If fights were contested on paper, Amir Khan would be the hands-down favorite to beat Terence Crawford this coming April 20 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Khan is taller, naturally bigger, quicker, and, arguably, more athletic. He?s also the more experienced of the two with a deeper overall r?sum? and more actual time spent as a full-fledged welterweight.
Listen to the hype leading up to Crawford-Khan and you may even be tempted to start thinking aloud, ?Yeah?they make a good point. Crawford?s got his work cut out for him.?
?His last three opponents (Jos? Benavidez, Jeff Horn and Julius Indongo) I would have beat easy,? Khan recently told the Guardian.
?The only opponent of his you could pick out is Breidis Prescott (who knocked Khan out in 2008) and that was late in Prescott?s career. I would have destroyed Prescott if I?d fought him then. Crawford?s taking a big step up against me. Compare his r?sum? to mine and I am light years ahead.?
And, as for Khan?s hand speed?
?It?s definitely a big factor,? Khan added. ?I don?t think he can deal with my speed. He has never faced anyone as quick as me.?
Hmmm?Maybe.
Except, we?re talking about Amir Khan?a fighter who has always been less than the sum of his mega-impressive parts.
Khan has underwhelmed since winning a silver medal at the 2004 Olympics as a 17-year-old wunderkind. Blessed with supreme hand and foot speed, thudding power, and world class athleticism, the native of Bolton, Lancashire, UK has never quite put it all together into the type of cohesive unit many thought he would become.
Stalled by a first-round blow-out loss to Breidis Prescott in 2008 and completely derailed by a fourth round TKO against Danny Garcia in 2012, Khan?s career has been uneven and, ultimately, disappointing. Even in victory, Khan has failed to live up to his full potential. In 2010, against heavy-handed Argentine Marcos Maidana, for instance, Khan dazzled early on and then ran for dear life in the second half of their bout, buzzed and afraid, barely holding on to take a close unanimous decision.
After a decade in the business, 2015 appeared to be the year Khan stopped even pretending to try and be the fighter he should?ve become in favor of loading his pockets with as much nest egg retirement money he could possibly grab. He signed on as a human sacrifice to middleweight Saul ?Canelo? Alvarez in 2016, then signed up with former archenemy Eddie Hearn for a three-fight deal that teased at delivering blockbusters, but only spawned two duds against journeymen and the B-side outsourcing against Crawford this coming April 20.
At 32 years of age, Khan isn?t going to be changing anything about who he is or how he goes about his prizefighting business, although he?ll swear reform and rededication before each ring appearance.
The sad thing is that he WILL be coming into the ring against Crawford with so many ?on paper? advantages, so many reasons why he could possibly walk away with a victory, but most will still (rightfully) consider him a no-hoper.
In boxing, physical talent will get you far, but there?s nothing that trumps hunger, determination, and hard-earned skill culled from hours of serious, serious gym work.
Terence Crawford is a hungry, mean-spirited, ambitious competitor who has worked to acquire the most complete skill set in the sport and, like many other sports greats, is obsessed with conquest. Khan is not any of that. Khan doesn?t have a chance.
