Earlier this month I had the opportunity to speak to trainer Freddie Roach just days before his fighter Amir Khan headed into battle against Marcos Maidana to defend his WBA junior welterweight crown. Speaking from the media center of the Mandalay Bay, Roach talked about his early days with the British star and what it has been like to watch his progression in recent years.
Roach has obvious admiration for his 24-year old pupil, which is understandable given Khan?s tremendous physical gifts, but there was one comment he made that caught me by surprise.
?I have two guys who can beat Mayweather at this time of my life. Amir Khan is one of them. Manny is the other,? the trainer would state.
Roach is of course referring to undefeated superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr. and his assertion that both Khan and Manny Pacquiao, his most beloved and accomplished charge, would be able to taint his undefeated record. Pacquiao has been linked to Mayweather for the past year as the boxing public had hopes that the two men would meet but the fight never came about due to various circumstances.
Days after my conversation with Roach, Khan would find a way to emerge victorious against Maidana after surviving a hellacious late-round rally from the Argentinean slugger. Khan?s return seems to be slated for April in his native England, with contender Lamont Peterson possibly landing the shot. While a Mayweather clash would seem enticing after that, Roach isn?t in such a rush.
?We need to clean that division out and go on from there,? Roach recently stated in an interview with our friends at BoxingScene.com. ?Once we beat these guys then we can move up to 147 pounds and fight Mayweather. I?ve already said that I have two fighters who can beat Mayweather.?
Roach?s agenda makes sense but it is easier said than done, as both IBF and WBC champion Devon Alexander and WBC kingpin Timothy Bradley would have something to say about that. Alexander and Bradley are lined up to face one another on January 29th at the Silverdome near Detroit, Michigan and the winner would surely love to tangle with Khan.
Giving his take on that specific matchup, Roach was slightly dismissive as he spoke to BoxingScene?s Ryan Burton.
?Who cares? I?ve never seen Alexander fight so that shows you how popular he is. The other guy slaps a little bit with the right and he?s very quick though. Bradley?s a good, solid fighter but I?ve never seen Alexander fight yet. Has he been on TV yet??
Chris Robinson is based out of Las Vegas, Nevada. He can be reached at [email protected]
