By Jim Slattengren: Yesterday, I read an interview with trainer Nacho Beristain where he said that he didn’t want his fighter World Boxing Organization lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez (50-5-1, 37 KO’s) to take a fight against WBA light welterweight champion. Golden Boy Promotions, the promotional company that promotes both fighters, is looking to match the 36-year-old Marquez against the young 23-year-old Khan for Amir’s debut fight in the United States on May 15th.
Khan-Marquez
Beristain doesn’t think Marquez should fight Khan right now
By Esteban Garduno: According to an article at Bleacherreport, trainer Nacho Beristain doesn’t think his fighter Juan Manuel Marquez should fight World Boxing Association light welterweight champion right now. Beristain says “He [Marquez] asked me to go with him to Los Angeles to work on the deal for his next fight, that his people [Golden Boy Promotions] want to match him with Khan, but I told him that’s not a fight to be taken lightly, as he [Khan] is very strong, and it’s not a good fight right now, because he [Marquez] has not fully recovered from the Mayweather fight, which was just brutal.”
Does criticism of Amir Khan reflect widespread racism in British boxing?
By Kwame Cinquez: Amir Khan’s decision to switch to the United States in order to further his career was lamented in the Guardian newspaper by their chief boxing writer Kevin Mitchell. He was in no doubt as to the reason for Khan’s departure, “the racists here who cat-call him from the cheap seats and spill out their bile anonymously across the internet have a lot to answer for”. To what extent this is true is debatable, but is there a link between race and support, or even success, in boxing in the UK?
Shaw thinks Khan is afraid of Maidana and Timothy Bradley
By Eric Thomas: In an article at The Sun American promoter Gary Shaw, the promoter of World Boxing Organization light welterweight champion Timothy Bradley, says “I tried to make a fight between Amir Khan and Timothy Bradley. His Promoters Golden Boy Promotions said ‘absolutely no chance, no way.’ Shaw went on to say “The reason why Amir Khan refuses to fight [WBA light welterweight interim champion Marcos] Maidana is he’s scared. He’s scared of Timothy Bradley.”
Why Khan is making a mistake by NOT fighting Maidana
by Stephen Tannock: So after all the hard work promoter Frank Warren puts into making World Boxing Association light welterweight Amir Khan a superstar, yet he turns his back on Frank to join Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions company. Warren put his money into five big fights: Breidis Presscott, Osin Fagan, Marco Antonio Barrera Barrera, Andriy Kotelnik (the easiest fight of all the world champions) and Dmitri Salita and now Khan is dodging his mandatory challenger, Marcos Maidana.
Schaefer expects Marquez to sign contract for a Khan-Marquez fight in 48 hours
By Sean McDaniel: Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer thinks that lightweight Juan Manuel Marquez (50-5-1, 37 KO’s) will be signing a contract to fight World Boxing Association light welterweight champion Amir Khan (22-1, 16 KO’s) within the next 48 hours, according to the Telegraph. Schaefer, who promotes both Khan and Marquez, said to the Telegraph “It’s a dangerous fight, but it’s a high risk-high reward strategy. If you want to capture the American market this is the way to do it, by beating the best current, active No 1 Mexican fighter there. Win, and Amir makes his mark in the United States.”
Does Khan deserve fights against Marquez, Judah and Mayweather?
By William Mackay: In the news yesterday, The Sun reported that Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer, speaking about World Boxing Association light welterweight champion Amir Khan, said “A fight against [Juan Manuel] Marquez is a breakthrough as he is one of the best and Mexico’s No 1 active fighter. Once he [Khan] wins against Marquez, there is the possibility of a fight against Zab Judah – and then [Floyd] Mayweather Jr.” Nothing was said about Khan having to fight WBA light welterweight interim champion Marcos Maidana, who the WBA had ordered Khan to fight.
Khan to fight Marquez on May 15th: Judah and Mayweather after that
By William Mackay: It now looks like World Boxing Association light welterweight champion Amir Khan (22-1, 16 KO’s) won’t be facing WBA light welterweight interim champion Marcos Maidana anytime soon, if ever. In an article with The Sun, Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer says “A fight against [Juan Manuel] Marquez is a breakthrough as he is one of the best and Mexico’s No 1 active fighter. Once he [Khan] wins against Marquez, there is the possibility of a fight against Zab Judah – and then [Floyd] Mayweather Jr.”
Does Juan Manuel Marquez have enough left to beat Amir Khan?
By William Mackay: With the news that World Boxing Organization lightweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez (50-5-1, 37 KO’s) could be moving up in weight to fight WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan (22-1, 16 KO’s) on May 15th, for Khan’s U.S. debut fight, I have to wonder whether Marquez, at 36, has enough left to beat the young 23-year-old Khan. I have little doubts that if Marquez was in his early 30s or in his 20s, he would handle Khan without too many problems and knock him out cold.
Khan would struggle with Marquez: Risk not worth reward
By Dennis Broadhurst: After hearing that Amir Khan wanted to fight Juan Manuel Marquez it made me think. I know that Amir is a very good fighter, he has very quick hands, ok power and good general movement also with the great trainer Freddy Roach in his corner he can be built into a force to be reckoned with. In a fight against Marquez, Khan would sure have the advantage in youth, size and speed but Marquez would have advantages in power, experience, ring intelligence and chin.