I know Dan doesn't fancy this for Katsidis, but I actually think Mick can win.

He only needs to graze Khan's chin and he's the new champion, and I think that he is smart and persistant enough to get there at some point.

Yeah, I'd much rather see Mick get a crack at the Ring belt at 135 against JMM to be honest.

Also, as tough and strong as Mick is, I think you may be overrating his one-punch power a little. Basically I don't think it would be a case of hit Khan once and down he goes. Khan just has too many physical and skill advantages over Katsidis for me to want this fight. I just see Katsidis getting busted up all night long and probably stopped on cuts or something.

I'd much rather see the Marquez fight at this stage too. Not that it's a more winnable fight (in fact it's a harder fight than Khan imo), but for purely selfish reasons I want to see Mike in there with a Mexican warrior and undisputed champion, and Marquez fits the bill. He's also one of my favourite fighters.

The Khan fight will happen. Remember, Katsidis called him out after the Escobedo victory, and now Khan is showing interest and GBP wants it to happen. So it will happen, but not this year.

I think a fight with Khan now is the best way to go because if Mick gets beaten he still holds his belt at the lower weight.

Its 50/50 Kats v both guys but if Kats gets beat by JMM he may not get the shot at Khan

I agree with Dan, Khan will make mince meat out of Katsidis. Khan has come a long way from the reckless fighter who lost to Prescott. I'd rather not see Katsidis get pumelled all night long.

The winner of Diaz v Marquez is the way to go. I'm glad Kats is sticking to his guns about this one.

I agree with Dan, Khan will make mince meat out of Katsidis. Khan has come a long way from the reckless fighter who lost to Prescott. I'd rather not see Katsidis get pumelled all night long.

The winner of Diaz v Marquez is the way to go. I'm glad Kats is sticking to his guns about this one.

I don't think people have grasped the fact that Khan is a truly world class fighter now.

Prospects make mistakes and lose, it happens. He looks like he has gone away and worked on his game and is one of the toughest and most skilled players at 140 right now. Just too big and too much skill for Kats IMO. Not a very winnable fight.

I haven't seen Amir fight recently, except for the Salita farce last December. My boxing mate in the US told me after the Paulie fight Khan still lunges in with punches and leaves himself off balance and wide open when he misses. As we know, it only takes one flush shot to drop Amir, but if you look at his recent run of opponents, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone with the pop to do that. Certainly not Oison ***an, certainly not the ancient Barrera, and the latest three were all feather-fisted dancers. Kotelnik, Salita and Paulie Malignaggi all have KO ratios of less than 50%. In Paulie's case, only a 20% KO ratio.

So it's somewhat amiss to say Khan is this, that or the next thing since the brutal loss to Prescott. His trainer is unquestionably one of the finest, and his blazing handspeed is just unbelievable, but he's still the same man inside the same skin. We'll see what becomes of Khan next time he's in tough with a dangerous puncher. That might be Maidana or it might be Katsidis. Both will ask the same tough questions and Khan better have some very sharp and chopping replies.

I haven't seen Amir fight recently, except for the Salita farce last December. My boxing mate in the US told me after the Paulie fight Khan still lunges in with punches and leaves himself off balance and wide open when he misses. As we know, it only takes one flush shot to drop Amir, but if you look at his recent run of opponents, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone with the pop to do that. Certainly not Oison ***an, certainly not the ancient Barrera, and the latest three were all feather-fisted dancers. Kotelnik, Salita and Paulie Malignaggi all have KO ratios of less than 50%. In Paulie's case, only a 20% KO ratio.

So it's somewhat amiss to say Khan is this, that or the next thing since the brutal loss to Prescott. His trainer is unquestionably one of the finest, and his blazing handspeed is just unbelievable, but he's still the same man inside the same skin. We'll see what becomes of Khan next time he's in tough with a dangerous puncher. That might be Maidana or it might be Katsidis. Both will ask the same tough questions and Khan better have some very sharp and chopping replies.

I'm pretty impressed by Khan to be honest. I think he has the speed and power to seriously hurt Katsidis. He is quite a bit bigger than Kats to, which would be a significant factor given that Mick is used to being able to bully guys around a bit.

Katsidis does not have great power. Hell, look at the Earl fight. He damn near had to hit him a million times to get it stopped. Kats is an aggressive volume puncher, but I don't think he has the type of power that starches Khan with one punch, and I think Khan is too good a mover and has too much skill to get consistently caught by Kats.

Just my take.

Dan, I can well see your scenario playing out. If Khan wins, it's his reach and handspeed that are the deciding factors. Kats wins through the intangibles of strength, determination, chin, power etc. Stuff you can't measure so easily. They'll both be in some good fights between times, but I hope they get it on sometime in 2011. Much water under the bridge before it happens though, and if Kats gets his JMM fight and somehow wins, Khan-Katsidis might be a long time happening.

unless kats can get a jab going and work on a few things, I can't see him beating Khan.

Khan was one of the best trainers in the business who will come up with a game plan to beat kats.

But I'm sure Brendan Smith will come up with just as good a game plan lol.

I haven't seen Amir fight recently, except for the Salita farce last December. My boxing mate in the US told me after the Paulie fight Khan still lunges in with punches and leaves himself off balance and wide open when he misses. As we know, it only takes one flush shot to drop Amir, but if you look at his recent run of opponents, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone with the pop to do that. Certainly not Oison ***an, certainly not the ancient Barrera, and the latest three were all feather-fisted dancers. Kotelnik, Salita and Paulie Malignaggi all have KO ratios of less than 50%. In Paulie's case, only a 20% KO ratio.

So it's somewhat amiss to say Khan is this, that or the next thing since the brutal loss to Prescott. His trainer is unquestionably one of the finest, and his blazing handspeed is just unbelievable, but he's still the same man inside the same skin. We'll see what becomes of Khan next time he's in tough with a dangerous puncher. That might be Maidana or it might be Katsidis. Both will ask the same tough questions and Khan better have some very sharp and chopping replies.

Kotelnik isn't a feather fisted dancer, he doesn't hit that hard, but he has some power if he can land consistantly

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check out the last 60 seconds against rees, he lands some good shots.

also he's more of a textbook european boxer than a dancer.

sorry to go off on a tangent, but Kotelnik gets unfair heat imo, he did beat a prime junior witter (got robbed)

Yeah, Kotelnik is a very fair fighter.

I know Dan doesn't fancy this for Katsidis, but I actually think Mick can win.

He only needs to graze Khan's chin and he's the new champion, and I think that he is smart and persistant enough to get there at some point.
yes I agree.......Katsidis will eventually catch Khan with his constant pressure....

there's no way Khan can outbox Mike

yes I agree.......Katsidis will eventually catch Khan with his constant pressure....

there's no way Khan can outbox Mike

I think his chances of landing a Marquez fight are so slim he should strike while the iron is hot and take the Khan option. Would be a big money fight. You know, Amir has a "massive history" and this will "open up doors" at 140. Put him "in the mix with the big names" etc.

I think this is a good fight (though I'd prefer Katsidis-JMM and Khan-Maidana) but it does concern me how it's come about.

GBP and HBO work together to get Maidana other fights so that he won't enforce his mandatory shot against Khan. Then they work together to get Katsidis other fights so that he won't enforce his mandatory shot against Marquez.

I realise of course that this sort of thing has gone on for years, and that Kats and Maidana could turn down the extra money and instead go for the belt, but it still bothers me how the powerful figures of the sport are able to run things this way.