By Sean McDaniel: World Boxing Association light welterweight champion Amir Khan (22-1, 16 KO’s) signed a short term contract recently with Golden Boy Promotions in hopes that the American promotional company could make him a big star in the United States. Khan signed up American trainer Freddie Roach, famous for training huge mega star Manny Pacquiao and developing his talent. Khan comes over from Britain having achieved success by skillfully being positioned against a mix of mostly light punchers.

Last year, Khan captured the WBA light welterweight title after beating champion Andriy Kotelnik by a lopsided 12 round decision. However, a year before that, Khan had been knocked out in the 1st round by Breidis Prescott, the only big puncher that Khan has faced in his five year pro career. Khan didn’t seek out a rematch with Prescott, and instead has fought four consecutive bouts against mostly light punchers.

Now that Khan has the WBA title in his possession, Golden Boy Promotions want to build up his name by positioning him against fighters with somewhat of a name in the U.S. Khan’s first bout will be against the weak puncher Paulie Malignaggi on May 15th. Malignaggi is well known to hardcore boxing fans, but virtually completely unknown among casual boxing fans.

Malignaggi is popular to a certain degree on the East Coast, but I wouldn’t say really popular because he’s had mix success in the past two years, losing two out of his last four fights. Golden Boy have decided to bypass for now a fight between Khan and WBA light welterweight interim champion Marco Maidana, a huge puncher that would be a potential headache for Khan.

The word is that Maidana, not Khan, needs to get better known by U.S. boxing fans before he can face Khan. Ok, I’ll by that. Few boxing fans in the United States have any idea who Maidana, but by the same token, even fewer casual fans know who Khan is. At least Maidana has fought on HBO before. Khan hasn’t. But under the best circumstances, Khan beats Malignaggi by an impressive knockout.

But given that this fight won’t likely be a war, I don’t see Khan becoming a huge star from a win over Malignaggi. It’s going to take more than that to do, a lot more. Khan said recently on his Twitter page that he’ll be facing WBO light welterweight champion Timothy Bradley in 2010. I’d like to see that fight, and if Khan could win it without running all night long like I think he’d do, it would really help make a star out of him.

But I don’t believe that Golden Boy will throw Khan in with Bradley. That would be an almost certain loss for Khan. Bradley is good fighter on many different levels. He does everything good, and he also has experience going for him. My guess is Khan won’t be put in with a fighter like Bradley. If they wanted to take a smaller risk, they might put Khan in with WBC light welterweight champion Devon Alexander, but I doubt that will happen either.

Alexander is probably too dangerous for them to want to risk for a fight against Khan. I’m thinking they might shoot for a fight against Juan Urango next, even if he loses to Alexander next. Urango is terribly slow and a plodder. Khan could probably easily have his way with him. For his third fight in the U.S., I think they might put Khan in with light welterweight contender Victor Cayo, a light puncher but a slick fighter.

If Cayo beats Maidana, it will take care of Khan’s problem of having to face Maidana. He then could fight Cayo without having to worry about being taken out. Cayo is slick, has good hand speed but isn’t the kind of puncher that would worry a fighter like Khan. At the same time, his hand speed isn’t as good as Khan’s.