What makes people think Khan has a good chance defeating Floyd?

When discussing potential match ups for Floyd in the future or boxers that have a chance beating him, Khan's always brought up. I'm always surprised by this and just have no clue what people have seen in Khan to not think Floyd makes easy work of him.

Alvarez (in a couple fights), Martinez, maybe Bradley (for his awkwardness), and even the fight that seems to be dead and buried with Pacquiao - are all tougher fights for Floyd. Khan's fast yes but he has a lot to work on fundamentally and being quick alone doesn't mean he poses a lot of problems for Floyd - who let's not forget is pretty quick too.

Floyd TKO in 6 rounds should this fight ever happen.

Never really been convinced that, unless Floyd suddenly ages ten years, Khan has the style or ability to beat him, and like you I don't really understand why his chances seem to get so inflated when compared to other possible Mayweather opponents outside of Manny.

I think the idea was that Khan's range and jab could keep Mayweather too far outside the pocket to weave his usual counter-punching magic, but that always sounded a bit too simple for me. I'm still not totally convinced that everyone realises quite how good and special a talent Floyd is; people have tried to beat him by boxing him at range, by rushing him, by trying to outwork him and so on, and yet he continues to pass each test with flying colours.

As the Maidana and Peterson fights have shown, Khan can't keep a fight at distance for the full twelve, and neither of those men are in the same stratosphere of class as Mayweather is. If there is a style / blueprint to beating Mayweather, I think it would take someone who could beat him at his own game, someone always on the back foot who forces him to play the bull for once and try to 'make' the fight. Not really Khan's style and even if it were, he'd be giving away speed to Floyd in both the hands and feet.

I reckon Khan will beat Floyd......when Floyd is 40.

Khan will not beat Floyd Mayweather, they are on different levels.

Chris you raised a good point about the jab... I can't recall anyone using it effectively vs Floyd.

If there's one aspect of Khan's fighting game that's very good - it's the jab.

I thought Cotto worked the jab very well against Floyd, and probably gave him one of his toughest tests. Still, he looked on another level at times. Id HAVE to go with a Floyd UD or Late Stoppage.

I can only see one winner and it isn't Khan. I like Khan as a boxer. I think he is good and world class, but Mayweather is a diiferent proposition

Floyd would hammer Khan, no doubt.

I imagine some people give Khan a chance because hand speed and trebling up on leads makes it very difficult for a counter puncher.

Think Khan has a chance? Enlighten us why.......

Too right Mackem... maybe I'm mistaken and not on this board but pundits, and fighters interviewed on ES News have all seemed interested in this fight.

looking foward to it...

Its funny how Mannys recent performances have showed him in decline so people are now jumping on the Khan bandwagon. To beat Mayweather you must beat him at his own game as someone has already touched upon, Mayweather very rarely loses rounds let alone a fight, a crucial factor for me here is even if Khan had the style to win he wouldn't because of his brain, he switches off in fights and this allows your opponent to capatalise i.e. Maidana and Peterson.

Oscar De La Hoya said he abandoned the jab for some reason, the reason is because Floyd doesn’t let you keep doing what is effective, Khan does have an awkward style that is hard to deal with especially his movement and fast combinations but I am pretty sure Floyd would adjust after a couple of sticky rounds if he has to.

If this fight happens I see a wide UD or even late stoppage.

you are missing the one and only point that makes khan the most likely fighter to beat flloyd. hes a british fighter being sold by the british press. it never ceases to amaze me what a few well timed articles can do to sway public opinion. england are playing the most successful european football nation in history tomorrow, yet a few pundits dont like the look of italy so the whole nation considers them average! its quite funny really

Lance... big point, same with Hatton really, one could've made good money on betting on Floyd that fight (which is rare). He wasn't so overhyped but a lot of people believed in Hatton and the bookies were swayed.

As I said earlier JC v Ward thread I think), patriotism makes fools of people's common sense.

Lance wrote:you are missing the one and only point that makes khan the most likely fighter to beat flloyd. hes a british fighter being sold by the british press. it never ceases to amaze me what a few well timed articles can do to sway public opinion. england are playing the most successful european football nation in history tomorrow, yet a few pundits dont like the look of italy so the whole nation considers them average! its quite funny really

Those same pundits have now said England's average

I think Khan would make it tricky. Could take a few rounds, the main reason being he can set things up with the jab and throw fast combinations and then run and circle the ring. If there's one punch that can trouble Floyd it's the jab, that said he will adapt and take it away from you eventually, so you need more than one plan. For me Khan is just too one dimensional to beat Floyd, though he would trouble him more than most.

Think he troubles Mayweather more than Bradley because of his speed and combinations, it's an overall easy night for Mayweather but the first 4/5 rounds could be interesting as you have a speedy combination fighter against the supreme pot shotting counter puncher.

I don't get this opinion that Khan has a good jab. For me he doesn't. Not comparing him to Holmes, Hearns etc, but his jab lacks any form of authority. Maidana just walked through it and Peterson slipped past it.

He would trouble Floyd for about 2 rounds until Floyd works him out and destroys him. Accuracy is the key for Floyd's ko.

Mayweather is in a different league, Khan is a very good but not particularly special fighter as there are fighters at his level holding titles in all weight divisions only the extra hype he gets and having a big mouth makes him stand out. The true Elite fighters are fighters like Mayweather and Ward can back up what ever they say in in the ring and dont lose to the Petersons and Prescotts of this world.

guess i have to man up, as i have suggested that khan could give mayweather problems.

First some context, i don't believe he would beat him, because he has no brain and no defensive instincts. However, i do believe he has the physical attributes to trouble mayweather, and that it would be close for 4 or 5 rounds. For me the blueprint to push mayweather hard was shown by oscar. Although mayweather won, i was left feeling that a younger de la hoya might have done the job. I'm not saying khan is oscar, but he has fast hands and is capable of doubling the jab, and throwing straight combinations in clusters. If khan could stick to a game plan, this could make it interesting. I realise there's an 'if' in that sentence.

Khan can't handle guys who close him down, but looks way better against boxers, unless floyd decides to chase him round the ring, i think khan could give a decent account of himself.

No jingoism here, i'm not a khan fan, just on a styles make fights basis, i think this is a reasonably attractive fight given the other potential options for floyd. Ultimately, mayweather is a complete fighter, and khan isn't, so i'd expect floyd to figure him out, and win a comfortable decision or more likely stop him sometime after half way, but i genuinely think it could be competitive whist it lasts, rather than the procession, most floyd fights are.

But then i've been wrong before

I think it's pretty obvious why khan would have a better chance (or why people would assume so), it's his hand speed and reach (not jab but reach)

I dont think anyone thinks he can't actually beat mayweather but should make it as hard as anyone in boxing atm. Why did people think pacquiao could win, handspeed and combo's. Khan throws good combos with great hand speed, speed to match or even surpass mayweather at this age

Mayweather would eventually walk him down but khan could have a lot of success in the first half of the fight and I don't even rate khan too highly, I just feel like its obvious that the strengths needed to beat mayweather khan has more than the other active boxers

azania wrote:I reckon Khan will beat Floyd......when Floyd is 40.

In 5 years.

With all the contract nonsense, it'll probably take that long to make the fight.

5 years from now Khan will be retired with another 3-4 defeats on the record, a huge bank balance and doing the odd bit of work for Sky.