By William Mackay: According to a Boxing Talk interview with Kevin Cunningham, the trainer of IBF/WBC light welterweight champion Devon Alexander (20-0, 13 KO’s), he thinks that World Boxing Association light welterweight title holder Amir Khan (22-1, 16 KO’s) will run from them.
Alexander, 23, impressively defeated IBF light welterweight champion Juan Urango by an 8th round stoppage on last Saturday night at the Mohegan Sun Casino, in Uncasville, Connecticut.
Alexander showed power that few people thought he possessed, knocking the usually steel-chinned Urango down twice in the 8th round with hard uppercuts to the head. The fight was stopped after the second knockdown. Cunningham said this to Greg Leon of Boxing Talk: “We know Amir Khan is going to run from is, so I’m just talking realistic here. I’m looking to make fights.”
Khan, also 23, has a fight coming up on May 15th against Paulie Malignaggi at Madison Square Garden, in New York. Khan says he wants to be a big star in the U.S., and wants to become well known in a short period of time so that he can fight talented big money opponents like Floyd Mayweather Jr. Khan has taken head recently for opting for a bout against Malignaggi, a fighter who isn’t known for having a lot of power, rather than taking on WBA light welterweight interim champion Marcos Maidana (27-1, 26 KO’s).
Khan and Golden Boy Promotions have put a different spin on the decision to match Khan up with Malignaggi instead of the dangerous Maidana, and say that Malignaggi was chosen because he’s better known compared to Maidana, and that it means more money for Khan. They also say that Maidana needs to build up his name more before he fights Khan in the future. But if Khan gets by Malignaggi on May 15th, which Khan probably well do, it’s still doubtful that he will fight Maidana at that time.
There’s no word yet who Khan’s next opponent will be if he can get by Malignaggi. Khan was previously trying to line up a fight against Juan Manuel Marquez, a 36-year-old lightweight who had recently been soundly beaten by Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Alexander’s trainer says that he’s interested in matching Alexander against WBO light welterweight champion Timothy Bradley (25-0, 11 KO’s) in June if possible. Cunningham is also interested in matching Alexander against former IBF light welterweight champion Zab Judah, and the slugger Maidana. However, Cunningham thinks that a fight against the 32-year-old Judah is the most doable fight right now for Alexander.
Judah interrupted Alexander’s post fight interview with HBO analyst Max Kellerman last Saturday night, expressing interest in fighting Alexander. This is a fight that Alexander wouldn’t have to go looking for, and one that would make him a decent pay day as long as HBO shows interest in airing the fight. Cunningham is perhaps most interested in a Bradley-Cunningham fight most of all.
It’s a fight that would be meaningful because Bradley is considered by many to be the best fighter in the light welterweight division, and he also had the World Boxing Organization light welterweight title in his possession, so Alexander would have the chance of taking yet another belt. However, this would be a much tougher fight compared to Judah. Bradley is a superb fighter with excellent hand speed, aggressiveness and power.
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