By William Mackay: This isn’t probably the kind of news that World Boxing Association light welterweight champion Amir Khan (21-1, 15 KO’s) was hoping to hear, but it looks like the title fight between Khan and his number #1 mandatory challenger Dmitry Salita has only 90 days before they have to get back in the ring and defend their WBA title against the interim WBA light welterweight champion Marcos Maidana (26-1, 25 KO’s)’s), according to Dan Rafael.
Khan and his management team are in negotiations with Salita’s management for a fight on December 5th. However, it can’t be a pleasant thought for either Khan or Salita that they would then have only three months before they have to defend the WBA title against the dangerous puncher Maidana.
It’s unknown how Salita’s thoughts are on this, but I imagine that it could be a worrisome development for the 22-year-old Khan, who has had a history of being vulnerable against fighters like Maidana. Khan was knocked out in the 1st round by Breidis Prescott last year in September. Prescott hits hard, but he doesn’t hit as consistently hard as Maidana, who is able to land with huge power pretty much all night long.
Besides the Prescott fight, Khan has been knocked down in other bouts against fighters with average power. The thought of Khan facing a huge puncher like Maidana seems a little scary, because I can envision Maidana having to chase Khan around the ring all night to get in any shots.
Seriously, I don’t see this as a fight that Khan could pile on points like his last win, a 12 round unanimous decision over then WBA light welterweight champion Andriy Kotelnik in July. Khan was able to move and jab in that fight and win rounds. Kotelnik was tailor made for Khan because Andriy has zero power and is a slow moving finesse fighter.
There was little danger with Kotelnik because he’s not the type of fighter that has power that can put a weak-chinned fighter like Khan in any kind of trouble. Sure, if Khan were to stand in one place for an entire fight, even someone as weak as Kotelnik could probably take him out.
However, Freddie Roach, Khan’s new trainer, has him moving a lot in order to protect his chin from opponents who hit hard. It looks as if Khan is going to be treating all of his opponents the same, in order words, moving a lot regardless of whether they’re a dangerous puncher not.
I think Khan would literally have to actually run from Maidana to prevent from being knocked out by him. In this case, I don’t think Khan could even afford to momentarily stop for a second because Maidana would likely take Khan’s head off if he does.
It would make for a hilarious fight to see Khan on the run, but I can’t see him winning. Khan would be forced to jab on the move all night long and when he does eventually tire, that’s it. The fight will be over. Maidana will catch Khan with something big a drop him like a sack of potatoes.
If Khan gets dropped by Maidana, it’s all over. There won’t be any surviving a knockdown by him, because as soon as Khan gets up, Maidana will tee off on Khan’s head as if it were a large golf ball and will drive it into the 5th row. This is why I can see the Salita-Khan fight being the last title defense for Khan. I’m guessing he vacates the title shortly after beating Salita.
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