Amir Khan - Spoilers

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What next for Khan?

His punch resistance looked worse than ever, every punch the average hitting former lightweight Diaz threw had the viewer thinking 'this could be the punch that ends this'.

I don't think it's the number of punches Khan ships it's more that every power shot that lands has the potential to induce his unique style of dancing, maybe it should be called the Khan-Khan.

There's a lot of talk about whether Hunter has improved Khan as a fighter and also that Alex Ariza had Khan in better strength and fighting condition than Conte is achieving e.g. Khan's upper body has got too big slowing him down while much needed leg muscle has been sacrificed. Ariza has also said Khan is not able to hit as hard as earlier in his career due an accumulation of hand injuries.

Freddie Roach taught Khan to use his attack to win fights and attack is the best form of defense. Virgil Hunter is telling Khan to fight at distance and to circle away from the opponents left hook. He has taught Khan to let go of his ego and not get into wars. The new Khan when caught gets on his bike and as we saw last night blatantly hugs and holds. For a guy with such a weak chin this is not a bad development in my view.

Has Khan at this stage got the ability to be taught how to slip and block punches? I'm not sure he has. Should Khan go back to the clam shell he used against Kotelnic?

Whatever happens in the future I think at 26 years old we are already seeing a fighter in decline.

Is there an argument he should hang up his gloves, get married and sail off into the sunset with his millions?

Strongback wrote:What next for Khan?

His punch resistance looked worse than ever, every punch the average hitting former lightweight Diaz threw had the viewer thinking 'this could be the punch that ends this'.

I don't think it's the number of punches Khan ships it's more that every power shot that lands has the potential to induce his unique style of dancing, maybe it should be called the Khan-Khan.

There's a lot of talk about whether Hunter has improved Khan as a fighter and also that Alex Ariza had Khan in better strength and fighting condition than Conte is achieving e.g. Khan's upper body has got too big slowing him down while much needed leg muscle has been sacrificed. Ariza has also said Khan is not able to hit as hard as earlier in his career due an accumulation of hand injuries.

This is his main problem. He does not hit hard enough to discourage the opposition from coming forward walking through his punches and head hunting. His time at the top is pretty much done.

I've never forgive him for ducking Jon Thaxton.

Thanks

Rodders

I wouldn’t be as quick to write Khan off in a lot of these matches against his rivals. I still think Khans handspeed causes most fighters in around 140-147 an awful lot of problems. Most punchers will have a chance against him but its not to say Khan cant survive the odd shake like he did against Diaz and Maidana either. Not sure if I would agree that his lack of power now means he is done for. He was busting up Garcia pretty good until he got caught. Im not sure Garcia could have withstood a full 12 rounds of that without being stopped or been cut to shreds. Against Diaz I think Khan was just not comfortable caught between trying to fight a certain way he wasn’t used to and going with his instinct. I think Khans fast start is a big plus for him and I wouldn’t look to stop him doing that. Maybe if his opponent has settled into the fight and survived early on then Khan could drop back into a more conservative approach but I really think his handspeed early on when an opponent hasn’t settled or measured him yet is a major advantage.

Rodney wrote:I've never forgive him for ducking Jon Thaxton.

Thanks

Rodders

Come on RODDERS, you know full well Khan said he was fringe world level and that Thaxton and Murray were domestic level and not in his class. He didn't "duck" them, they simply weren't worthy of facing him

manos de piedra wrote:I wouldn’t be as quick to write Khan off in a lot of these matches against his rivals. I still think Khans handspeed causes most fighters in around 140-147 an awful lot of problems. Most punchers will have a chance against him but its not to say Khan cant survive the odd shake like he did against Diaz and Maidana either. Not sure if I would agree that his lack of power now means he is done for. He was busting up Garcia pretty good until he got caught. Im not sure Garcia could have withstood a full 12 rounds of that without being stopped or been cut to shreds. Against Diaz I think Khan was just not comfortable caught between trying to fight a certain way he wasn’t used to and going with his instinct. I think Khans fast start is a big plus for him and I wouldn’t look to stop him doing that. Maybe if his opponent has settled into the fight and survived early on then Khan could drop back into a more conservative approach but I really think his handspeed early on when an opponent hasn’t settled or measured him yet is a major advantage.

That fast start is a nightmare for opponents but I do think Khan expends to much energy early on. He carries good power in the opening rounds, he put Maidana and Peterson down in the 1st but couldn't dent them later in the fight so I would look to hold something back and drop that work rate so he is more effective late on. He usually starts fights trying to win the first few rounds too well and pouring it on when he already has the round in the bag.

Agreed Manos,

Those blistering combos at the start have bewildered every opponent he has faced. He cut Garcia to shreads early on...before the clash of heads had begun to visibly mark Barrera...put Maidana and Peterson down early on.

The problem I think is that after getting knocked out against Garcia in the 4th, he has probably been told that he needs to be cautious.

As you said I think it's a case of being stuck in limbo as to how to fight. I wouldn't write him off at 140 just yet and think he is more than capable of getting back to the top. It is easy to sit and say he doesn't have the whiskers to get through a fight but people seem to forget that he has done it before. I would still make him favourite against Peterson and I only put Garcia marginally ahead of him...

I'm still not sold on Garcia or for that matter his power. People forget that he struggled to get rid of Morales first time round...couldn't get rid of Holt or Nate Campbell.

I think if you cut off that looping left (easier said than done) then you neutralize much of his power and a vast majority of the offence. Khan was doing it for 3 Rounds before being caught. If he could (big if based on Saturday) shore up that defence or at least get that right hand up a little higher to take more of the punch on the glove then I would fancy him to outbox Garcia to a close decision much like he did against Maidana.