Where Can Amir Khan Go in 2013?

[Paul Hampton]

In the wake of the Molina fight I saw different people say how they where impressed with the changes made by Khan under new trainer Virgil Hunter, but how big where those changes really? I went back and watched Khan in the amateurs and also early on in his career, and it appeared that all Hunter has done is take him back to basics, and is installing a hit and don't be hit style.

Khan's performance was good, however Molina was a small lightweight having his first fight in the Light Welterweight division, he was giving away height, reach and speed. The Bolton man used his jab effectively, kept out of range and refused to engage unless he was sure that it was safe to do so. Yet he still got caught with right hands, a shot he has been hit with time and time again throughout his short career. I'm sure Hunter will have seen that and will be trying to make changes, but for Khan to call out Garcia now when he hasn't improved his less than water tight defence is career suicide. We have seen how powerful Garcia is, and if they fight now the same result will happen.

Where can Khan go now to show how much better he has become? Rumours are circulating that a move up to Welterweight, to face the man who ended Ricky Hattons dream comeback Vyacheslav Senchenko, the would certainly be an interesting fight. Could a move improve up to 147 help his punch resistance further? The move up 140 seemed to help him, anyone who remembers his days in the Lightweight division will understand that if Maidana had landed that punch then Khan would have landed in the front row. But how would Khan cope with the lack of reach advantage? Senchenko was shown to be an average fighter by Paulie Malignaggi, when he stopped because of damage to his eye, and if Ricky Hatton was 50% of his former self he would have beaten Senchenko with relative ease.

One thing remains to be seen, if Khan gets caught and shaken again does he try to fight back or does he use his legs? When he got caught against Maidana he used his legs, however I have often said that getting caught and coming through that crisis was the worst thing that could have happened, it gave him a belief he had a granite chin with is far from the truth. If Khan is to rise again, and climb back to the top of the tree, he should take another tune up fight against a dangerous but winnable opponent. As strange as it sounds, now may be the perfect time for a rematch against the man who first knocked him out, Breidis Prescott. While he hasn't had a great career since that fight, Prescott presents a very real danger both in the ring but also mentally. How much doubt would be in the mind of Khan? I have no doubt that Prescott would be very confident about this fight, but it would show two things;

1)It would show everyone how much Khan has learnt under Hunter. Prescott has a longer reach than Khan and presents good knockout power. Khan would have to box to a plan for 12 tough rounds because if he didn't he could be looking at retirement.

2)We would also see how strong he is mentally. He would be going in against the guy who first knocked him out. Could he ignore that and focus or would his macho side rise to the surface forcing him to try to fight fire with fire?

If he was able to come through this fight, it sets up the possibility of an exciting 2013, and potentially try to over turn his two over defeats against Lamont Peterson and Danny Garcia.

[King Slayer]

Hopefully we get to see the Lopez fight.

[BigDigga]

i think khan can go places but he has too much heart. it overrides his better judgement

[Gareth Rees]

I would like him to rematch Peterson because thats winnable. Thing with Khan is he is soo talented, he's fast and has power in his hands, if he improves his defense, doesn't let himself get dragged into wars and is smart when he does get hurt like holding and running he would be close to p4p rankings. He needs to lose the immature he hit me so I'm going to hit him back mentality

[djt117]

He's gonna beat Josesito, avenge the "LOSS" to Peteroid, win the titles back from Garcia, and get in line for a money fight vs. Floyd in 2014

[Gabel Kessler]

I hope Khan goes back to the canvas in a punch drunken stupor after getting nailed with a beautiful hard punch that knocks the little sense he does have out of him.

[BigDigga]

He's gonna beat Josesito, avenge the "LOSS" to Peteroid, win the titles back from Garcia, and get in line for a money fight vs. Floyd in 2014

what makes you so sure he'd beat lopez?

and is testosterone considered a steroid?

[Gareth Rees]

what makes you so sure he'd beat lopez?

and is testosterone considered a steroid?

Under most commissions rules yes it's considered a PED

[djt117]

what makes you so sure he'd beat lopez?

and is testosterone considered a steroid?

I think Virgil Hunter is gonna do wonders for him. I think even in 8 weeks you saw some clear improvements in his game, at least in the first 6 rounds. Then he realized Molina couldn't hurt him so he didn't focus on his defense as much, which he probably should have just for the sake of practicing what he'd been learning.

Speed is gonna help him big vs. Josesito. Josesito is coming down from 154 to 140. Look what happens when you put on size and then try & take it off & fight quickly thereafter (I'd use RJJ as Exhibit A, but I know age was part of that equation, too) ... but still, I think he'll be able to avoid any big shots because he's gonna be slower from all that weight fluctuation.

AND ... Peterson was most likely in need of synthetic testosterone because doing steroids suppresses your natural testosterone production. He may not have 'roided right before the fight, but with good post-cycle therapy, I'm sure he took the gains from steroid use into the ring with him. Khan beat him the first time anyway, Peterson needed home-cookin' from a BS ref to win.

[BigDigga]

Under most commissions rules yes it's considered a PED

but a ped can be anything, steroids are just a certain type of ped

i don't think testosterone is a steroid. i guess i could be mistaken but i think i'm right