After his remarkable victory over Marcos Maidana in December 2010 and easy dispatching of Zab Judah in Summer 2011, Amir Khan was headed towards boxing greatness.
… Or so it seemed.
There were rumblings of a potential May 2012 superfight with boxing legend Floyd Mayweather and the British boxer’s career seemingly couldn’t be any brighter.
In December 2011, Khan ventured to Washington DC looking to defend his IBF and WBA light welterweight titles in what many believed would be a showcase affair. A win over a young, quality opponent on foreign soil would have seemingly set the stage for Mayweather vs Khan in May 2012.
But DC native Lamont Peterson had other ideas, and would upset the British boxer via split decision in a close affair and ‘Fight of the Year’ candidate. Now title-less, Amir Khan’s downward spiral had began.
“I think Amir Khan should really open up his eyes and get himself a trainer who can really help him out in a fight when he’s in trouble,” Joel Diaz, trainer of Tim Bradley, told FightSaga after Khan vs Peterson.
Was Diaz prophetic? Or was it that obvious Khan and Roach didn’t have great chemistry? Diaz also us Freddie Roach offered no useful advice for the young Brit and was powerless in helping his fighter escape the jaws of defeat against Peterson.
“If I was in Amir Khan’s corner, I wouldn’t just let him get beat up all night. It’s time for Amir Khan himself to start thinking about getting another trainer.”Maybe he should consider coming to Joel Diaz,” insisted the elite-level trainer who had picked Peterson to win the rematch.
… But the rematch didn’t take place.
The British boxer’s opportunity for redemption was foiled when Khan vs Peterson 2, scheduled for May 2012, was cancelled a month prior to the fight. Lamont tested positive for a banned substance and Khan’s team decided not to follow through with the rematch.
Instead of facing Peterson again, Amir Khan looked to get back on track against a little-known, seemingly over-looked Danny Garcia in Summer 2012 in what was supposed to be another showcase of sorts.
Surprise.
Like Lamont Peterson, Danny Garcia had other ideas, and sent ripples through the boxing world by orchestrating a fourth round knockout over the speedy Brit.
Amir Khan had now lost two in a row and return bouts against Peterson and Garcia were nowhere in the immediate future.
And to add to the turmoil, the Brit publicly complained his then-trainer, Freddie Roach, wasn’t giving him the proper guidance, insisting he was being forced to take a backseat to Manny Pacquiao, Roach’s top pupil and one of the top two draws in boxing.
A switch was inevitable and Khan would fire Roach, replacing him with the defensive-minded Virgil Hunter.
Two years later, Khan insists he made the right decision.
““I think Virgil is doing everything right and helping me become a complete fighter,” Amir Khan recently told Bolton News. “Having someone yelling at you gives you a boost I think and has certainly helped me.” To be honest, I think I need a trainer like that.”
“No disrespect to him, but with Freddie Roach, who is one of the best trainers ever, I never used to hear him in the corner –he was too calm.”
“I see myself as a new fighter not making the same mistakes I used to.”
“In the Alexander fight, I had Virgil shouting at me from the corner throughout. I thought ‘Am I losing this fight?’ because I was getting a rollicking.”
Is Khan much improved with Virgil Hunter? And do some fighters respond better to a ‘tough love’,’in-your-face’ style?
