BOXING WBA light-welterweight title fight: FOLLOWING AN evening in Manchester informing Andreas Kotelnik over 12 blistering rounds that he was no longer good enough to wrap the World Boxing Association light-welterweight belt around his waist, Amir Khan yesterday said he is now ready.
Ready for the United States, ready for more world title belts, ready to fight the best. Freddie Roach, the genius US trainer who masterminded the defeat of Kotelnik, agrees. So, too, Roach’s stellar charge, Manny Pacquiao, the world’s best pound-for-pound man. Both believe the 22-year-old from Bolton can become a great.
All this depends, of course, on Khan’s desire. But the manner of his triumph – 120-108, 118-111, 118-111 was the emphatic verdict – and his measured demeanour later suggested an understanding that something special can be attained.
“I’ve won the world title – what I’ve dreamt of since the age of eight,” he said.
“I’ve achieved my goals and there are new ones to be set. There are some big fights out there and I want to go and fight in America now.”
Khan explained the impact of training alongside Pacquiao at Roach’s LA Wild Card Gym in the 10 months since the crushing loss to Breidis Prescott in 54 seconds at the same Men Arena.
“Manny was a big inspiration. I spent time with him, training with him. He was confident I was going to win. He said speed would be the key – hit and move, and I did. I used to walk in the gym and see posters of him wearing his belts and think, ‘I wish I could achieve what he has’. Now I have my first.
“There’s still room for improvement, every fight I am going to get better. What Manny has achieved I want to achieve.”
What Pacquiao has achieved is world titles in five classes, from flyweight to light-welterweight plus the pound-for-pound title, which Khan also covets.
Khan began the search for this holy grail by stepping up a division for only a second outing at light-welterweight to dispatch Kotelnik. If he keeps on hearing what Roach has to say, then multi-weight championships and boxing immortality may become reality.
“I can get a lot more out of him,” Roach said of his 25th world champion.
“I compare him to Pacquiao because they have similar styles – speed and power. It took me eight years to get Pacquiao where he is. We’ve only just started working together.
“Amir has put himself in the spot where everybody is after him because he’s a world champion. Every guy wants to knock him out and we welcome the challenge. He picks things up very quickly.”
Perhaps this last assessment is what augurs best for Khan. Following the Prescott reverse, he proved three fights later against Kotelnik how fast he is learning. He fought like a veteran, still taking the odd clumsy hit, but understanding that he has to speed away from trouble to leave the opponent gasping.
“Manny is dead nice, always giving me compliments, saying I’m the next champion and when he retires I can take his place,” Khan said of his hopes of becoming the Filipino’s successor.
The pound-for-pound title usually always involves lighting up the boxing theatres of the US, where he is yet to make his debut.
“That is the first of many belts,” the WBA champion said.
“When you win things they come to you. I want to fight guys like (Juan Manuel) Marquez,” he added of the Mexican three-weight champion, who takes on Floyd Mayweather Jr in September at a catchweight 144lb.
There are prospective fights everywhere in boxing’s strongest clutch of divisions including – down the road maybe – what would be a fascinating match-up against his pal, Pacquiao.
More immediately there is the bout which makes commercial sense but probably none at all to Ricky Hatton’s family, or anyone who cares for his health.
Hatton is still deciding whether to box again following his thrashing by Pacquiao in Las Vegas during May.
“We’re good friends and stuff, but business is business sometimes. It is a huge fight the British public want to see, so we’ll see what happens,” said Khan.
Khan’s next moves also demand to be watched.
Guardian Service
