The perennial frustration for fighters at the top of their game must surely be the hunt for a decent opponent. Money, politics and the wariness and desires of managers and trainers transpire to make dream fights fairytales and obvious match-ups merely long-shots, coming to reality only if and when all of the other stars align.
For Michael Katsidis and his team that frustration has become pressing. So much so that manager and trainer, Brendon Smith, made a public challenge to Amir Khan and John Murray using words that he later retracted in a public apology.
His apology, however, was for pointed words rather than misguided thoughts, and his intention remains the same ? to let both the Khan and Murray camps know that Michael Katsidis is available to fight either or both of them.
The retracted rant came after an article in the Sun on June 2nd in which Amir Khan (or his spokesman) said that Michael Katsidis pulled out of a chance to meet him in a title defense. Smith?s vehement reply to the article is to the point: ?Michael Katsidis has never pulled out of a fight with Amir Khan. As I stated last week in my article that I did with [the] BBC that I don’t believe a fight can be made because Michael is too much of a risk for Amir Khan, [and that] is proving to be the case going on the above story in the Sun.?
?I am confident in saying team Khan has viewed the tape of Michael with Kevin Mitchell and a cross would?ve [gone] through Michaels name immediately as an opponent as it did before when Mallignaggi was selected for Amir?s US debut and therefore Joel Casamayor has now become a much safer choice.?
This is followed by a press release from the Khan camp that both Katsidis and Murray are asking for too much money, and Kahn will fight the winner of the Juan Manuel Marquez ? Juan Diaz fight on July 31st.
I asked Brendon Smith if, in fact, money is the sticking point. Here?s the reply:
?We did not ask for too much money, and there is no doubt whatsoever that Michael would generate his own income if the fight had been made. This is once again a poor excuse. For the record we never once called Amir Khan and, as I predicted from the start, when it was mentioned that Michael was a possible opponent, I didn?t believe it would happen and the money excuse would be used.?
?There were only two requests from me and that was as long as the WBO would grant it as our full focus is on the Marquez vs Diaz winner and the other was to be paid fair and accordingly. That is as far as it went.?
?While I am on the Marquez-Diaz subject, I see Amir Khan wants the winner. That?s all well and good to say, but if either one chooses to fight Amir and not Michael, they won?t be taking the belt with them. Plain and simple. The winner has 120 days to fight Michael. That?s it!
?I spoke to Paco [Valcarcel] direct one day ago and he will not allow any other fight other than Michael Katsidis with the winner of Marquez-Diaz. We have made no secret of our pursuit of Marquez who turned down the fight with Michael. We went on and honoured our mandatory against number one contender Kevin Mitchell. Now it is Juan Manual Marquez ‘s turn to honour his commitment, or if Juan Diaz wins he will inherit the 120 days. Time is up.?
It makes sense if Amir Khan?s team is dodging Michael Katsidis. The way that Katsidis dealt with Kevin Mitchell (no matter what excuses are being peddled: a professional fighter should always prepare) is a warning bell. And Katsidis is a brawling, dogged fighter against whom there is no easy outcome. He has lost only twice in his 29 fight pro career: a split decision against Juan Diaz in 2008 and, in the same year, a 10th round TKO against Joel Casamayor. Even in those losses he challenged, upset and frustrated his opponents.
Katsidis has landed himself the mandatory defence of the WBO Lightweight title, thanks to his ownership of the interim crown landed via a tough 12 round split decision against Vicente Escobedo last year. Mitchell was his first defence of the title and that was done and dusted within three rounds. If Paco Valcarcel is true to his word, the only way that Amir Khan will get a crack at the winner of the Marquez-Diaz bout is by way of Michael Katsidis losing the belt in the mandatory match.
Khan-Katsidis – what a match up of styles and skills that would be. But if you consider styles, camps and politics, the match-up is unlikely: Khan?s camp is too clever and too coy, Katsidis? camp merely too dangerous.
