Amir Khan has nothing more to prove at 140, that is, unless Timothy Bradley decides to test his power. But, after dominating Zab Judah Saturday night, Bradley has to be thinking twice about going after Khan and his titles. Any doubts about what Khan is capable of doing were erased after stopping Judah. And now, maybe with another fight at 140, in England, it is time to consider Khan as a serious threat to take on the best at 147.
It was not a fight that we expected. Khan was fast, and Judah showed no signs of the resurged fighter he was that got him to be a champion at 140. Clearly that was not a low blow with a right hand from Khan that hit Judah in the middle of the waist. It was the power of Khan, who continually pounded Judah in that fifth round.
So where does Khan go from here? References were made moving to 147 and testing the welterweights. Khan has no problem with the weight and appears to be stronger when moving up. Forget about an immediate fight with pound-for-pound-king Manny Pacquiao. Khan trains with Pacquiao, and Freddie Roach, trainer of Pacquiao and Khan does not see a fight happening with his two prime fighters.
Assume Floyd Mayweather Jr. gets by WBC welterweight champion Victor Ortiz in September. That could be a very marketable fight, Khan against Mayweather, and Ortiz would also be in the mix. And there is every chance that Bradley could change his mind. It would be a big money fight with him and Khan, and he was quoted as saying, ?When we do get in the ring everybody will see who the best 140-pounder is.?
A challenge to Khan, possibly, because everybody knows it is the only legitimate fight that could remain determining who is really king at 140. But if Khan makes the jump to 147, it won?t happen until next spring. He has Golden Boy Promotions handling that responsibility, and Richard Schaefer CEO of Golden Boy said Khan could await the winner of Robert Guerrero and Marcos Maidana that takes place on August 27th.
Either way it can now be told. Amir Khan has lived up to expectations. A possible king at 147 is right around the corner. And you better believe, Mayweather, Ortiz, and even Pacquiao are watching!
SALIDO- ?JUANMA? REMATCH IN THE WORKS: Top Rank promoter Bob Arum would not comment that is was official but a source says the return bout with Juan Manuel Lopez and Orlando Salido is in the works. Earlier this year, Salido won the WBO featherweight title from Lopez and why not the return bout?
Lopez may have lost some popularity in the first fight, whereas, Salido just gets better. Lopez was at ringside Saturday night at the CUM in Ciudad Obregon, Sonora Mexico and saw Salido (36-11-2, 24KO?s) stop Kenichi Yamaguchi in round eleven. Arum is reportedly looking at an October return bout in October to be televised on Showtime, either in Las Vegas or at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City?
FURY IN LONDON: There could be a serious challenge in the works for Wladimir Klitschko the WBA/IBF/WBO heavyweight champion. The undefeated (15-0, 10 KO?s) and 6?9 Tyson Fury scored a 12-round unanimous decision Saturday night over WBO 13th ranked (14-1) Dereck Chisora at the Wembley Arena in London. Fury got hit hard but was able to come back and dominate later in the fight.
Fury won, in what they call the British and Commonwealth championships and reportedly Klitschko has expressed an interest in fighting Fury, with Germany the spot because that is Klitschko territory, though a co-promotion at Wembley would not be a bad idea. Should we expect that to be an immediate fight on the horizon for Klitschko?
Fury does not have the record but his ranking went up a notch. And again we are consumed with another and new heavyweight contender that the boxing public in America has little or no knowledge about. From what was seen on a delay feed, it is obvious Fury has the height and the strength to give Klitschko a challenge. However, some, including this writer, thought David Haye was also going to be a presentable challenge to Klitschko, and the disappointment in that fight was going to be obvious from the first round.
Get used to it. Klitschko will pick his opponents. Fury is a perfect target, and there does not appear to be anything close to a viable heavyweight in the United States that poses a threat to the Klitschko era of the heavyweight championship.
KNOCKOUT CANCER CARD HAD THE HEAT: Joe DeGuardia, promoter of Star Boxing had a good cause Saturday night. In the South Bronx of New York City, in a business district known as the Hunts Point Produce Market, he staged a benefit boxing card ?Knock Out Cancer? to benefit the American Cancer Society. All good, except it occurred on one of the hottest nights in New York City and on a night when HBO televised the Khan-Judah fight.
Opening bell time and the outdoor temperature in the ring was hovering around 97 -degrees. Four fights were on the card, the highlight was a good heavyweight bout that saw heavyweight Joe Hanks remain undefeated with a tough 10-round unanimous decision over Alfredo Escalara Jr. The two fighters were exhausted when the final round was over, and ringside physicians employed by the New York State Athletic Commission immediately tended to both fighters.
Now, it must be asked? With safety of the fighter a priority, especially with the New York Commission, why would heat and humidity conditions not be a factor is postponing the show at a more appropriate time of year? Boxing was never meant to be staged at small outdoor venues, though there have been exceptions in New York with the large venue such as Yankee Stadium which is in proximity of the produce market.
Again, this is not to fault DeGuardia for the cause because anytime a promoter can stage an event that benefits an organization, this time, the American Cancer Society, well that should get plenty of accolades from the harshest critic. But safety of the fighter comes first, and heat stroke was definitely a concern in the small confined area Saturday night.
Luckily Hanks (17-0- 11 KO?s) and Escalara (18-4-1, 12 KO?s) got a good bill of health when it was over, as did the other fighters on the card. Promoters can?t control the elements but should know better. A small venue in the heat of July can cause potential problems.
But as long as the capable NYSAC gave clearance, and with money from the gate going to a good cause, why should there be any complaints?
