By Scott Gilfoid: The Amir Khan (22-1, 16 KO’s) vacate watch has started, as promoter Frank Warren has corroborated the news that Khan has been ordered by the World Boxing Organization to defend his title next against WBA interim light welterweight champion Marcos Maidana (27-1, 26 KO’s). This probably isn’t the kind of news that Khan was hoping to get, since Maidana is one of the biggest punchers in the light welterweight division with killer strength and true one-punch power.
Maidana was looking to fight WBC Devon Alexander in a fight in March. However, Maidana likely saw the value in taking on the weak-chinned Khan compared to the elusive little known Alexander. For Khan, Maidana is perhaps his worst nightmare come to life.
There isn’t a puncher anything like him in the light welterweight or the lightweight division. Khan may regret moving up in weight last year, because it only increases the chances that much more that he’ll get knocked out by a puncher like Maidana. However, I think Khan won’t take the fight with Maidana, and will instead choose to vacate his WBA title instead. This will leave Khan with the option of going after safer opponents like Paulie Malignaggi or Zab Judah.
I hope I’m wrong about this, but this is what I expect for Khan to do. Maidana has way too much power, and would eventually connect with something big on Khan’s fragile chin. I think Freddie Roach, Khan’s trainer, has done a great job with molding Khan more into a defensive-minded fighter since Amir was last knocked out by Breidis Prescott in 2008. But even with Khan running for his life for 12 rounds, he’s going to facing heavy artillery from Maidana, and I can’t see his chin holding up under that kind of fire.
Maidana, 28, was beaten by Andriy Kotelnik by a controversial 12 round split decision last year. Kotelnik took a lot of punishment in that fight, and by the time it was over, his head was badly swelled up, his nose bleeding and both lips busted up. Mind you, this was how Kotelnik looked while fighting a purely defensive fight while covering up and fighting more of the fight from the outside.
I hate to imagine what might come of Khan if he has to face similar fire from Maidana. This is why I’m counting down the days before Khan vacates the title. I just don’t see Khan wanting to take on a big puncher like Maidana right about now. He hits too hard, and Khan is too young to be put in with a murderous puncher like him.
Khan will have the perfect excuse for vacating the WBA title, pointing to his ripe age of 23. It won’t look good for Khan to vacate his title, of course, but better that than facing the firing squad with Maidana’s heavy power shots all night long.
If Khan does fight Maidana, I doubt that Khan will be able to run enough to get beyond the 6th round. Maidana will catch up to him in every round and blast away at him with heavy shots. Eventually, I see Maidana knocking Khan’s block off and sending him down for the count.
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