Khan’s classy points victory over the Ukrainian earned him the WBA light welterweight crown at the tender age of just 22 and showcased how far his game has come since his Breidis Prescott defeat.
This first title belt, of what is sure to be a long and eventful career, has opened doors for Khan that have the potential to turn him into a champion who could dominate his division. Talk of big money fights and moving to America were inevitable after the judges score cards were read out on Saturday night but rumours of a potential fight with Ricky Hatton should remain as rumours.
A reported clash between Hatton and Khan would do nothing to enhance either fighters career and would solely be a fight for the British public to wet their boxing appetite. It would not be a bout similar to the epic Benn v Eubank encounters as in this case both fighters are heading in different directions in their careers.
For Khan there should be no incentive to fight a man who is still considering retirement from a sport that he has given his all to. The former Olympic silver medallist is on his way up and should be setting his sights on more world title belts and focusing on making a name for himself on the other side of the Atlantic. Should this fight happen and Khan be victorious it would not add to his reputation and fear factor that the Americans are looking for in the young champion.
A win over Hatton would not be as much of an achievement as it would have been a few years back when the Hitman was beating all before him on his way to the top. Ricky Hatton has done too much in his career to be remembered as another boxer who went on too long and suffered an embarrassing defeat, the threat of this should lean Hatton towards retirement.
With the defeat to Pacquiao still hurting the thought of facing another opponent with lightening quick hands and a trainer who sussed his game out are other reasons for Hatton to hang his gloves up.
Should it go ahead it would be an intriguing contest but with no reason for the fight to be arranged Hatton should pass on the gauntlet to a new exciting generation for British boxing.
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