By Chris Williams: I don’t know about you but I can’t figure out why HBO has opted to show the fight between WBA light welterweight title holder Amir Khan against Paulie Malignaggi on May 15th, yet won’t be showing the March 20th bout between IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko vs. Eddie Chambers. It seems to me that the Klitschko-Chambers fight will be a much more interesting bout than seeing a fight between Khan, who is a virtual unknown in the United States, against the feather-fisted fighter like Malignaggi.

I suppose HBO and Golden Boy Promotions are counting on the 23-year-old Khan becoming a big star in the United States in the near future. Khan, a 2004 Olympic Silver Medalist for Britain, hasn’t yet proved that he’s going to be anything other than a fighter that can beat carefully selected opponents with little power. Khan already failed his first major test when he was destroyed in the 1st round by Breidis Prescott in 2008. Khan has been carefully matched since that time, steered away from punchers and matched against soft hitters.

Although Khan holds down the WBA light welterweight title, the title is essentially a paper one as he won it over arguably the weakest of the light welterweight champions Andriy Kotelnik last year. Khan didn’t face Timothy Bradley or Devon Alexander, both of which would have given Khan huge problems had he fought them.

At best, I see Khan as a fighter that will be carefully steered his entire career to keep him away from hard hitters like Marcos Maidana so he can find success. Maybe the boxing public accepts Khan at some point if he can beat enough guys like Dmitri Salita and Malignaggi, and he becomes a huge star. Personally, I can’t see it happening. I don’t see Khan ever becoming the best light welterweight in the division. Not now, not ever. This is why I think it’s silly that the Khan-Malignaggi fight is being shown by HBO, but not the Klitschko-Chambers.

At least Wladimir Klitschko is considered to be the number #1 or #2 fighter in the heavyweight division, depending on who you ask. I don’t see that ever being the case with Khan. He is what he is. In four or five more years, I think he’ll still have the same issues with his chin that he’s having now. Some of Khan’s fans have theorized that his chin has improved since he moved up from lightweight to light welterweight last year, but how will we ever know that if he continues to fight light hitters like Salita and Malignaggi instead of Maidana.

I don’t think Khan is going to be a huge star like they’re counting on him being, which is why I think it’s silly for his fight to be shown and not the Klitschko-Chambers fight. I realize that the fights are on different dates, but the fact that HBO is picking up the Khan-Malignaggi fight and not the Klitschko-Chambers fight seems to show where their interest is.

To be fair, the Klitschko-Chambers fight appears to be a mismatch on paper. I can understand why HBO wouldn’t want to show that fight. But I don’t think Khan will ever be a huge star in the U.S. no matter how many times he’s forced down our throats by showing his fights on the network in the future. I don’t think he’s going to look good enough to be a mega star. I think there’s better fighters out there that can either be champions some day or at least put on exciting performances against good fighters, not fighters with zero power that aren’t a threat to their chins.