Perhaps Khan?s speed will cause Canelo problems, but the problems won?t be greater than Canelo?s power?
Those who were hoping that WBC middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez (46-1-1, 32 KOs) might try to unify the titles by fighting WBA/IBF/IBO middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (34-0, 31 KOs) need to think again.
Instead of fighting Triple G, the man to beat in the middleweight division, the red-haired prodigy from Juanacatl?n, Jalisco, Mexico, will make his first defense of the WBC title he won from Miguel Cotto by getting it on with former two-time world champion Amir Khan (31-3, 19 KOs).
The fight will be on May 7 at the new T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, at a catchweight of 155 pounds, and will be televised live on HBO Pay-Per-View.
Khan always seems to be the bridesmaid and never the bride, but he finally caught the bridal bouquet?
Having been dissed several times?including by Floyd Mayweather after Khan won the unofficial fan poll he conducted?whose results Floyd ignored?Khan gets the big fight he has wanted against a marquee attraction.
Khan is fast and resilient, athletic and exciting. The one thing he is not is a middleweight, which is also true of Canelo, who usually enters the ring as a light heavy. Perhaps Khan?s speed will cause Canelo problems, but the problems won?t be greater than Canelo?s power.
But Khan is an elite fighter, and Oscar De La Hoya, Golden Boy Promotions Chairman and CEO, seems to believe this is the fight we?ve all been waiting for.
?Canelo is the biggest star in the sport,? he said, ?and as he demonstrated against James Kirkland and Miguel Cotto last year, he is only getting better. Those who predicted that he would take an easy fight for his first defense have been proven wrong once again. As for Amir, he has won his last five fights including an incredible performance against Devon Alexander, and now that he is back where he belongs at Golden Boy Promotions, his future is very bright, once again.?
If Canelo turns out the lights, that bright future will be thrown into darkness.
?I know Canelo fights the best,? said Khan, ?and wouldn?t pass up the opportunity to face me like others have. My goal is to always fight the biggest names and the best fighters. That is why I?m excited for this fight. I know I have the speed and ability to beat him and will give my fans what they deserve.?
However much speed and ability Khan possesses, defeating Canelo may be next to impossible. Aside from his loss to Mayweather in 2013, Canelo is undefeated. He hasn?t always fought the best of the best, and judges sometimes err in his favor, but he?s good and getting better and hopefully Khan will put up the degree of resistance which pay-per-view warrants.
?As the middleweight champion of the world,? said Canelo, ?I will take on the best fighters in the sport and on Cinco de Mayo weekend, I look forward to making the first defense of my titles. Amir was a decorated amateur, a two-time world champion and is in the prime of his career. Fans are in for a great fight on May 7.?
Saying that Khan is in the ?prime of his career? is a stretch. He won the WBA World super lightweight title in 2009 and the IBF World super lightweight title in 2011. That was when he was in his prime. Khan suffered back to back losses to Lamont Peterson in 2011 and Danny Garcia in 2012, but he has won his last five fights and is poised to make history if he can possibly pull a rabbit out of a hat and defeat Canelo.
Kudos to Khan for taking a fight few people think he can win. But whatever happens on Cinco de Mayo weekend, you can be sure that Amir Khan will give it his all.
