By Liam Santiago: As a boxing fan, and a boxing expert I might add, I am beginning to lose much of my respect for Amir Khan. Compared to other boxers at his level he seems to show no desire to want to prove himself against the best. Let’s take Timothy Bradley, who was in action last night. This guy is only three years older than Khan and undefeated in twenty five bouts.
I knew very little of Timothy Bradley before last night, and now looking at his career I think Khan could learn a couple of things from him. He will fight anyone anywhere. Comparing his record to Khan, he has beaten Junior Witter and Nate Campbell. Khan has beaten Kotelnik.
I like Khan’s speed, that’s good to watch. But I don’t like his attitude towards boxing. He just does not seem to want to fight the best. I wouldn’t complain about this if his fight weren’t on box office at a rate of £15 per view. The Khan camp say they are looking at a fight with retired legend, Morales next. He has lost 5 of his last 6 and presents no real threat.
Bradley is probably going to rematch ring warrior Nate Campbell. I brought Carl Froch into this article for a reason. He will fight anyone. He has recently entered the super six tournament where he will face the best boxers in the world from his division. I would love to see Khan show this kind of courage. What do fights with old legends, way past their best prove? Nothing.
Khan in the past pulled out of a fight with Nate Campbell, the rumour came from Nate himself on radio 5 live about a year back. Instead he went on to fight Gomez. I understand Khan has chin issues. But that should not mean he rules out fights with big punchers. You set a game plan to protect yourself from getting hit, fight on the outside working off the jab.
Freddie Roach has ruled out a fight with no.1 contender for his new belt, Maidana. He said it was pointless risking a fight with a big puncher. So, that means Khan will probably vacate the belt. Where’s the pride? He has just won a world title. Now he wants to vacate it. Am I going crazy or would most boxers want to cling onto that belt with every power they have?
When I see boxers like Froch and Bradley and Witter I admire their outlook on the sport. When asked would he retire, Witter did not say I will have to decide and leave it for months, he simply said, ‘no’. When asked who he would fight next, Bradley did not say I don’t know, he said, ‘I’ll rematch Nate’. I think Khan is a good fighter but the way he is being managed is going to make him even more unpopular than he already is.
As I have said, he has speed but that’s as far as I will go. He lacks power, he has mega chin issues and very little head movement, which is important for a boxer with a suspect chin. Would I pay £15 to watch him outpoint Morales. No. Why? Because it would be like watching the young Olympian prospects fight, where we already know the result before the first bell.
At this stage, after 22 fights, Khan really needs to be going for the top boxers. Yes, he beat Kotelnik, although very basic, he boxed very well, yet he did look vulnerable under pressure at times. I would love to see him against the likes of Timothy Bradley. Why not? They are at about the same level. Both world champions. Bradley would be up for it. I hate to say it, but I won’t be paying to watch Khan (on box office) again, until he fights with world level champions.
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