In lieu of promises made and honored, a quaint relic from a bygone era, we get the carrot and stick?
Until recently, no one gave much thought to Amir Khan. The reasons for that omission are many, but have little to do with what he does in the ring.
Khan is a very good fighter. But being a very good fighter in this day and age isn?t enough to raise the pulse, let alone enough to set tongues wagging. A fighter has to be sensational, superlative, out of this world, the greatest of all the all-time greats in history, and Khan, who fights with his heart instead of his head, and has suffered the consequences, isn?t the best of the best?
He?s the best of the rest.
It was WBC welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather, in his interminable search for an opponent, who inadvertently shined a light on the British fighter. Being considered a dance partner for the pound-for-pound king was enough to make him relevant. But Khan, despite having a contract to fight Mayweather on May 3 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, despite winning the much touted fan poll, which did for democracy what Floyd?s KO of Victor Ortiz did for boxing, was left standing at the altar.
But the Mayweather magic has legs. Money selected Marcos Maidana over Khan, allegedly because of his win over Adrien Broner, even though Khan defeated Maidana in 2010. That may or may not matter, but it?s a fact one ignores at one?s own risk.
?Mayweather decided not to take the fight with me,? Khan said, ?probably because he thought I would be the first to take away his unbeaten record, and is now fighting somebody I?ve already beaten.
?I think the fight with Mayweather will happen one day but I?m not rushing and it will happen when I?m ready. I?ve spoken to Floyd on the phone and he?s told me it?s nothing personal and he still wants to fight me, but I?m not going to think about that.?
Fortunately for Amir Khan (28-3, 19 KOs), he also gets to fight on May 3 in Las Vegas. He?s not fighting Broner, as was believed and about which much was written to no avail. Instead, Khan will be fighting Luis Collazo (35-5, 18 KOs), who is suddenly hot after stopping the eminently stoppable Victor Ortiz in January.
The winner of Khan-Collazo will presumably be the next man in line to fight Money May, but it?s presumptuous, if not downright foolish, to take anything at face value or for granted. Still, that hasn?t deterred Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer from saying:
?Both Amir Khan and Luis Collazo have made it known that they want a shot at the winner of the fight between Floyd Mayweather and Marcos Maidana, so what better way for them to prove that they?re next??
In lieu of promises made and honored, a quaint relic from a bygone era, we get the carrot and stick. But we also get to see Khan in action, which is never less than a thrill ride of the first order.
