Visa difficulties and the fallout from saucy text messages are not the sparring partners Amir Khan would have chosen ahead of his American debut.
The US authorities’ interest in his driving offences and the revelations from the mouth of a topless model remind Khan that fame comes with a price tag.
He can’t do the things his mates do. He has to be extra careful about the company he keeps.
Hats off to Paulie M a l i g n a g g i f o r supporting him over the texts. Malignaggi is right. Khan was not doing anything most redbloodied youngsters have not done.
The difference is they are not defending the WBA light welterweight crown at Madison Square Garden next week.
I don’t think either issue will have caused Khan sleepless nights. His temporary removal to Vancouver was at w o r s t a m i n o r inconvenience.
Trainer Freddie Roach went with him and he found a gym that w a s pleased to have him. W h o wouldn’t be? So that has turned into a positive experience. It showed him that the hard-core boxing community does not judge him.
Better than that, it showed him how much he is respected as a fighter. The boys in Vancouver don’t see many world champions come their way.
Malignaggi is not quite the easy assignment some might think. Though he does not have a heavy punch, he is a genuine light welter coming off a convincing win against Juan Diaz.
He is the local boy and a mouthy operator. He has made some provocative remarks about Manny Pacquiao and the drugs issue, and linked fellow Wild Card devotee Khan to it.
He is trying to unsettle him, to get Khan out of his comfort zone. Roach was outraged by it and says Khan will flatten him in five.
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I’m not sure. What Malignaggi lacks in power he makes up for in speed. And there are lingering doubts about Khan’s chin. But I think that problem has receded since he has gone up in weight. That and the time he has spent with Roach learning the game.
This bout is about impact for Khan. Kevin Mitchell – who is in action against Michael Katsidis in London on the same night – says it’s the easy option.
I disagree. Khan is making his debut in the States and with Golden Boy. Ideally, he would want to get Malignaggi out early but I don’t see that happening.
Khan wants to look a world beater to lay down a marker. If Malignaggi is still around in rounds eight, nine and 10 it gets harder to look good against him.
Malignaggi has a decent chin and lots of experience. He has taken Miguel Cotto the distance and lost to Hatton perhaps a little unluckily in the 11th.
He’s a tough guy and a proud New Yorker and wants to do well.
Khan has what it takes to be big in America. But it is a tough division. Timothy Bradley, Kendall Holt, Jeff Urango – none are easy fights.
Roach believes he has the best light welter in the world.
He is going to have to prove that in every bout.
Golden Boy will match him hard. That is their selling point with broadcast partners HBO.
If Khan does stop Malignaggi at Madison Square Garden on May 15, he will have gone up again in my estimation. Khan v Malignaggi, next Sunday, ITV1 2.45am. Repeated at 10.30am on ITV1.
