BOXING: AMIR KHAN must think long and hard about his next move after a shocking and brutal defeat by Danny Garcia even left him facing suggestions he should retire.
Talk of a rematch seemed fanciful after watching the Bolton fighter get destroyed by American Garcia at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas in the early hours of yesterday morning.
Khan was admittedly the better man in the bout before being sent crashing to the canvas in round three. It all unravelled for him from there as Garcia capitalised by flooring him twice more before referee Kenny Bayless stopped it in the fourth.
Khan therefore suffered his second successive defeat following last December’s loss against Lamont Peterson and lost his WBA belt in the process. Questionmarks over Khan’s punch resistance will return and it is doubtful whether it would be a good idea to fight Garcia again after the younger man took him apart so chillingly. Yet Khan’s team claim to want another chance, although Garcia’s firebrand father and trainer Angel rubbished such talk.
“Amir said he will be back and hopefully Danny Garcia will come to England and maybe fight us over there,” said trainer Freddie Roach on Khan’s behalf after the fighter was taken straight to hospital for precautionary scans.
“We were fighting a good fight and all of a sudden, one punch changed it and in boxing you never know. I guess I have to also congratulate Mr [Angel] Garcia also.”
The new unified champion seemed open to the idea. He said: “It’s up to my team, but he gave me the opportunity [so] I’ll give him the opportunity.”
However, his outspoken father – who acted the clown at this week’s press conference and directed racial slurs at Khan – cut his son off, saying: “Why give him a rematch? For what? “He disrespected Danny when he took him as an opponent. He thought he was a pushover. We’re not giving him a rematch.”
All of Khan’s three defeats have come against rank underdogs. As a red-hot prospect in 2008 he was blitzed by unfancied Breidis Prescott and, after rebuilding brilliantly, he was beaten by Peterson last year in a poor performance, regardless of the American’s win being tarnished by illegal testosterone use.
“It wasn’t my night,” admitted the Bolton fighter. “After watching the replays a little bit I thought I was coming in with my hands down and Danny took advantage. I respect Danny, he was countering very well.”
Khan, now 26-3 with 18 early wins and two stoppage defeats, tore at his opponent from the opening bell before becoming embroiled in a war which he lost spectacularly when he was sent to the floor three times before being stopped.
