LONDON (AFP) ? Amir Khan is set for the biggest test of his professional career after securing a March 14 fight with Marco Antonio Barrera.
The Mexican, a seven-time, three-weight world champion is regarded as one of the best boxers of his era and has won 64 of his 71 professional contests.
He may be 34 but Barrera remains a formidable test for 22-year-old British lightweight Khan, a silver medallist at the 2005 Athens Olympic Games.
Barrera, who won his first world title in 1995, effectively ended the career of another much-touted British fighter when he beat Naseem Hamed in 2001 on a unanimous points decision.
Khan recovered from September’s 54-second knockout by Breidis Prescot, his first defeat as a professional boxer, with a second-round stoppage of Ireland’s Oisin Fagan in December.
Frank Warren, Khan’s promoter, admitted the Barrera bout was fraught with risk, saying Thursday: “This is a huge step up for Amir who had some serious thoughts about it.
“The discussions over the fight finished at 4am (0400GMT) this morning.
“It’s a big fight for Amir who has been champing at the bit. This is the right fight for Amir at this stage of his career,” Warren added.
“I believe it will bring out the best in him. This puts him well and truly on the world stage.”
