By Bashar Khaddage: With the recent announcement of WBC Middleweight Champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez fighting the welterweight Amir Khan, I must say I’m not too sure how I feel about this. It sure as heck will sell and we can expect the PPV numbers to be impressive as the casual boxing fan will probably purchase this fight. However, this fight has mismatch written all over it.
First and foremost, lets quickly analyze Khans profile: Here’s a decorated Olympian that started of his pro career fighting in the lightweight division of 135 lbs and only till very recently has fought at the welterweight limit of 147 lbs. He’s beaten 3 fighters at welterweight, but did not look too impressive, especially with Chris Algeiri – A feather fisted fighter. Khan still possessed that blinding hand speed, but none of Khans wins came by way of KO / TKO, suggesting that his KO power, which was never too much to begin with, did not carry through with him into the welterweight division.
Now looking briefly at the catch-weight king, Canelo Alvarez: The so-called WBC ‘Middleweight’ champion forces all his challengers to drain down to 155 lbs (when in reality the Middleweight title can be fought at up to 160 lbs) or he picks on someone from the welterweight / junior middleweight division and forces them to move up in weight at 155 lbs.