Amir Khan has gone on the record as saying that he doesn’t see a fight between himself and pound for pound great Manny Pacquiao.
Obviously he was speaking about several years in the future anyway, due to the fact that the current Amir Khan wouldn’t last very long against Pacquiao. Khan admits that he isn’t on the same level as the likes of Manny, Floyd or Mosley just yet, but thinks that he will be in a year or two.
Speaking to the BBC Khan said:
“As for fighting him (Pacquiao) in the future, I can’t really see that happening,” said Britain’s Khan. “I’m sure by the time I get to that level he will be calling it a day.” He added: “We train in the same camp and I’ve got too much respect for Manny to fight him.”
Khan was one of the hottest prospects in British boxing today, but fizzled somewhat after losing to the unheralded Breidis Prescott by knockout. Since then Khan has only fought opponents with very little to offer him in terms of either testing his chin or making him dig down for the victory, although his next fight should provide a good test of how much he has improved when he fights the undefeated Dmitriy Salita.
Freddie Roach said of his latest ward:“He’s improved quite a bit, his mental game has improved and he now knows how to hold a game plan. He’s not going out looking for the knock out, he’s being patient and is a more complete fighter,”
Khan clearly looks up to Pacquiao and wants to be his eventual successor when Pacquiao retires to pursue his political ambitions. Whether he can ever get that good we will have to wait and see, but at 22, he still has plenty of time to improve in most aspects of his style. Certainly with Freddie Roach at his side (and presumably taking over as his full time coach when Pacquiao retires), Khan has all the best tools to become a great fighter. Not to mention he trains and spars with Manny on a regular basis. Khan said of Pacquiao’s performance against Miguel Cotto:
“He was amazing, I was there to watch the fight and it inspires you. When you see a great champion do that and think about the fact I was training with the guy for five weeks, to pick up even a little bit of experience from that is going to help me in my career.”
