By Sean McDaniel: Amir Khan (23-1, 17 KO’s) told the BBC Radio Manchester that he plans on retiring from boxing in only five more years, which would put Khan at 28 when he hangs up his gloves. Khan is currently the WBA light welterweight champion and has defended the title twice since capturing the belt last year in a 12 round decision against Andriy Kotelnik. Khan said “By the time I’m 28, that’s the time for me to hang my gloves up and stay with my family. I’m going to walk out of this sport the way I walked in and that’s what I want to tell other people who box. You don’t want to walk out of the sport brain dead.”

Khan could be out of the sport long before that if he starts taking knockout losses as he steps it up a level in competition. Khan has been matched selectively since being stopped in the 1st round against Breidis Prescott in 2008. Khan doesn’t seem to be able to connect the dots between the kind of competition he’s been in with and his recent success. Khan has done well against fighters that can’t punch. He’s now about to face a big puncher in Marcos Maidana on December 11th.

Following that, if Khan is knocked out, he’s likely to go back to fighting more light punchers like Paulie Malignaggi and the many fighters that Khan has built his impressive record on. He won’t likely be fighting Devon Alexander, Timothy Bradley or Victor Ortiz if Maidana sparks him out. It will be more light hitters before Khan is matched up with one of the better fighters in the division. If Khan gets put in with Ortiz, Bradley or Alexander, he’s likely going to get knocked out again.

This would seem to be a sign that Khan may need to retire a lot earlier than in five years. He can stick to the five year plan, but the only real success he may find is if he moves back down to lightweight and tries competing at that weight. I expect that’s what Khan will do, because if he stays at light welterweight or moves up to welterweight, he’s probably going to have even more problems because the fighters are a lot better than the guys that Khan has been facing thus far. He could in theory suffer multiple knockout losses. Moving back down to lightweight might be the only real choice that Khan has for him. Even at lightweight there’s guys like Michael Katsidis that can really punch. That could be not picnic for Khan either. At which case, an early retirement before 28 might be the best option for Khan.