Is Amir Khan getting too big? + all things Khan vs Canelo

jigger

jigger

jigger

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I seen a picture of him recently and he seems huge for someone getting ready to fight at super welterweight.

He looks like he'd struggle to get down to 12 st and I'm a bit concern he's focused way to much on bulking up for Canelo.
 
This was one of my worries. He and his advisors/trainers have obviously decided that they are gonna try and match canelo for power which imo seems ludicrous. Khan has the tools to win a points decision, whether he has the brains to carry that out is a different matter but he definitely has the tools to win. Speed, movement and stamina. Now by bulking up so much, surely that will affect his stamina especially as it gets into the later rounds? Also, there's the possibility he loses a bit of speed - he's not exactly going to get faster!?

We'll have to wait and see but I think it's a really bad move bulking up so much. He has almost no chance of ko'ing Canelo, maybe he's doing it in the hope he can absorb shots better.
 
30 day weigh in (2 days ago) had Khan at 161lb and Alvarez at 163lb. He's bang on.

I said when the fight was announced, and stand by it, that Khan will be winning at the halfway stage as long as he's not caught. I suspect he'll be worn down to a late stoppage down the stretch, but will come out with credit in the bank in a fight he's expected to be destroyed in.

He might even sneak a result.

Has to box clever though. Can't get into a war - he'll end up squaring up and getting caught - and that's the big problem with Khan: his balls are bigger than his chin. Box sensibly, and he'll do ok.
 
e36Adz said:
Khan has the tools to win a points decision, whether he has the brains to carry that out is a different matter but he definitely has the tools to win. Speed, movement and stamina.
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I agree, although I would say its hard to say exactly what impact this'll have on fight night, depending on what kind of strength & conditioning training he has been involved with over the last few months. From his social media looks like a lot of lateral movement & ballistic work which is all good stuff.
 
For me the only way Amir wins is if he jumps on Canelo from the start and out boxes him for 12 rounds. I think the focus should be on speed, movement and stamina.

If the Kahn game plan is to even remotely consider going toe to toe, somebody has made a terrible mistake or taken a massive gamble in what for me should be looked at as a make or break fight for Kahn's future. A loss to Canelo at super welterweight and I think Kahn will remain to be seen as a decent, but second rate fighter.
 
The only thing Khan really needs to avoid is being KO'd early. If he gets KO'd very late, or loses on points it won't be seen as much of a loss. He'll have won loads of rounds and he'll be commended for putting up a great fight against a much bigger stronger fighter. He'll walk away with big money fights still available to him. If he lasts 12 rounds and nicks a decision he'll be a superstar overnight. Or it could all go horribly wrong and he stands toe to toe trading punches and its lights out very early. Khan, for once in your career please fight smart.
 
I think Kahn badly needs to string together five wins to get back on track. A loss at super welterweight against Canelo will just confirm he's not a top flight fighter.

If he gets beat at this weight then the only way I can see to regain creditability is to beat every fighter on the planet at 140-147 or start working on getting up the rankings at super welter/middleweight division.

If he wins then what? Jump in with the likes of Daniel Jacobs, Chris Eubank, Billy Joe Saunders and Gennady Golovkin at 5' 8" and 30 years of age.
 
The Khan fight is big enough to warrant it's own thread. There can be more than 1 thread per sport or otherwise we'd only have half a dozen threads in SA.
 
Canelo said in the gloves are off he could enter the ring at 170, whereas Khan will struggle to get much above 160. It could favour Khan if he can avoid getting caught early but I think the size difference will be noticeable.
 
I think Canelo will be quietly told not to try and KO Khan early. He's been getting quite a bit of stick for taking this fight and avoiding the true Middleweight king - GGG.

If you saw how Cotto's punches were just bouncing off him - and Cotto is a solid puncher, it's a fair assumption to make that Canelo with his size/weight advantage can simply walk Khan down without worrying about what's coming back.

Both fighters are promoted by GB and I can see this fight going 2 ways. A late stoppage win for Canelo or a Canelo points win - even if Khan does enough and deserves to win, I can't see him getting the nod unless he pulls off a masterclass like Floyd did and makes him look silly which I don't think Khan is able to do. A competitive fight for at least ~6 rounds justifies Canelo taking it - Khan was a very skillful worthy opponent, and Khan will be praised for his bravery and putting up a good fight against someone much bigger and stronger. Golden Boy will come out looking good, they gave the fans an exciting competitive fight. If Canelo on the other hand wins by KO in 1 round, GB will be slated for putting up such a mismatch and the first question posed to Canelo - 'when are you going to fight GGG?' The pressure on GB to make that fight has been mounting for a while now.
 
I don't think moving up to super welterweight makes this any less of a risk to Kahn's reputation. A loss to Canelo at 155 lbs will be just another failed test and as far as I can tell this fight is just about the money.

Kahn's got nothing to offer in the middleweight division, so even a win against Canelo takes him back down to 147 because at 160 fighters will be lining up to hand his arse to him.

After this fight Kahn's got to deal with Thurman, Brook, Porter, Garcia to be taken seriously. Canelo is a top level fighter, but he's not an elite fighter or dominating the division and only a **** hot super welter could challenge him at 155 lbs.
 
I agree 100%. After Mayweather and Pacquiao, this was the next big money fight for Khan. He has a chance of propelling himself to super stardom but if he loses... well he was always meant too. Win, lose or draw though, the Brook fight will still be there for him in a stadium over here in the UK.

Thurman hits too hard, Porter is far too aggressive and again hits too hard - Khan won't go anywhere near those guys. Huge risk, little reward. The new kid on the block, Spence Jr, again huge risk little reward, no one knows who he is atm so he'll steer well clear. I could possibly see a rematch with Garcia at 147, or maybe even Broner.

Canelo needs to man up, if he wants to call himself the Middleweight champ then fight GGG. At times this catchweight business makes a mockery out of boxing.
 
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e36Adz said:
I agree 100%. After Mayweather and Pacquiao, this was the next big money fight for Khan. He has a chance of propelling himself to super stardom but if he loses... well he was always meant too. Win, lose or draw though, the Brook fight will still be there for him in a stadium over here in the UK.

Thurman hits too hard, Porter is far too aggressive and again hits too hard - Khan won't go anywhere near those guys. Huge risk, little reward. The new kid on the block, Spence Jr, again huge risk little reward, no one knows who he is atm so he'll steer well clear. I could possibly see a rematch with Garcia at 147, or maybe even Broner.

Canelo needs to man up, if he wants to call himself the Middleweight champ then fight GGG. At times this catchweight business makes a mockery out of boxing.
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Well Kahn should retire if thats his thinking. Non of those fighters are going anywhere so to stay in the welter division Kahn's got to start fighting them.


I'm not sure the Brook fight will always be an option. Brook has already beat Porter and it looks like Spence will be his next fight or the one after that. So Brook is already a long way ahead of Kahn. A win against Spence and Brook is the man at 140-154 lbs. Not to mention it would set him up nicely for the winner of Thurman - Porter and maybe even a shot at Mayweather.

Kahn's claim to fame will be I fought Canelo. A win against Canelo, well that just puts Kahn back on track and a choice needs to be made if 147 or 154 is the division to go after. Then the real work needs to start with Kahn having 3-4 fights a year.
 
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Well Spence is now Brook's mandatory for the IBF title. Kahn holds no belts so assuming Brook beats Spence and Kahn moves back down to welter, I think a fight with Kahn would have to come after a unification attempt and be a non title fight.

A win for Brook over Spence and Brook has a lot of options and Kahn can be seen as a fall back fight.


Anyway lets see how Kahn gets on with Canelo first, because Canelo might put Kahn out of action for while.
 
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