Amir Khan did it again Saturday night ? he scored a victory that should have been impressive, but was instead clouded in controversy. Going up against the veteran Zab Judah, Khan came away with a fifth-round knockout win, successfully defending his WBA ?super? 140-lb title and also winning Judah?s IBF junior-welterweight strap.
Khan had no problem with Judah?s speed and power. And Zab?s edge in experience didn?t make any difference. Nor did the presence of Hall of Fame boxer-turned-trainer Pernell Whitaker in Judah?s corner. Unfortunately, the knockout blow was a borderline body shot that may or may not have been kosher. The punch landed hard enough to keep Judah on the canvas for the referee?s full 10-count.
Even after numerous replays, opinion is divided as to whether Khan?s uppercut landed at or below Judah?s beltline. It?s a moot point; Khan would have gotten him out of there anyway. Judah simply wasn?t the guy to check Amir?s allegedly shaky chin this night.
It?s that chin, combined with his superb talent, that makes the 24-year-old Khan one of the rising stars in the sport. The knockdowns he suffered during his early career, along with the one-round drubbing that the unheralded Breidis Prescott laid on him in September of 2008, lend a sense of uncertainty to Khan?s fights. Will Khan?s skills and athleticism prevail, or will the glass in his jaw betray him?
Yet in the eight fights (all wins) he?s had since the Prescott debacle, Khan has not been floored. The hard-hitting Marcos Maidana had him hurt and reeling last December. But Khan held on to take a close decision. In his last fight before Judah, Khan looked a bit sloppy, but still managed a technical decision over Paul McCloskey.
Under the tutelage of Freddie Roach, who took over Khan?s training after the Prescott fight, Amir has done well. He?s a huge draw in his native Britain, and is gaining recognition in the United States. His star is on the rise, and if he continues to overcome the uncertainties that still linger about him, he will help to carry the sport of boxing after Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. leave the scene.
Tyson Fury is another up-and-coming star, though of much lesser magnitude than Amir Khan. Like Khan, Fury is British. Unlike Khan, Fury is a heavyweight ? and a big one at that, standing 6?9? and scaling in the 255-270 lb range. That?s larger than either Wladimir or Vitali Klitschko, the Towering Twosome who reign supreme over the division.
On Saturday, Fury won a clear-cut 12-round decision over British rival Dereck Chisora. The win leaves Fury with an undefeated record in his 15 fights so far. Ten of those wins have come via the short route. The 23-year-old Fury remains unproven, but his name and his size spark some excitement in a nearly moribund division. Also like Khan, however, the quality of Fury?s chin has been questioned. Chisora ? much shorter at 6?1?, but actually outweighing the taller man, had Fury in trouble in the second round. In an earlier bout, John McDermott rocked Fury several times, but ended up losing a much-disputed decision. To his credit, Fury stopped McDermott in a rematch.
Fury is currently under consideration for a bout with Wladimir Klitschko this fall. Well, Fury is a rising star ? in Britain. To jump so soon to the big time against either Klitschko brother would be a mistake. Tyson Fury needs to gain some experience against world-class opposition. He must also learn to tighten his defense. If you can?t take a punch, you can?t take a Klitschko.
Charles R. Saunders is the author of several books including Sweat and Soul: The Saga of Black Boxers in the Maritimes from the Halifax Forum to Caesars Palace, as well as the Imaro series of fantasy/adventure novels. Considered by many to be one of the leading authorities on boxing in Canada, he is the current Vice-President of Boxing for the Society of North American Sports Historians and Researchers. His latest novel, Damballa, which centers around a fictional heavyweight title bout, is available at www.gopulp.info.
