Schaefer: Khan will be the #1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world

By Boxing News - 06/09/2011 - Comments

Image: Schaefer: Khan will be the #1 pound-for-pound fighter in the worldBy William Mackay: Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer believes that his fighter WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan (25-1, 17 KO’s) will soon by the number #1 pound-for-pound fighter in boxing. Khan, unfortunately, has yet to prove that he’s even the best fighter in the light welterweight division, let alone the number pound for pound fighter in the world. Khan looked basically on the same level as Marcos Maidana in their fight – no better, no worse.

And Khan’s performance against Paul McCloskey in April was the opposite of a pound-for-pound fighter in my estimation. It was more like a struggling contender rather than a championship level performance from Khan. After beating the little known, weak/slow punching McCloskey, Khan is stepping it up again, this time for a fight against IBF light welterweight champion Zab Judah (41-6, 28 KO’s) on July 23 at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Schaefer said this at their press conference on Wednesday: “Mark my words, Amir will be the best pound for pound fighter in the world.”

Interesting. I guess Schaefer is talking about in three or more years after Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao both hang up the gloves, because there is no way that Khan will be the number #1 guy with either of those fighters still around.

Judah said this yesterday: “Amir can deal with a loss right now. It’s Super Judah time.”

Judah is right. Khan’s career will likely not be slowed down with a loss to Judah. Khan can simply go back to fighting carefully picked opposition until he wins a paper title against someone like welterweight champions Jan Zaveck or Vyacheslav Senchenko. I can’t see Khan staying at light welterweight if Judah knocks him cold, because there would be too many road blocks for Khan picking up an easy title. Khan wouldn’t fight Judah again if he gets knocked out, because Khan seems reluctant to try and avenge his defeats. He also probably wouldn’t want to take on WBC/WBO light welterweight champion Timothy Bradley following a loss to Judah because a defeat at the hands of Bradley would huge a tremendous setback for Khan. Two defeats in a single year would put Khan back at least two years in his development.



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